University of Belgrade - Institute for Multidisciplinary Research

+381(11)3555258
office@imsi.bg.ac.rs

Žaklina Marjanović

PhD in Biological sciences

Research Professor

Department of Life Sciences

Address: Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade

E-Mail:

zaklina@imsi.bg.ac.rs
zaklina@imsi.rs

Links:

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5254-178X

Research area

  1. Plant-fungi-bacteria-soil simbiotic relationships (mycorrhiza)
  2. Truffle biology ( morphological and molecular diversity; phylogeny; ecology; physiology; mycorrhizal potentials; plantations; seedlings and plantation control)
  3. Morphological and molecular diversity of fungi (macro- and arbuscular mycorrhizal)
  4. Fungi in bioremediation (enzymatic systems of fungi in biomass degradation; fungi and their symbioses in remediation of destrubed ecosystems)
  5. Ecosystems relations (molecular ecology of soil microorganisms; soil processes and their correlation with soil biodiversity)
  6. Plant water relations; aquaporins

Skills

  1. Molecular biology techniques (DNA/RNA isolation, purification; PCR, qPCR, gene expression analyses; gel-electophoresis, cloning; bacterial transformation..)
  2. Bioinformatics (sequence analyses, molecular phylogeny)
  3. Databases data mining (molecular, biodiversity)
  4. Next generation sequencing based analyses of environmental DNA
  5. Multivariate statistics in ecology and NGS data analyses
  6. Hydroponic and control conditions plant growth, plant tissue culture; arbuscular mycorrhizal pot cultures
  7. Ectomycorrhiza establishment in axenic conditions and in pot cultures
  8. Sterile fungal and bacterial culturing, dual cultures
  9. Truffle seedlings ectomycorrhization control; plantation planning and establishement
  10. Macrofungi and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi determination
  11. Vegetation analyses
  12. Light microscopy
  • Biography
  • Projects
  • Selected publications

1.Work experience:

  • 2004 –current Senior Research Associate in Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, Serbia
  • 2000- 2004– PhD student and teaching assistant in the Department of Physiological Ecology of Plants, Karl-Eberhard Universität Tübingen, Germany
  • 1996-2000 –Research assistant in the Department of Plant Ecology in Institute for Biological research “Siniša Stanković” (Belgrade, Serbia)
  • 1996-2000 – Head of the Biology Program in Petnica Science Centre (Valjevo, Serbia)

2.Education:

  • PhD 2004 In Plant-Fungal Ecophysiology, Karl-Eberhard Universität Tübingen, Germany, Topic: (Impact of mycorrhiza formation and drought stress on the expression and function of aquaporins in Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L. x Populus tremuloides)
  • Sc. 2000 In Environmental Sciences, Centre for Multidisciplinary Studies, University of Belgrade, Topic: Diversity and differentiation of the macrofungal communities in the Trešnjica river canyon, Western Serbia
  • Sc. 1993 Diploma in General Biology, at Biological Faculty, University of Belgrade.Topic:  (Dependence of the water and ion uptake on the externally added sucrose in the roots of corn Zea mays L.)

3.Awards and certificates:

  • 2018: elected president of the Truffle Research Union of Europe (TRUE)
  • – Prize for the best student poster on 7th International Mycological Congress in Oslo, awarded by the International Mycology Association
  • 2002 – Full grant for participation from the Organizing Committee of the 7th International Mycological Congress in Oslo, By the Congress Organizing Committee
  • 1996 – Full Grant from the Organising Committee for participating First Balkan Botanical Congress in Thesalloniki
  • 1996-2000 – Grant from the Republic of Serbia Ministry of Science and Technology – grant was awarded for working on the project ‘Ecological interaction analysis in different types of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems” in the Institute for Biological research “Siniša Stanković” in Belgrade
  • 1993-1995- Scholarship for excellent students from City Government of Kruševac (Serbia)
  • 1990-1991 – Schoolarship for talented students from Ministry of Education of Serbia

4.Other professional activities

Invited speaker (outside conferences)

  • Оctober 2019 „Truffles of Pannonian Basin and Surrounding Territories“ 14th annual Symposium on Truffles in Sinzig, Germany
  • November 2019 „Soil Characteristics explain differential production in high producing natural plantation of Tuber aestivum in Hungary“ in International Workshop on Sustainable Truffle Mamagement in Szolnoc, Hungary
  • December 2008, “Two faces of ectomycorrhizal symbiosis: Part 1: Aquaporins and water transport to forest trees: what a difference a symbiont makes! Part 2: Functional diversity of truffle fruit body associated bacteria”. (Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung – UFZ, Dept. Bodenökologie, Leipzig-Halle GmbH, Deutschland),

Courses taught:

