Biochemistry

The first professor to honor, with his prestige, in the period 1945-1946, the Academic Department of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, was Prof. Dr. Mircea D. Mezincescu. The scientific activity of Prof. Dr. Mircea D. Mezincescu consisted of valuable contributions in the field of nutrition, nitrogen metabolism and the etiology of some deficiency diseases. To evaluate nitrogen nutrition he proposed a simple biochemical test (determination of hepatic xanthine oxidase activity).

Between 1946 and 1969, the head of the Biological Chemistry Academic Department was Prof. Dr. Mihai Vanghelovici, one of the founders of the medical school in Timişoara. As a recognition of his merits in teaching and science, he had the titles of: doctoral professor, member of the Society of Chemistry in France. In 1934, Professor Vanghelovici hypothesized that squalene was an intermediate in cholesterol biosynthesis, and in 1936 he provided the relevant experimental evidence.

Between 1969-1976, the Department of Biological Chemistry and Clinical Biochemistry is headed by Prof. Dr. Doc. Tănăsescu Gheorghe, who led the Laboratory of Experimental Medicine between 1971-1976.

From 1976 to 1997, the Academic Department of Biochemistry-Biotechnics was led by Prof. Dr. Geza Deutsch, a member of the European Society of Nuclear Medicine since 1974, a full member of the Academy of Medical Sciences since 1994, a full member of the European Academy of Sciences and Salzburg Arts since 1996. In the field of medical activity, Prof. Dr. Geza Deutsch is the one who introduced for the first time in Timisoara the uses of radioactive isotopes for diagnosis and scientific research. Scientific research has addressed issues such as glycosylated hemoglobins in diabetes and renal failure, bisphosphate hexoses in the control of functional biochemistry, RIA method for plasma angiotensin II determination, improved radiochemical method for serum thyroxine investigation, .

From 1997 to 2004, the Department of Biochemistry was chaired by Prof. Dr. Vasile Rusu. The scientific research activity of Prof. Dr. Vasile Rusu, is materialized by the development of new microspectrometric methods for the determination of carbon monoxide, new microspectrometric methods for the determination of chromium in the oxidation state three, arsenic, ascorbic acid, oxalates, formates, hydrazine, 1,4-dihydrazine-phthalazine using silver-sulfonamide reagents in an alkaline medium.

Between 2004-2024, the Academic Department of Biochemistry was led by Prof. Dr. Andrei Anghel, who had conducted research related to the introduction of genetic markers and techniques of biochemistry and molecular biology in the diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic orientation in degenerative diseases, including the method of genotyping in individual identification. He initiated and conducted the first clinical study of the application of angiogenetic gene therapy. At the didactic level, the Clinical Biochemistry course was introduced, oriented on diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

From 2024 the activity of the Academic Department of Biochemistry coordinated by Prof. Dr. Med. Motoc Marilena (primary physician in Laboratory Medicine, specialist doctor in Psychiatry and independent psychotherapist in systemic family psychotherapy) focuses on interdisciplinarity between preclinical and clinical fields, with an emphasis on teaching and research activity in intricate fields. During this period, numerous members of the department (physicians, pharmacists, biochemists, chemists, biologists) are actively involved in the elaboration of specific materials for a quality preparation of candidates for the admission contests (type 1, type 2, type 3) to all study programs of our university.

The Academic Department of Biochemistry carries out its activity in the main building (Pţa Eftimie Murgu, no. 2) of the “Victor Babeş” University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Timişoara, having the following activity spaces:

• in the basement, the Biochemistry Amphitheater, laboratories for students of the Faculty of General Medicine and Colleges of Health Care and scientific research laboratories
• on the first floor, laboratories for students of the Faculty of General Medicine and scientific research laboratories
• on the second floor, laboratories for students of the Faculty of Dentistry, the Faculty of Pharmacy and the Colleges of Health Care

In order to create an optimal framework for the development of a quality education with the objective of acquiring theoretical and practical knowledge, courses and guides of practical works printed and periodically reviewed are provided. The presentation of the courses is permanently associated with practical applications related to clinical medical aspects.

