Dr. Katarina Ćuković

Dr. Katarina Ćuković was born on May 24, 1991, in Jagodina (Republic of Serbia). She graduated in 2014 from the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, specializing in Molecular Biology and Physiology. She completed her master's studies in 2015 (module: Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade), defending her master's thesis at the Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade (IMGGI). She enrolled in doctoral studies in 2016 (module: Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade), defending her thesis titled "Identification and analysis of genes involved in somatic embryogenesis of Centaurium erythraea Rafn." in 2023 at the Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" - an institute of national importance for the Republic of Serbia (IBISS). From 2017 to 2019, Katarina was employed at the Institute of Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade (IMSI), and since 2020, she has been employed as a research associate at IBISS.

Dr. Ćuković's research belongs to the field of plant physiology and molecular biology, primarily focusing on studying the mechanisms regulating plant growth and development in vitro culture. In addition to her scientific research within her doctoral studies, from 2017 to 2022, Katarina was involved in an international project under the largest EU research and innovation program - Horizon 2020 ("CHIC - Chicory as a multipurpose crop for dietary fibre and medicinal terpenes", grant number 760891), aimed at promoting chicory as a healthy food and developing new methods for obtaining its various varieties. Additionally, within a bilateral project with Croatia ("Exploring a regulatory role of TROL protein in electron partitioning in UVB-induced mechanism of flavonoid and anthocyanins accumulation in Arabidopsis leaf", 2019-2020), and a project funded by ICGEB ("Redox-sensing and electron transfer at the inner envelope of chloroplasts – the role of the TROL-FNR interaction", 2021-2023), Dr. Ćuković realized a multi-week study visit at the Ruđer Bošković Institute in Zagreb.