Academic Interests
Molecular genetics
Group leader: Professor Zlatko Dembic, dr. Med.;
We research the genes important for giving early signals to embryonic tissues during development to differentiate into structures in the craniofacial area comprising oral mucosa, salivary glands, teeth, bones, joints, tonsils, bone marrow and neural tissue. We also investigate genes that may predispose to various diseases of immunologic and inflammatory character and can lead to the development of chronic diseases or cancer later on in the life of an individual. We use case (disease) - control studies to determine markers' frequencies in genetic areas selected by educated guess or linked to craniofacial region by microchip expression profiling. We have recently investigated predisposing genetic factors in tuberculosis, breast and colon cancer, as well as primary osteoarthritis of large joints, including the temporomandibular joint. Genes of interest comprise various cytokine family members like interferon-gamma and interleukin-1 and Toll-like receptor families 1,2,3,4,6,7, and 9, which are important for early activating the specific (adaptive) immune responses.
Keywords: 1. DNA, 2. Immunogenetics, 3. Respiratory infection, 4. Epithelial cancer, 5. Joint inflammasjon (large joints), 6. Immunoregulation, 7. RT PCR
Teaching
- http://www.uio.no/studier/program/odontologi/
- http://www.uio.no/studier/program/medisin/
- http://www.uio.no/studier/emner/odont/tannlege/ODSEM2/
Higher education and employment history
As a scientist with a medical background, it's natural that my research interests are placed at the crossroads of medicine and biology. Since the earliest days of my lab career, I have been attracted to molecular and cellular immunology. The more I learned, the more my interest evolved toward studying ontogeny and phylogeny of the immune system. The reason was simple: I wished to understand its function, which is still my wish. During the last twenty years of the past century, I worked on important issues in immunology at the Max-Planck-Institute for Biology (Tubingen, Germany), the Basel Institute for Immunology (Switzerland; CH) and the Hoffman-La Roche AG (Basel, CH). We were the first to report the identification of genes underlying T-cell specificity and recognition (mouse T-cell receptor, in '86). Likewise, we led the research on molecular cloning of human cytokine receptors important for the effector phase of immunity, such as the interferon-gamma receptor (IFNGR1; in '88) and the tumor necrosis factor receptor-2 (TNFR2; in '90). 1995, I moved to the Institute of Immunology at the University of Oslo, Norway. Since then, I have broadened the scope of my research by working on T-cell development, cancer immunobiology, immunogenetics, and susceptibility to cancer and infectious diseases.
This was only possible with a substantial contribution from my academic collaborators and colleagues in Norway and Croatia. Some of these studies led me to propose a model about the workings of the immune system called the "integrity" model in the mid-nineties. It stresses that immunity is a defense system, an active protector of own tissues, and a selector of microbiome, including commensals. So far, my publications comprise over 100 scientific contributions and a monograph entitled "Cytokines of the Immune System" (Academic Press, Elsevier, 2015). About one-tenth were published in top scientific journals (like Nature and Cell). I take these achievements as evidence of the joy that basic research in immunology has given me over the past years. They are also the source of an unending motivation to study further what remains unknown - a progressively smaller part of the human body.
CURRICULUM VITAE
Researcher unique identifiers: ORCID ID: 0000-0002-9970-6497
EDUCATION
1977 Dr. med., (M.D.) Medical Faculty, University in Rijeka (UiR), Croatia.
1980 Mr. Sc. in biomedicine, University in Zagreb (UiZ), Croatia.
1987 Dr. sc. in medicine (Ph.D. equivalent), UiR.
CURRENT POSITIONS
2002 – present: Professor I (professor in cell biology, immunology and microbiology), University of Oslo (UiO).
2007 – present: Professor (visiting; in medicine (biomedicine; for postgraduate studies), Medical Faculty, University in Rijeka (UiR), Croatia, EU. (Since 2013, re-instated, tenured).
