Naslovna > Znanost > Projekti financirani sredstvima Hrvatske zaklade za znanost > HRZZ > Otkrivanje biomarkera za bolest Hashimotov tireoiditis koristeći multi-omics pristup > English

English

The title of HRZZ research project:
Biomarker discovery using multi-omics profiles in Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Acronym of the project: HT-OMICS
Project duration: 31.12.2023. - 30.12.2027.
Principal Investigator: prof.dr.sc. Vesna Boraska Perica

Project collaborators:
prof.dr.sc. Ante Punda,
doc.dr.sc. Ana Barić Žižić,
doc.dr.sc. Vesela Torlak Lovrić,
dr.sc. Dean Kaličanin,
mr.sc. Maja Cvek,
Marko Vuletić, dr.med,
Vanna Žnidar, univ.mag.math,
Ivana Listeš, univ.mag.biol.mol.
prof.dr.sc. Eleftheria Zeggini,
dr.sc. So-Youn Shin

Project summary:

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is the most common autoimmune disease today. The molecular mechanisms underlying the disease are still not sufficiently known, therefore, this project is aimed at discovering new knowledge related to the molecular and biological pathways related to HT. This project is a continuation of the previous HRZZ Installation Grant, in which we formed the CRO-HT biobank of biological samples and phenotypes for 500 subjects with HT and performed a GWAS of this disease. In the meantime, we have collected another 200 control subjects. In the proposed project, through objective 1 (O1 Expansion of the CROHT biobank), we plan to include an additional 200 subjects with HT and to genotype their genome. Also, we plan to measure and analyze protein and metabolic markers through objectives 2 (O2 Proteomic profiling of HT for biomarker discovery) and 3 (O3 Metabolomic profiling of HT for biomarker discovery). Through these objectives, we will try to: a) Identify differentially expressed proteome/metabolome biomarkers between HT cases and control subjects and examine omics profiles with HT disease severity, (b) Assess associations between significant biomarkers and clinical features of HT, (c) Integrate all available omics data (whole genome genotypes, proteome and metabolome) to gain deeper insights in disease manifestation, (d) Examine causal relationships between significant biomarkers (metabolites and proteins) and HT using Mendelian randomization. Through the last objective 4 (O4 Evaluation of the role of intestinal wall permeability with HT), we plan to measure and analyse the protein zonulin, which is currently the only measurable marker of intestinal permeability. With the proposed comprehensive research, we strive to produce broader knowledge on molecular pathophysiology, disease biomarkers, predictive models, preventive medicine, and potential therapeutic, personalised approaches for patients with HT.

Doctoral thesis:

Doctoral candidate mr.sc. Maja Cvek, dipl.ing. successfully defended her doctoral dissertation on 25^thAugust 2025, entitled “Analysis of Vitamin D and Calcitonin in Participants from the Croatian Biobank of Patients with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis”, under the supervision of prof. Vesna Boraska Perica.

Maja Cvek, dr.sc. and her mentor prof.dr.sc. Vesna Boraska Perica

Invited Lectures:

Plenary lecture "Genetic, Proteomic and Environmental Factors of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis", 15^th Croatian biological congress with international participation, 20-23 November, Zagreb, Croatia.

prof.dr.sc. Vesna Boraska Perica

Conference Abstracts:

1. Dean Kaličanin, Vanna Žnidar, Maja Cvek, Ana Barić, Marko Vuletić, Sanda Sladić, Vesela Lovrić Torlak, Ante Punda, Vesna Boraska Perica. "Association of Vitamin D Levels and Systemic Inflammation in Patients with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis". 15^th Croatian biological congress with international participation, 20-23 November 2025, Zagreb, Croatia.

Dean Kaličanin, dr.sc. - Poster

2. Vanna Žnidar, Dean Kaličanin, Ana Barić, Marko Vuletić, Sanda Sladić, Vesela Lovrić Torlak, Maja Cvek, Ante Punda, Vesna Boraska Perica.^“Inflammatory Signatures in Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: A Proteomic Approach to Disease Progression and Treatment Effects”. European Human Genetics Conference (ESHG), 24-27 May 2025, Milan, Italy.

Vanna Žnidar, univ.mag.math. and prof.dr.sc. Vesna Boraska Perica - Poster

Scientific articles:

Vuletić M, Žnidar V, Barić Žižić A, Sladić S, Kaličanin D, Torlak Lovrić V, Cvek M, Punda A, Boraska Perica V. Recreational Exercise and Inflammatory Patterns in Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Observations from a Cross-Sectional Study. Biomolecules 2025;15.

Educations:

Vanna Žnidar, univ.mag.math., participated in the professional training “Training on Employing the Helmholtz Munich Imputation Server (HMIS)” held from 24-28 November 2025 at the Institute of Translational Genomics, Helmholtz Munich, focused on the theoretical and practical aspects of genetic data imputation. The training covered parameter selection, data quality control before and after imputation, and secure data storage and processing in accordance with GDPR.

Vanna Žnidar, univ.mag.math., participated in the Volos Summer School of Human Genetics 2025, a four-day intensive course held at the University of Thessaly, organized by the University of Thessaly and Helmholtz Munich, the program focused on advanced methods in human genetic research and analysis, https://volossummerschool.info/.

Vanna Žnidar and her team at Volos Summer School of Human Genetics 2025.

Ispiši stranicu