Maja Lazarus

Zagreb, 21 July 1980

• 2003–2009, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Postgraduate study in natural sciences, Biology-Toxicology, Ph.D. in Biology
• 1998–2003, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, B.Sc. in Nutritional Technology

• December 2003–present, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health (Division of Occupational and Environmental Health), Zagreb, Croatia

Toxicokinetics and toxicodinamics of toxic elements and their interaction with essential elements; ecotoxicology: biomonitoring of exposure and effects of pollutants in terrestrial wildlife; risk assessment of foodstuff contaminants for human health

Scientific/professional projects

• 2025–2028 Associate researcher within the national research project „Conservation Medicine – apex predators as sentinels of ecosystem health – COMPASS“ (Croatian Science Foundation no. IP-2025-02-1750, Principal investigator: Magda Sindičić)
• 2025–2028 Associate researcher within the national research project „Prenatal exposure to metal(loid)s, phthalates and microplastics: effects on steroid hormones, microRNA expression and birth outcomes – FetalExpo“ (Croatian Science Foundation no. IP-2025-02-4002, Principal investigator: Ankica Sekovanić)
• 2024–2027 Associate researcher within the national research project “Interactions between human and environmental health: determinants for health preservation – HumEnHealth” (European Union – Next Generation EU, Program Contract, Class: 643-02/23-01/00016, Reg. no. 533-03-23-0006, Principal investigator: Jelena Macan)
• 2022–2024 Associate within the educational project “Meet the Toxicity – Live Safely” (MeeTox) Erasmus+ KA2 small partnership project in the area of adult education (European Commission and Tempus Foundation, Principal investigator: Danijela Đukić-Ćosić, Srbija)
• 2021–2025 Associate researcher within the national research project „Indirect effect of global warming on mammals physiological parameters via high temperature-stressed plant diet – TEMPHYS” (Croatian Science Foundation no. IP-2020-02-7585, Principal investigator: Ivana Šola)
• 2017–2022 Associate researcher within the national research project “Assessment of Daily Exposure to Metals and Maternal Individual Susceptibility as Factors of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease – METALORIGINS” (Croatian Science Foundation no. 1998, Principal investigator: Martina Piasek and Jasna Jurasović)
• 2007–2013 Associate researcher within the national research project “Exposure to Metals and their Effects in Pregnancy and Postnatal Period” (Ministry of Science, Education and Sports no. 022-0222148-2135, Principal investigator: Martina Piasek)
• 2011–2012 Associate researcher within the national professional project “Monitoring of organic and inorganic pollutants in the environment of Plitvice Lakes National Park” (NP Plitvička jezera, Principal investigator: Snježana Herceg Romanić)
• 2003–2006 Associate researcher within the national research project “Exposure, Intake and Effects of Toxic and Essential Elements” (Ministry of Science and Technology/Ministry of Science, Education, and Sports no. 0022012, Principal investigator: Maja Blanuša and Martina Piasek)

• 25–27 Nov 2024, 5th Environmental scientific school (IRB) Zagreb, Croatia
• 8 Sep 2024, Continuing Education Course – CEC04 – Toxicology – “Environmental Pollutants”, (IUTOX and EUROTOX) Copenhagen, Denmark
• 18 September 2022, Continuing Education Course „Thresholds of toxicological concern – recent developments“, IUTOX and EUROTOX, Maastricht, Netherlands
• 23–27 August 2021, 9th BfR-Summer Academy (Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Germany), online
• 11–17 November 2018, Institute of Nature Conservation of Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland (study visit)
• 4–8 April 2016, Principles of Toxicology (EUROTOX in colaboration with the Croatian Toxicological Society), Zagreb, Hrvatska
• 17–27 November 2015, LabAnim 3 course (Laboratory Animal Science Course, FELASA category C equivalent), Zagreb, Croatia
• 14–18 April 2014, Expert Mission on authorisation of biocidal products (ETT IND/EXP 55794, TAIEX), Zagreb, Croatia
• 17–21 March 2014, Challenges in Health Risk Assessment (Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet), Stockholm, Sweden
• 10–16 September 2004, Basic Toxicology Course (EUROTOX in colaboration with the Croatian Toxicological Society), Plitvice Lake, Croatia

• Croatian Society of Toxicologists (HTD)
• Croatian Laboratory Animal Science Association (CroLASA; Secretary 2018–2023)
• Professional group for chemical hazards in food and feed at the Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food (HAPIH)

• Organisation of scientific meetings: Organizing Committee for two international (2015 XI. ISTERH, Croatia; 2025 VII. CROTOX, Croatia) and three national congresses (2016 V. CROTOX, Croatia; 2018 III. symposium CroLASA, Croatia; 2020, VI. CROTOX, Croatia)
• Invited lecture: 1st ToxLearn4EU Summer School, Zagreb, 2023
• Awards: best poster at the 13th International Congress of the Serbian Society of Toxicology and 1st TOXSEE Regional Conference, 2023
• Guest Editor Special Issue on Biomonitoring of Elements in Wildlife Animals, Toxics (Vol 11(1), 2023; ISSN 2305-6304).
• Peer review: rewiever of 52 scientific paper in 25 WoSCC-indexed journals
• Papers: 39 original scientific papers in journals indexed in WoSCC, 3 indexed in SCOPUS, and 53 congress proceedings (Abstract book)
• Citations: 559 in WoS (2026), h-index 15