PREVIOUS POSITIONS
1977 - 1980 Assistant, Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty (MF), UiZ.
1980 - 1984 Research Assistant and Lecturer, Department of Physiology, MF, UiZ, Croatia.
1982 - 1984 Postdoctoral research fellow, Max-Planck Institut für Biologie, Abt. Immungenetik, Tübingen, Germany.
1984 - 1986 Member, Basel Institute for Immunology, Basel, Switzerland.
1986 - 1989 Staff Scientist, Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland.
1989 - 1995 Senior Scientist, Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland.
1991 - 2002 Visiting Lecturer, Medical Faculty, University in Rijeka, Croatia.
1995 - 1996 Guest Scientist, Institute for General and Rheumatologic Immunology (IGRI), The National Hospital (Rikshospitalet), Oslo, Norway.
1997 - 2002 Senior Scientist (Forsker, Den Norske Kreftforening), IGRI / Institute of Immunology, The National Hospital (Rikshospitalet), Oslo, Norway.
2002 - 2007 Visiting Associate Professor in medicine (biomedicine), Medical Faculty, UiR, Rijeka, Croatia.
INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
2002 - present: Course leader: “Cranio-facial developmental biology“, a postgraduate course in the core curriculum of specialists’ education at the Faculty of Dentistry, UiO, Norway.
2012 - 2015: 3rd-semester leader, Faculties of Medicine, Dentistry and Nutrition, UiO.
2017: Course leader: “Basics of Tumor Immunotherapy “, a postgraduate course as a part of the Medical Oncology study for postgraduates and specialists in medicine, at the University of Zagreb, Croatia.
2001 - 2008: Course leader: “Cytokines and disease“, postgraduate course (bi-annual) in “Biomedicine” at the Medical School, University of Rijeka, Croatia.
COMMISSIONS OF TRUST
2001 – 2006: Editor-in-chief, Scandinavian Journal of Immunology; publisher: Blackwell, UK.
2006 – 2021: Associate Editor, Scandinavian Journal of Immunology; publisher: Blackwell Science, Wiley, UK.
2022 – present: Associate Editor for Cancer Immunity and Immunotherapy, a research section with articles appearing in the Frontiers in Immunology and Frontiers in Oncology online journals, published by Frontiers Media SA (International).
MEMBERSHIP IN SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES
2008 – 2010: President of the Norwegian Society for Immunology
GRANTED PATENTS
Several patents filed in Switzerland, in European Union and the USA dealing with Cytokines’ receptors and their potential use as hybrid molecules with immunoglobulins:
1. Inventor (with R. Gentz and G. Garotta) of the patent "Chimeric Human Interferon-gamma Receptor - Immunoglobulin Polypeptides" filed by ROCHE, on Mar 1993 (EU);
2. Co-inventor of the US patents "Human TNF Receptor" (US 8,163,522 B1) and “Human TNF Receptor Fusion Proteins” (US 8,063,182 B1) filed by ROCHE, May 19, 1995, of which the latter describes a product known as etanercept. It is a successful biological called Enbrel (Amgen), currently used to treat autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, polyarticular juvenile arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.
Cooperations - Collaborations
Medical Faculty, University of Oslo:
Centre for Immune Regulation (CiR) - Professor Bjarne Bogen;
Medical Faculty in Rijeka, University of Rijeka, Croatia:
Dept of Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology - Professor Sinisa Volarevic;
Clinic of Internal Medicine, Dept of Pulmonology - Doc Ljiljana Bulat-Kardum;
Dept. of Physiology - Professor Ines Mrakovčić Šutić
Clinic of Orthopaedics, Lovran - Professor Zdravko Jotanović
Medical Faculty in Pula, University Juraj Dobrila, Pula, Croatia:
General Hospital Pula, Clinic for Oncology - Professor Damir Vrbanec;
Institute Rudjer Boskovic, Zagreb, Croatia:
Dept of Molecular Medicine - Dr Jelena Knezevic