DNA repair mechanisms are crucial for the maintenance of genome’s integrity. When DNA damage is not repaired promptly, that may pose a serious threat to genomic stability and can contribute to carcinogenesis. On the other hand, the core molecular mechanism of action in several cancer treatments including chemotherapeutic agents and radiation therapy is induction of DNA damage and the efficacy of DNA repair mechanisms may influence the outcome of cancer treatment. Genetic variability of DNA repair proteins can modify the ability to repair DNA damage and may therefore play an important role in both cancer susceptibility and the outcome of cancer treatment.There are several forms of DNA damage and therefore several mechanisms involved in their repair. Complex changes such as double strand breaks (DSBs) can lead to chromosome loss, chromosomal rearrangements or apoptosis. DSBs represent one of the most detrimental forms of DNA damage because both strands of DNA are damaged and are thus especially challenging for efficient and accurate DNA repair. One of the important pathways involved in DSB repair is HRR, a complex mechanism consisting of several steps that requires coordinated interplay of various enzymes. The chapter in a focuses on homologous recombination repair (HRR) and summarizes the current knowledge on how genetic variability in this pathway influences cancer susceptibility and treatment outcome.
F.01 Acquisition of new practical knowledge, information and skills
COBISS.SI-ID: 32336345Endometriosis is defined as the presence of endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterus, in different parts of the peritoneal cavity. It affects up to 10% of reproductive-age 10 women and up to 50% of women with infertility. Surgical diagnosis of endometriosis is still the gold standard, with no diagnostic biomarkers available. Medical therapies target the symptoms and not the disease itself, and surgical treatment cannot prevent recurrence. As peritoneal fluid reflects the altered peritoneal microenvironment of endometriosis patients, it can provide a wealth of information on pathophysiological processes and potential 15 biomarkers. This report reviews the molecular biomarkers identified in peritoneal fluid over the last 5 years and discusses their potential applications for diagnosis, prognosis and drug therapy.
F.21 Development of new health/diagnostic methods/procedures
COBISS.SI-ID: 31819993Dr. Jana Ferdin was awarded Lapanje Award for 2015 by the Slovenian Biochemical Society for her influential and innovative research work on the role of non-coding RNA transcripts and the transcription factor HIF in overcoming the negative effects of hypoxia in tumor tissue. These studies were started during her PhD thesis. She has also received the 2014 Krka Prize for her PhD thesis. Her results were published in four original and three review scientific papers and presented at several international conferences. Three of the papers were published within the A'' category. The importance of her research is also reflected in the large impact of published studies, as they were already cited 510 times. Currently, she continues her work in the program group under the leadership of doc. dr. Metka Lenassi and prof. dr. Matija Peterlin, investigating the role of extracellular vesicles in neurological symptoms of AIDS.
E.01 National awards
The members of the program group were editors and editorial board members of several international scientific journals: Vita Dolžan: Frontiers in pharmacology (COBISS 29551833), European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (COBISS 25427712), Archives of industrial hygiene and toxicology (COBISS 3833858), Acta dermatovenerologica APA (COBISS 31649024); Tea Lanišnik Rižner:The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (COBISS 527636), Frontiers in Pharmacology, section Experimantal Pharmacology and Drug Discovery (COBISS 29551833 ); sourednica posebne številke revije Chemico-Biological Interactions, Vol. 234 (COBISS 31981785); Nina Gunde Cimerman: FEMS microbiology letters (COBISS 25455104), International journal of medicinal mushrooms (COBISS 1979418), Scientific reports (COBISS 18727432); ECCO newsletter : the newsletter of the European Culture Collection Organization, for the exchange of informations, news, ideas and informations amongst members of ECCO (COBISS 1643802); Goličnik, Marko: Acta chimica slovenica (COBISS 14086149); European Journal of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics.
C.04 Editorial board of an international magazine
The aim of pharmacogenetics in medicine is to improve the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment efficacy in individual patients taking into account his/hers genetic characteristics. Better understanding of genetic risk factors for diseases enables earlier identification of people at increased risk and faster diagnosis that allows earlier and more effective treatment. Pharmacogenetic testing can help to identify patients in which drug metabolism, transport and action are changed due to genetic variability in these pathways. Adjustment of the choice and dosage of medication and/or monitoring according to the patients demographic, clinical and genetic characteristics can improve the efficacy of treatment and reduce adverse events. In the course of the workshop, paricioants, among them many students and university lecturers in the field of Biomedicine from Slovenia and from abroad, were presented the lastest achievements and guidelines in pharmacogenetics.
B.01 Organiser of a scientific meeting