I currently work as an assistant in the Environmental Biogeochemistry and Ecotoxicology research group, where I’m pursuing my PhD as part of the ENHANCER project. My research explores how engineered nanomaterials (ENPs) impact phytoplankton, focusing on the hormetic effect. By combining advanced bioassays, omics approaches, and artificial intelligence, the goal of my work is to better understand the ecological risks posed by ENPs and help develop tools for predicting their environmental impact.

I completed my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Biology at the Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek (Croatia). My bachelor’s thesis, Earthworm coelomocytes – characteristics, function, and application in research, looked into earthworm immune cells' properties and potential applications. For my master’s thesis, Effects of different types of microplastics on species Folsomia candida Willem and Sinella curviseta Brook, I studied how different types of microplastics impact these important soil-dwelling organisms. Additionally, I was involved in several research projects at my home university, where biomarkers were measured in storks, cormorants, different fish species, earthworms, aquatic insects, and edible plants.

During an ERASMUS traineeship at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt am Main (Germany), I worked on assessing the toxicological effects of pharmaceuticals on developmental and behavioral responses in zebrafish (Danio rerio) and medaka (Oryzias latipes).