Category Archive for : ‘Ongoing Projects’

Project title: UNIRI PROJECTS FOR MATERIALLY DEMANDING RESEARCH – The role of immunological mechanisms in the development of neurological disorders induced by viral infection

Funding source: University of Rijeka

Project code: uniri-mzi-25-57

Coordinator: Assoc. prof. Ilija Brizić, PhD

Research Team:

Prof. Stipan Jonjić, MD, PhD
Prof. Astrid Krmpotić, MD, PhD
Mijo Golemac, MD
Fran Krstanović, PhD
Valentina Hribljan, PhD
Andrea Mihalić
Lucija Šakota

Total funding: 80.311,67 €

Project implementation period: 01.10.2025. – 30.09.2029.

Brief description: Congenital infection with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the most common congenital infection

Project title: UNIRI PROJECTS BY YOUNG RESEARCHERS AND RESEARCHERS RETURNEES – The effects of inflammation on cardiovascular system

Funding source: University of Rijeka

Project code: uniri-mz-25-63

Coordinator: Marko Šustić, MD, PhD

Total funding: 27.804,16 €

Project implementation period: 01.10.2025. – 31.01.2029.

Brief description: In recent decades, physiological and pathological processes in the heart have been increasingly looked upon through the lens of the immune system, giving birth to the new field of cardioimmunology. Several lines of research have indicated that latent cytomegalovirus infection (CMV)

Project title: UNIRI PROJECTS BY YOUNG RESEARCHERS AND RESEARCHERS RETURNEES – Latent CMV in the brain: a hidden threat or adaptation?

Funding source: University of Rijeka

Project code: uniri-mz-25-32

Coordinator: Fran Krstanović, PhD

Total funding: 22.665,65 €

Project implementation period: 01.10.2025. – 30.04.2028.

Brief description: All human herpesviruses enter a latent state after the resolution of primary infection. While alpha-herpesviruses, such as herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) establish latency in neurons, other herpesviruses have not been reported to maintain latency

Project title: UNIRI PROJECTS FOR MATERIALLY DEMANDING RESEARCH – Deciphering the molecular portrait of cytomegalovirus infection at the single cell level

Funding source: University of Rijeka

Project code: uniri-mzi-25-26

Coordinator: Assoc. prof. Berislav Lisnić, PhD

Research Team:

Assoc. prof. Vanda Juranić Lisnić, PhD
Prof. Astrid Krmpotić, MD, PhD
Marko Šustić, MD, PhD
Asst. prof. Maja Cokarić Brdovčak, PhD
Andrea Mihalić

Total funding: 69.248,44 €

Project implementation period: 01.10.2025. – 30.09.2029.

Brief description: Single-cell RNA sequencing technology (scRNA-Seq) has enabled gene expression measurement in individual cells and thereby

Project title: UNIRI PROJECTS BY EXPERIENCED RESEARCHERS – Characterization of the immune response to cytomegalovirus infection in adrenal glands

Funding source: University of Rijeka

Project code: uniri-iz-25-106

Coordinator: Assoc. prof. Vanda Juranić Lisnić, PhD

Research Team:

Jelena Železnjak, PhD
Marija Mazor, PhD
Ivana Bertović, MD
Magdalena Medved
Martina Brnjić

Total funding: 52.843,85 €

Project implementation period: 01.10.2025. – 30.09.2029.

Brief description: Cytomegalovirus is a widespread virus that infects most of the world’s population, as well as most tissues and organs. The kinetics of virus replication and

Project title: UNIRI PROJECTS BY EXPERIENCED RESEARCHERS – From model to therapy: investigating monoclonal antibodies for nectins in tumor microenvironment

Funding source: University of Rijeka

Project code: uniri-iz-25-48

Coordinator: Prof. Tihana Lenac Roviš, PhD

Research Team:

Prof. Stipan Jonjić, MD, PhD
Asst. prof. Paola Kučan Brlić, PhD
Valentina Hribljan, PhD
Milena Hasan, PhD
Ema Bellulovich

Total funding: 47.345,75 €

Project implementation period: 01.10.2025. – 30.09.2029.

Brief description: Immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) immunotherapy has been approved for several target proteins and is key in the treatment

Project title: UNIRI PROJECTS BY EXPERIENCED RESEARCHERS – Profiling Nectin family proteins in human tumors: a pilot biobank project for enhancing immunotherapy strategies

Funding source: University of Rijeka

Project code: uniri-iz-25-173

Coordinator: Asst. prof. Paola Kučan Brlić, PhD

Research Team:

Prof. Tihana Lenac Roviš, PhD
Prof. Nives Jonjić, MD, PhD
Mijo Golemac, MD
Devis Pascut, PhD
Marija Mazor, PhD
Ema Bellulovich

Total funding: 40.979,25 €

Project implementation period: 01.10.2025. – 30.09.2029.

Brief description: Proteins from the nectin and nectin-like family represent a new generation of immune

Project title: UNIRI PROJECTS BY EXPERIENCED RESEARCHERS – Optimizing immunization strategies using MCMV-based vaccine vectors

Funding source: University of Rijeka

Project code: uniri-iz-25-105

Coordinator: Asst. prof. Maja Cokarić Brdovčak, PhD

Research Team:

Assoc. prof. Ilija Brizić, PhD
Jelena Železnjak, PhD
Assoc. prof. Berislav Lisnić, PhD
Magdalena Medved
Lucija Šakota

Total funding: 47.560,16 €

Project implementation period: 01.10.2025. – 30.09.2029.

Brief description: The development of effective vaccines against emerging viral pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2, is a global priority. An effective vaccine should provide systemic immunity to

Call title: Research Projects / Swiss – Croatian research projects

Call code: IPCH-2023-10

Competent authority:  Croatian Science Foundation

Project title: The role of kynurenine metabolism in immune-mediated neurodevelopmental pathology after cytomegalovirus infection

Applicant name: University of Rijeka Faculty of Medicine

Coordinator: Prof. Stipan Jonjic, MD, PhD

Research Team, University of Rijeka Faculty of Medicine:

Prof. Astrid Krmpotic, MD, PhD
Prof. Ilija Brizić, PhD
Tina Ruzic, PhD
Marko Sustic, PhD
Jelena Materljan, PhD student

Project implementation period: 01.10.2024 – 30.09.2028

Total project value: 198.245,00

Brief description:

Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most common intrauterine viral infection in the world. Approximately one-third of symptomatic infants, and to a

Call title: Targeted scientific research

Call code: NPOO.C3.2.R3-I1.04

Competent authority: Ministry of Science, Education and Youth and Croatian Science Foundation

Project title: Targeted research towards the establishment of a platform for the development of viral vector vaccines for poultry – NPOO.C3.2.R3-I1.04.0182

Applicant name: University of Rijeka Faculty of Medicine

Partner name: Genera Inc. for development and production of pharmaceuticals

Coordinator: Assoc. Prof. dr. Ilija Brizić, Head of the Center for Proteomics

Research Team, University of Rijeka Faculty of Medicine: