Marija Cvetanovic

Marija Cvetanovic is an Associate Professor in Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota with an extensive research program focused on neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1 (SCA1). Her work bridges molecular neuroscience, cellular pathology, and translational research approaches.

Her primary research interests include:

• Spinocerebellar Ataxia pathogenesis mechanisms
• Ataxin-1 protein function and dysfunction
• Cerebellar circuitry and selective neuronal vulnerability
• Astrocyte and microglia roles in neurodegeneration
• Purkinje cell biology and pathology
• Endoplasmic reticulum stress responses in neurons

Dr. Cvetanovic's recent publications reveal a sophisticated research program examining how polyglutamine expansions in ATAXIN1 lead to neurodegeneration, with particular attention to cerebellar heterogeneity, sex differences in disease manifestation, and cellular mechanisms of neuronal death. She has pioneered human cerebellar organoid models to study SCA1 pathogenesis, with multiple NIH-funded projects advancing this work.

Her research program is supported by significant funding, primarily through the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke:

• Understanding SCA1 pathogenesis in human cerebellar organoids (2025-2027)
• Cerebellar Nuclei Dysfunction in SCA1 (2024-2026)
• Astrocyte dysfunction in SCA1 (2024-2029)
• Protective factors for spinal motor neurons (2023-2026)
• Neurotoxicity induced by CAR T-cells (2022-2027)

Dr. Cvetanovic actively mentors graduate students and researchers including Walker, K.E., McCall, A., Zhang, Y., and Selimovic, A. Her laboratory employs cutting-edge approaches including mouse modeling, human organoids, and molecular neuroscience techniques to unravel mechanisms of neurodegeneration with the goal of identifying therapeutic targets for currently untreatable neurological conditions.