  • 2019 and 2020 invited lecturer on the course; „Chemistry, biology and ecology of truffle forming fungi” in Uppsala University in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Christina Weden
  • 2019 declared a mentor of Mr Slobodan Stefanović PhD thesis (Faculty for Applied Ecology Futura, Belgrade, Serbia
  • 2018 Board member for PhD thesis evaluation and defending: Radomir Mandić: Ecological and production potentials and improvement of the control system for usage and trade with wild species of plants fungi and animals in Republic of Serbia ( Ekološko-proizvodni potencijali i unapređenje sistema kontrole sakupljanja, korišćenja i prometa divljih vrsta biljaka, gljiva i životinja u Republici Srbiji), Faculty for Applied Ecology Futura, Belgrade, Serbia
  • 2013-2014 Co-mentor of MSc thesis: Lalic Aleksandar: “Influence of phosphorous solubilising bacteria Pseudomonas sp. TMG021A on uptake and metabolism of phosphate in white poplar (Populus alba L.)”, (Утицај фосфат-ослобађајуће бактерије Pseudomonas sp. TMG021A на усвајање и метаболизам фосфата код беле тополе (Populus alba L.)”, Chair for Microbiology, University of Belgrade, Serbia Thesis funded by OI173017 of IMSI.
  • 2008-2012 Co mentor of PhD thesis: Pavic Aleksandar: Functional diversity of bacterial communities isolated from truffles (Функционални диверзитет бактеријских заједница изолованих из плодоносних тела тартуфа”), Chair for Microbiology, University of Belgrade, Serbia. Thesis financed by EUREKA Е!3835 project lead by Dr Žaklina Marjanović in cooperation with Department of Soil Ecology Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ Halle/Saale, Germany through DAAD funded student scholarship.
  • 2000- 2004– Teaching assistant in the Department of Physiological Ecology of Plants, Karl-Eberhard Universität Tübingen, Germany, undergraduate practical classes in botany and practical classes in molecular biology.
  • 1996-2000 – Head of the Biology Program in Petnica Science Centre (Valjevo, Serbia) Teaching ecology, mycology, plant sciences, environmental sciences; lab organising; supervising student’s projects; carrying on mycology, ecology and plant physiology related projects.
  • 1990-1996 – Lecturer in Petnica Science Center, Valjevo, Serbia, Teaching ecology, mycology, plant sciences, environmental sciences; lab organizing; supervising student’s projects; carrying on mycology, ecology and plant physiology related projects
  • 1990 – Technical assistant, Department for Zoology, Biological Faculty, U of Belgrade. Taking care of micro and macro zoological preparations, technical assistance in the practical classes for biology students. Student job.

Editorial and Reviewer’s activity (journals, books, projects):

  • Project evaluator for EUREKA initiative (Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Developement)
  • Reviewer of different journals (New Phytologist, Аpplied Soil Ecology, Annals of Applied Biology, Archives of Biological Sciences, Хемијска индустрија, Botanika Serbica…)

Memberships:

  • Truffle Research Union of Europe (TRUE, president since 2018) (Former Tuber aestivum-uncinatum European Scientific Group TAUESG– one of the co-founder in 2009)
  • International Mycorrhiza Association
  • Serbian Plant Physiology Society
  • Biophysics Society of Serbia

Current: 

  • 2020 – H2020-MSCA-RISE-2020 INnovation in Truffle cultivation, preservAtion, proCessing and wild truffle resources managemenT (INTACT), participant, task leader
  • 2019 – COST action CA18237: European Soil-Biology Data Warehouse for Soil Protection” (EUdaphobase), Management Committee member, WG leader. https://www.eudaphobase.eu/
  • Evaluation of the Microplastics in Soils of Serbia – EMIPLAST SoS
    2022-01 to present | Grant
    Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia (Belgrade, RS)
    GRANT_NUMBER: 7742318
  • MicroEco – Microbial Diversity, Ecosystem Services of the Soil Microbiome and Ecosystem Conservation
    2023-01 to 2025-12 | Contract
    European Commission (Brussels, BE)
    URL: https://www.biodiversa.eu/2023/04/19/microeco/
  • eco2adapt- Ecosystem-based Adaptation and Changemaking to Shape, Protect and Maintain th eresiliance of Tomorrow’s Forests
    2022-09 to present | Grant
    European Commission (Brussels, BE)
    URL: https://www.eco2adapt.eu/
    GRANT_NUMBER: 101059498

Past:

