Nikolina Maček Hrvat – Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health

Place and date of birth

Zagreb, May 5 1983

2011-2015 PhD degree in Chemistry – Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia
2001–2008 BSc degree in Biotechnology – Biochemical Engineering, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Croatia

2020. – today Scientific Associate, Division of Toxicology, Institute for Medical research and Occupational Health (IMROH)
2015.-2020. Postdoctoral fellow, IMROH
2010.-2015. Scientific novice, IMROH

– Principal investigator:

2024.-2027. Evaluation of efficacy and toxicity of biologically active substances (Funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU, Program Contract)
2023.-2027. Analyses of interactions between organophosphorus compounds and esterases and other targets for therapy in poisoning (Croatian Science Foundation)

– Associate and principal investigator of in vivo research on mice:

2022.-2024. In vivo efficacy of novel uncharged bis-oximes in op poisoning treatment (National Institutes of Health, USA)
2019.-2022. CNS Active, orally bioavailable, zwitterionic oxime antidotes to organophosphates (Defense Threat Reduction Agency, USA)

– Associate:

2018.-2022. Analysis of butyrylcholinesterase interactions with novel inhibitors and reactivators (Croatian Science Foundation)
2014.-2018. Design, synthesis and evaluation of new antidotes in nerve agent and pesticide poisoning (Croatian Science Fundation)
2013.-2016. „BChE reactivators for nerve agent and pesticide OP detoxification in human tissue (National Institutes of Health, USA)
2013.-2014. Mechanism of interactions of pyridinium oximes with acetylcholinesterase inhibited by OP compounds: kinetics, computational modelling and determination of complexes 3D structure (Croatian-French program „Cogito”)

investigation of cholinesterase interactions with antidotes and inhibitors;
enzymatic kinetics of reactivation of cholinesterases inhibited by organophosphates using structurally different oximes;
bioscavenging of organophosphorus compounds;
organophosphate-induced neuroinflammation and oxime neuroprotection in organophosphate-exposed mice

Postdoctoral training at the Neurochemistry Laboratory, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zagreb
Course on laboratory animal science and numerous other courses, workshops and schools

Member of Organisation Committee of the 17th International Symposium on Cholinergic Mechanisms, Dubrovnik, Croatia 2022
FEBS Youth Travel Fellowship, 2018
FEBS Fellowship, 2013
Fellowship of the Croatian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2012
2008 Award of the Croatian Society for Medical and Biological Engineering for the best graduation thesis in the area of biomedical engineering for academic year 2007/2008