pred. dr. sc. Katja Ester

Education: 1998 – Bachelor of Science in Biology, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Department of Molecular Biology, 2006 – Ph.D., University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Postgraduate Study of Natural Sciences, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Position: 2022 – Senior Research Associate, Laboratory for Experimental Therapy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Ruđer Bošković Institute Scientific papers: 27 scientific papers indexed in the WoSCC database and 2 in the SCIE database. Projects: participation/management of 14 international and domestic scientific projects Mentorships: Supervisor of 4 graduate theses (Kristina Majsec 2010; Jelena Jurlin 2013; Steffi Lemmens 2016, Jelena Gabrilo 2018); 2 papers with graduates have been published (Ester et al 2012; Matovina et al 2021) and the third is in preparation (Ester et al 2025). Leading an international laboratory internship and graduate thesis of a student from Belgium as part of the Erasmus project (2016). Member of the committee for the evaluation and defense of the doctoral thesis, "Preparation, redox properties and biological activity of ferrocene derivatives of nucleobases", 2022, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Zagreb. Teaching activity: Course leader: Selected Chapters of Biology, Integrated Study of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art, Academy of Fine Arts, University of Zagreb, 2017 – present. Associate in teaching doctoral studies: course "Functional Genomics", doctoral study "Molecular Biosciences", University of Osijek and Dubrovnik, 2010 – present.

I am an active scientist in the field of molecular and cell biology. My scientific activity includes molecular immunology, molecular virology and pharmacology. I lead interdisciplinary collaborations within which we investigate the mechanisms of action of new potential drugs with application in biomedicine.

I'm teaching biology. As part of a one-semester compulsory course, I provide students with an insight into the basics of biology. After a brief overview of the basic biological concepts, students are explained the basic characteristics of organisms that can cause damage to works of art.

- Matovina, Michael; Lemmens, Steffi; King, Marieta; Esther, Katja*, Periodicum biologorum, 123, 3-4; 65–70. - Esther, Katja*; Ragland, William Lauman, Slovenian veterinary research, 57, 4; 179–186. - Schratter, Gebhard; Scheruebel, Susanne; Langthaler, Sonja; Esther, Katja; W. Schreibmayer*, Scientific reports, 9, 19277. – Sambol, Matija; Ester, Katja*; Landgraf, Stephan; Mihaljević, Branka; Cindrić, Mario; Kralj, Marijeta; Basarić, Nikola*, Photochemical & photobiological sciences, 18, 5; 1197–1211. – Sambol, Matija; Ester, Katja *; Husak, Antonija; Škalamera, Đani; Piantanida, Ivo; Kralj, Marijeta; Basarić, Nikola *, Croatica chemica acta, 29–41. – Levatić, Jurica; Pavić, Kristina; Perković, Ivana; Uzelac, Lidija; Ester, Katja; … Supek, Fran*; Zorc, Branka*, "Machine learning prioritizes synthesis of primaquine ureidoamides with high antimalarial activity and attenuated cytotoxicity", European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 146, 651–667. – Guberović, Iva; Marjanović, Marko; Mioč, Marija; Ester, Katja;... Kralj, Marijeta*, Scientific Reports, 8:14467.