  • 2014 –2018 SCOPES initiative project IZ73Z0_152740/1 Biodiversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and its importance for sustainable land use in selected areas of Balkan Peninsula, project partner for Serbia (Financed by Swiss National Science Foundation)
  • 2011 – 2019 043010 Modification of antioxidative metabolism of plants aiming increase of their tolerance towards abiotic stress and identification of new biomarkers for monitoring and remediation of degraded habitats, researcher (Financed by Serbian Ministry of Science and Technological Development)
  • 2011 – 2019 OI173017Study of structure-function relationships in the plant cell wall and modifications of the wall structure by enzyme engineering, researcher (Financed by Serbian Ministry of Science and Technological Development)
  • 2005 – 2010 143016 Biophysical research on membrane processes – interaction of membrane receptors and channels with environmental factors and intercellular regulation, researcher (Financed by Serbian Ministry of Science)
  • 2007- 2009 E!3835 Improvement of truffle cultivation via novel inoculation methods, soil analysis and end-products quality control – project leader (EUREKA initiative project suported by EU, directly financed by Serbian Ministry of Science)
  • 2006 – 8235 Anti-cancer and immuno-modulatory components from autochthonous fungi Ganoderma lucidum and Trametes versicolor – extraction technology – project leader (Financed by Serbian Ministry of Science and Environmental Protection)
  • 2004-2005-111934Membranes and apoplast – role in oxidative stress and biochemical  regulation of redox processes of assimilates, researcher (Financed by Serbian Ministry of Science and Environmental Protection)
  • 2000-2004: Regulation of water transport in symbiotic roots: the role of the symbiotic fungus in the regulation of host aquaporin expression, PhD student, (Financed by DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft – German Research Foundation)
  • 1996-2000 Ecological interaction analysis in different types of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, Magisterium student with the grant from Serbian Ministry of Science (Financed by Serbian ministry for Science and Technology)
  1. Bragato, G., Fornasier, F., Bagi, I., Egli, S., & Marjanović, Ž. Soil parameters explain short-distance variation in production of Tuber aestivum Vittad. in an oak plantation in the central-northern part of the Great Hungarian Plain (Jászság region, Hungary). Forest Ecology and Management, 479, 118578. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2020.118578
  2. Marjanović, Ž., Nawaz, A., Stevanović, K., Saljnikov, E., Maček, I., Oehl, F., & Wubet, T. (2020). Root-Associated Mycobiome Differentiate between Habitats Supporting Production of Different Truffle Species in Serbian Riparian Forests. Microorganisms, 8(9), 1331. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8091331
  3. Bragato, G. & Marjanović, Ž (2016) Soil characteristics for Tuber magnatum (in True Truffle (Tuber spp.) in the World – Soil Ecology, Systematics and Biochemistry Zambonelli, A., Iotti, M. And Murat C.), Springer International Publishing, Germany, pp.191-209.
  4. Marjanović, Ž, Glišić, A., Mutavdžić, D., Saljnikov, E., & Bragato, G. (2015) Ecosystems supporting Tuber magnatum Pico production in Serbia experience specific soil environment seasonality that may facilitate truffle lifecycle completion. Applied Soil Ecology, 95, 179-190.
  5. Pavić, A., Stanković, S., Saljnikov, E., Krueger, D., Buscot, F., Tarkka, M. and Marjanović, Ž. (2013) Actinobacteria may influence white truffle (Tuber magnatum Pico) nutrition, ascocarp degradation and interactions with other soil fungi. Fungal Ecology, 6 (6), 527-538.
  6. Marjanović, Ž., Grebenc, T., Marković, M., Glišić, A., and Milenković, M. (2010) Ecological specificities  and molecular diversity of truffles (genus Tuber) originating from mid-west of the Balkan Peninsula. Sydowia 62 (1): 67–87
  7. Harhaji-Trajkovic, Lj., Mijatovic, S., Maksimovic-Ivanic, D., Stojanovic, I., Momcilovic, M., Tufegdzic, S., Maksimovic, V., Marjanovic, Ž. and Stosic-Grujicic, S.(2009). “Anti-cancer properties of Ganoderma lucidum methanol extracts in vitro and in vivo“. Nutrition and Cancer, 61(5), 696–707
  8. Marjanovic, Ž & Nehls, U. (2008) Ectomycorrhiza and water transport (in Mycorrhiza – State of the Art, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Eco-Function, Biotechnology, Eco-Physiology, Structure and Systematics, eds Varma, A.), Springer Berlin Heidelberg, Germany, pp 149-159
  9. Marjanovic, Ž., Nehls, U. & Hampp, R. (2005) Mycorrhiza formation enhances adaptive response of hybrid poplar (Populus tremula L. x Populus tremuloides Mich) to drought. Annals of New York Academy of Science, 1048: 496-499
  10. Marjanovic, Ž, Uehlein, N., Kaldenhoff, R., Zwiazek, J., Weiss, M., Hampp R., Nehls, U. (2005) Aquaporins in Poplar: What a difference a symbiont makes! Planta, 222: 258-268
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University of Belgrade

Institute for Multidisciplinary Research

Kneza Višeslava 1, 11030 Beograd

(+381) 11 3555-258

office@imsi.bg.ac.rs

http://imsi.bg.ac.rs