Address
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 04001 Košice, Slovakia
- hrcka( at )saske.sk
Phone
- +421-55-633 14 12
ORCID: 0000-0002-6994-8751
Web of Science Researcher ID: I-3107-2018
Scopus Author ID: 7003600070
Scientific interests
- pharmacology and therapy of infectious diseases caused by medically important larval stages of cestodes and nematodes.
- combination therapy with compounds of natural origin (flavonoids and didepsides, transfer factor) and anthelmintics to potentiate efficacy and alleviate the pathology of diseases.
- molecular, biochemical and immunological mechanisms of host-parasite interactions and regulation by secreted molecules using model larval cestode Mesocestoides vogae
- molecular pharmacology and screening of anthelmintic potential of natural compounds on model larval cestode in vitro and in vivo
- authentic neuropeptides of cestodes and neurotransmitters, their receptors and signalling pathways
- nanosized delivery systems for drugs and other compounds to improve pharmacokinetics and efficacy using phospholipid vesicles with modified surface
- cancer therapy and potential of natural compounds in drug discovery
| Work experience | ||
| 1999-present | senior research scientist; Institute of Parasitology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS), Košice, Slovakia | |
| 2013 | Qualification Ia (chief researcher) | |
| 1999 | Qualification IIa (senior researcher) | |
| 1994-2001 | researcher; Institute of Parasitology, SAS, Košice, Slovakia | |
| 1990-1993 | Ph.D. student; Institute of Parasitology, SAS, Košice, Slovakia | |
| 1986-1987 | Postgraduate training study, Institute of Parasitology, SAS, Košice, Slovakia | |
| 1995-1996 | Hygiene Institute, Košice, Slovakia | |
| Education and training | ||
| 2013 | DSc., degree “Doctor of Sciences” in Pharmacology (corresponds to degree “professor” in Western University system), awarded by Scientific Committee at University of P.J. Šafarik in Košice and approved by Ministry of School and Education of Slovakia | |
| 1990-1993 | Ph.D. study at the Institute of Parasitology, SAS, Košice, Slovakia; Degree CSc. (equivalent to Ph.D.) awarded by the Presidium of the Slovak Academy of Sciences |
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| 1980-1985 | Specialization – Parasitology/Experimental pharmacology University study at the Faculty of Science, UPJŠ, Košice, Slovakia; Degree RNDr. (Doctor of Natural Sciences) awarded by the Faculty of Science, University of P. J. Šafárik (UPJŠ), Košice, Slovakia specialization – Biology/Molecular and Cell Biology |
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| 1975-1980 | The secondary school grammar School , Poštova 2, Košice, Slovakia | |
| Working stays abroad | ||
| April 2009 | Department of Zoology, Natural History Museum, London, UK | |
| July-August 2007 | Visiting Research Fellow, Department of Zoology, Natural History Museum, London, UK | |
| 2003-2005 | Short-term visits (two weeks): Dept. of Medical parasitology, Hygiene Institute in Vienna and University in Vienna, Austria | |
| May-June 2002 August-September 2001 May-June 2000 June-July 1999 |
Department of Comparative Neurobiology and Neuroendocrinology, School of Biology and Biochemistry, The Queen´s University of Belfast UK (two months visits/each year) | |
| October 1998 | San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico | |
| May 1997 | Dept. of Biology, University in Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy | |
| April 1995 - March 1996 | Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, School of Biology and Biochemistry, The Queen´s University of Belfast (awarded by the Royal Society of UK | |
| April 1993 September 1992 |
School of Biology and Biochemistry, The Queen´s University of Belfast | |
| March-April 1992 | Drug Design and Delivery Group, King´s College, University of London, UK | |
| November 1991 | Institute of Helminthology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moskva, Russia | |
| 1992,1993,1995 | Central European Schools for Immunology (one week/year) Slovak and Czech Republic (under the support of Basel Institute of Immunology, Switzerland | |
| Memberships | ||
| 1995-present | Member of the Slovak Society of Parasitology | |
| 2010-2015 | Member of the Scientific Collegium for “ Molecular biology and genetics” at the Slovak Academy of Sciences | |
| 2010-present | Member of the Ph.D. Study Committee, study section “Molecular cytology” the Faculty of Sciences, University of P.J.Šafárik, Košice, Slovakia | |
| Prizes and awards | ||
| 1999-present | Nominated representative of Slovak Republic as the expert for molecular biology and Biotechnology in United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Vienna, Austria | |
| 1997 | Nominated as honour representative of the Slovak Academy of Sciences at the meeting organized by French Academy of Sciences and Rhone Poulec Company to support activities of the Union of young European scientists - Scientia Europaea No.2, 1997, Paris, France | |