Mel-Up

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Inflammation - a dual role in health and disease
Inflammation is a key physiological process that maintains health but also participates in the development of many diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. Traditionally, it is described through symptoms such as redness, pain, and swelling, while modern medicine also understands the molecular mechanisms of inflammatory processes. Inflammation arises as a response of immune cells (macrophages, monocytes, neutrophils) to pathogens or tissue damage. Activation of these cells leads to the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., TNF-α, IL-1β), which stimulate local and systemic responses but can also damage the body’s own tissues. The complement system is also crucial, while anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10, TGF-β) and regulatory mechanisms control the termination of inflammation. An imbalance in these processes can seriously endanger health; therefore, understanding inflammation is of great medical importance.
 
Inflammation and malignant tumors
Chronic inflammation contributes to the development of about 20% of malignant tumors. Oxygen and nitrogen radicals cause mutations, while activation of factors such as NF-κB and STAT3 promotes tumor growth and spread. The tumor microenvironment often includes various inflammatory cells (T and B lymphocytes, macrophages, neutrophils) and cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β). The type and intensity of inflammation affect disease outcome — the presence of T cells may indicate a better prognosis, whereas dominance of type 2 macrophages suggests a worse one.
In bladder cancer (BC), bacteria and chemicals induce chronic inflammation that contributes to carcinogenesis, while therapies such as BCG and immunotherapy use immune mechanisms for treatment. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with chronic liver inflammation (viral infections, alcohol), which leads to DNA damage and fibrosis. Both cancers demonstrate how inflammation can promote tumor growth but also provide therapeutic targets.
 
Inflammation in heart disease
In chronic heart disease, inflammation plays a key role in the development of atherosclerosis and ischemic disease. Reduced blood flow causes metabolic stress, and restored blood flow (reperfusion) triggers a strong inflammatory response, damaging the myocardium and capillaries. Excessive sterile inflammation after myocardial infarction leads to fibrosis and heart failure. Early after infarction, M1 macrophages remove dead tissue, while M2 macrophages later support recovery. Research shows that moderate wine consumption may have a protective effect by reducing inflammation and promoting better healing.
 
Conclusion
Inflammation can be both beneficial and harmful, depending on its duration, intensity, and the context in which it occurs. Modern medicine increasingly employs therapies targeting inflammatory mechanisms, and further research—including that planned in our project—may lead to more effective, precisely targeted treatments for today’s most serious diseases, such as cardiovascular and oncological disorders.

MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

• To advance scientific understanding of the role of inflammatory mechanisms in health and in the development of disease, particularly in the context of malignant tumors (bladder cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma) and cardiovascular diseases (myocardial infarction, reperfusion injury).
• To generate high-value scientific results through the application of advanced methods, including spatial transcriptomics, immunohistochemistry, mass spectrometry, and mitochondrial functional analysis, with the aim of publishing scientific papers in prestigious journals and enhancing the institution’s scientific excellence.
• To strengthen interdisciplinarity and international collaboration by integrating biomedicine, molecular biology, immunology, and pharmacology, and by cooperating with scientific and clinical partners in Croatia and abroad.
• To contribute to the development of new therapeutic approaches through the identification of molecular targets for immunotherapy and cardioprotection (e.g., modulation of IL-6/STAT3 signaling and the effects of wine consumption), with potential for translation into clinical practice.
• To provide a foundation for further competitive funding and new project applications, especially within national and European programs (e.g., HRZZ, Horizon Europe), thereby directly contributing to performance indicators related to the number and value of successful project proposals.

 
Project performance indicators to which the project contributes:

• Number of scientific publications indexed in SCOPUS/WoS databases
• Number and value of successful project applications (1.1)
• Number of interdisciplinary projects (1.8)
• Number of international collaborations and mobility activities (1.3)
• Number of completed PhD degrees and engaged researchers (1.4)
• Number of applied research projects (2.1)

 
ADDITIONAL PROJECT OBJECTIVES

• To develop young researchers and ensure generational renewal in science by involving doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows, and early-career researchers in research activities and mentorship within the project.
• To improve research infrastructure and promote the application of open science by using and upgrading methodological and bioinformatics tools and by disseminating data and results in accordance with open science policies.
• To increase public visibility and the popularization of science, particularly in the areas of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, through public outreach, cooperation with clinical institutions, and integration of results into educational and communication activities.

Print page