Date and Place of Birth:
January 25, 1976 in Žiar nad Hronom, ČSSR
Education:
1994−1999 Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
Student of Theoretical and Mathematical Physics. Master (Diploma) Thesis “Model-independent determination of the course of the electromagnetic form factor of pion”
1999−2003 Faculty of Pharmacy and Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia. PhD. student of Biophysics. PhD. project “SANS and SAXS studies of the effects of additive molecules on the phospholipid membranes”
2017 University of Pavol Jozef Šafarik in Košice, doctoral dissertation “Biophysical Perspectives of Model Biological Membranes Studied by Neutron and X-ray Scattering”
Career:
2000−2001 Visiting scientist, FLNP JINR, SANS spectrometer YUMO
2002 Visiting scientist, LLB, SANS spectrometer PAXE, CEA/Saclay, France
2003−2006 Postdoctoral Research Associate in Biophysical laboratory of Professor John F. Nagle,
Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh
2006−2008 NSERC Visiting Fellowship in Biophysical group of Dr. John Katsaras, NRC, Canadian Neutron Beam Centre, Chalk River
Since 2007 Faculty member at Department of Physical Chemistry of Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
2008−2011 Assistant Research Officer under the Research Associate Program in Biophysical group of Dr. John Katsaras, NRC, Canadian Neutron Beam Centre, Chalk River
2011−2013 Assistant Research Officer, NRC, Canadian Neutron Beam Centre, Chalk River
2013−2014 Associate Research Officer, NRC, Canadian Neutron Beam Centre, Chalk River. Seconded to the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River
Since 2014 Deputy Director of Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, JINR, Dubna
Grants and Projects:
Co-investigator in Scientific Grant Agency of the Slovak Republic “The interaction of normal alkanes and alcohols, sterols and biocide surfactants with phospholipid bilayers”, Ontario Research Fund “Advanced technologies for diagnostics, prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease”, Austrian Academy of Sciences “Structure and Elasticity of Liquid Ordered / Liquid Disordered Domains”
Principal investigator in JINR project “Investigations of lipid bilayer structural properties as a basis for the pathological conditions of cell membrane, and its interactions with potential drugs by the means of small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering, diffraction and reflectometry methods.“
Principal investigator in the RSF project titled “The effect of membrane fluidity and disorder on the location of peptides in model biological membranes studied by neutron scattering”.
Scientific Interests:
The internal structure of biological model membranes and organization of lateral clusters therein, while unraveling the structure-function relationships in their highly complex behavior. The interactions of model biological membranes with amyloid-beta peptides and antimicrobial peptides in a way that potentially relate to the onset of pathological conditions.
Scientific Works:
Co-author of more than 120 publications (h index = 41)
Prizes, Titles, National Awards:
Comenius University Fellowship, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic (2000), (2001), (2002); Fellowship Ruđer Bošković Institute, Croatia (2000); HERCULES Fellowship, Grenoble, France (2001); International Travel Award from the International Union for Pure and Applied Biophysics (2002); International Travel Award from CEA Saclay (2003); Science Fair Competition for Young Scientists awarded by the Slovak Physical Society (2005), (2010); Award for three-year scientific impact by the Slovak Literary Fund (2009), (2015); Prize for scientific impact awarded by Slovak Physical Society (2017); Honorary diploma of JINR for many years of fruitful activity, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna (2021); 1st prize in the FLNP competition of experimental, methodical and applied works in condensed matter physics, Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, JINR, Dubna (2022); 3rd prize in the FLNP competition of experimental, methodical and applied works in condensed matter physics, Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, JINR, Dubna (2022).