Valentina Gburcik
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Biography
Valentina graduated with Diploma in Biochemistry (equivalent to UK MSc degree) at the University of Belgrade. Following this she worked for 2 years as a member of a multidisciplinary team analyzing clinical data on cancer development - part of a postgraduate program at the Center for Multidisciplinary Studies, University of Belgrade. She then moved to University of Geneva, Switzerland, where she obtained her PhD degree in 2005, in the lab of Prof. Didier Picard. She moved to UK in 2006 where she went on to work at the University College London in the lab of Dr. Gale and Dr. Dawson. In 2009 she started working at RVC in the lab of Prof. Timmons and Prof. Cannon. In collaboration with Dr Liam Good's lab, she participated in the development of a novel nanoparticle-based-system for delivery of nucleic acids into cells, which led her to become a co-founder of Tecrea Ltd. (www.tecrea.co.uk), based in London Bioscience Innovation Centre. She also created a webiste to help raise money for animal charities (www.animalsonlinefilmfest.com).
Research
Valentina's research is currently focused on metabolic disorders, and molecular basis of type 2 diabetes in insulin target tissues.
Teaching
Valentina regulary supervises BSc and postgraduate student projects.
Selected Publications
Gburcik V, Cleasby ME and Timmons JA. Loss of neuronatin promotes ‘browning’ of primary mouse adipocytes. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab., under revision (2012)
Gburcik V, Cawthorn WP, Nedergaard J, Timmons JA and Cannon B. An essential role for Tbx15 in the differentiation of brown and “brite” but not white adipocytes. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00104.2012 [Epub ahead of print] (2012)
Gburcik V, Towers E, Gale JE and Dawson SJ. RACK1 is a target of the hair cell transcription factor Barhl1 and its expression is induced in response to ototoxic damage. J Cell Sci, under revision (2012)
Poulet B, Ulici V, Stone TC, Pead M, Gburcik V, Constantinou E, Paler D, Beier F, Timmons JA, Pitsillides AA. Time-series transcriptional profiling yields new perspectives on susceptibility to osteoarthritis. Arthritis Rheum. doi: 10.1002/art.34572. [Epub ahead of print] (2012)
Keller P, Gburcik V, Petrovic N, Gallagher IJ, Nedergaard J, Cannon B and Timmons JA. Gene-chip studies of adipogenesis-regulated microRNAs in mouse primary adipocytes and human obesity. BMC Endocr Disord. 11:7. (2011)
Gburcik V and Picard D. The cell-specific activity of the estrogen receptor alpha may be fine-tuned by phosphorylation-induced structural gymnastics. Nucl Recept Signal 4:e005. (2006)
Phelps C, Gburcik V, Suslova E, Forafonov F, Dudek P, Bot N, MacLean M, Fagan R, and Picard D. Fungi and animals may share a common ancestor to nuclear receptors. Proc Natl Acad Sci 103:7077-7081. (shared first authorship) (2006)
Gburcik V, Bot N, Maggiolini M, and Picard D. SPBP is a phosphoserine-specific repressor of estrogen receptor alpha. Mol Cell Biol 25:3421-3430. (2005)
Patent:
Chindera K, Gburcik V, Timmons JA, Good L. Method and reagent for promoting entry of an agent into a cell. Patent filed, Ref: RVCBY/P49140GB. (2011)