Neda Slade

Neda Slade is an Associate Professor and laboratory head at the Ruđer Bošković Institute in Zagreb, Croatia, where she leads the Laboratory for Protein Dynamics within the Division of Molecular Medicine. She has established herself as a prominent researcher in molecular oncology, with a particular focus on the p53 protein family network and its implications in cancer development and therapy resistance.

Dr. Slade completed her academic training at the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, earning her B.Sc. in Molecular Biology (1989), M.Sc. in Molecular and Cellular Biology (1993), and Ph.D. in Molecular Biology (1999). She further expanded her expertise through postdoctoral training at the Department of Pathology, SUNY at Stony Brook, NY, USA (2001-2003) and a short-term fellowship at CNRS Laboratoire de Biologie et Thérapeutique des Pathologies Immunitaires in Paris, France (1999).

Her research program centers on understanding the molecular mechanisms by which the p53 protein family (including p53, p63, and p73) regulates cancer development, progression, and response to therapy. Dr. Slade's laboratory has made significant contributions to understanding how different isoforms of these proteins influence tumor formation, particularly in melanoma, soft tissue sarcoma, ovarian cancer, and renal cell carcinoma. Her work spans from basic molecular mechanisms to translational applications, with implications for developing novel cancer therapies targeting the p53 network.

Analysis of Dr. Slade's publication record reveals a consistent research trajectory focused on cancer molecular biology, with particular emphasis on understanding therapy resistance mechanisms. Her recent work demonstrates how alterations in p53 family proteins contribute to resistance against targeted therapies in melanoma, providing potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. This research bridges molecular biology, cancer genetics, and clinical oncology, with direct relevance to improving cancer treatment outcomes.

Dr. Slade's scientific contributions have been recognized with several prestigious awards:

• 2007: 'J.J. Strossmayer' Award by Croatian Academy of Sciences and Zagreb Fair for the best publishing venture
• 2010, 2012, 2018, 2021: Annual Director's Prize for scientific papers in molecular medicine
• 2021: Branimir Jernej Award for best publication in biology, biomedicine, or neuroscience

As an educator and mentor, Dr. Slade has supervised numerous doctoral and master's students, contributing significantly to training the next generation of molecular biologists and cancer researchers. She has taught courses in molecular biology and medicine at both the Ruđer Bošković Institute and the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb. Her research program has been supported by multiple competitive grants, including the Croatian Science Foundation project 'New Protein Networks for Novel Therapeutic Avenues in Human Melanoma - ProNetMel' (2014-2018) and the Ministry of Science project 'The role of p53/p73 protein network in soft tissue sarcoma' (2007-2013).

Dr. Slade actively contributes to the scientific community through her leadership roles, including serving as vice-president of the Croatian Association for Cancer Research. She has played key roles in organizing several international conferences, including the International p53/p63/p73 Isoforms Workshop in Dubrovnik (2019), where she served as the main organizer. Her laboratory continues to be at the forefront of research on protein networks in cancer, maintaining strong national and international collaborations.