The courses edited by the Biochemistry team can be found in the Library of the “Victor Babeş” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Timişoara:

• Clinical biochemistry for medical students, Andrei Anghel, Edward Şeclăman, Dana David, Cătălin Marian, Liviu Tămaş, Ovidiu Sîrbu, 2017, Victor Babeş Publishing House, Timişoara, ISBN 978-606-786-055-9.
• Metabolic biochemistry with clinical applications, Andrei Anghel, Liviu Tămaş, Edward Şeclăman, 2017, Eurostampa Publishing House, Timişoara, ISBN 978-606-569-558-0.
• Medical biochemistry for medical students. Living matter – structure and composition, Andrei Anghel, Edward Şeclăman, Liviu Tămaş, Ioan-Ovidiu Sîrbu, Anca Marcu, 2016, Victor Babeş Publishing House, Timişoara, ISBN 978-606-786-016-0.
• Biochemistry for health care colleges, Daniela Ştefania Grecu, Camelia Vidiţa Gurban, Diana Camelia Bonţe, 2019, Victor Babeş Publishing House, ISBN 978-606-786-116-7.
• Biochemistry of Metabolism for Medical Students, Cătălin Marian, Andrei Anghel, Edward Şeclăman, Adriana Kaycsa, Ioan Ovidiu Sîrbu, Liviu Tămaş, 2016, Victor Babeş Publishing House, Timişoara, ISBN 978-606-786-010-8.
• Nucleic acids and the processing of the information. Signaling at the cellular level clinical biochemistry for the medicine faculties students, Andrei Anghel, Edward Şeclăman, Diana Nariţa, Liviu Tămaş, Corina Samoilă, 2009, Eurostampa Publishing House, Timişoara, ISBN 978-973-687-930-2.
• Notions of chemistry and biochemistry of the oral cavity, teeth and dental materials, Marilena Motoc, Andrei Anghel, Corina Samoilă, Felicia Sfrijan, Corina Flangea, Alina Şerb, Daniela Grecu, 2006, Eurostampa Publishing House, Timişoara, ISBN 973-687-496-6 .

The practical guides published by the Biochemistry team can be found in the Library of the “Victor Babeş” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Timişoara:

• Practical works of medical chemistry and biochemistry for medical students, Anghel Andrei, Şeclăman Edward, Tămaş Liviu, Motoc Marilena, Şişu Eugen, Kaycsa Adriana, David Dana, Sîrbu Ioan Ovidiu, Marian Cătălin, Samoilă Corina, Grecu Daniela, Sfrijan Felri Georgescu Alina, Marcu Anca, Buzatu Ramona, Bonţe Diana, Gurban Camelia, Alexa Anda, Bujor Georgeta, Liana Mărieş, Mihala Adrian, Sala-Cârtog Maria, 2019, Victor Babeş Publishing House, Timişoara, ISBN 978-606-786-138-9 .
• Practical works on pharmaceutical biochemistry, Andrei Anghel, Adriana Kaycsa, Liviu Tămaş, Alina Georgescu, Anca Marcu, Ramona Buzatu, Adrian Mihala, Maria Sala-Cîrtog, Alexandra Moatăr, Aimee Chiş, 2019, Victor Babeş Publishing House, ISBN 978-606-786 -148-8.
• Chemistry and Biochemistry Practical Works-Applications in Clinic Laboratory for the Medicine Faculties, Anghel Andrei, Kaycsa Adriana, Nariţa Diana, Samoilă Corina, 2009, Eurostampa Publishing House, Timişoara, ISBN 978-973-687-928-9.

In the Department of Biochemistry, a special emphasis is placed on the involvement of students, PhD students and residents in the activity of the Biochemistry Scientific Circle – sessions for theoretical and practical elaboration of scientific works and their presentation at various scientific events or fruition of the results through the elaboration of doctoral theses and the publication of articles in national and international specialized journals.

Starting with the academic year 2013-2014, within the Academic Department of Biochemistry, the tutoring system was implemented, the students of the Faculty of General Medicine, from years IV-V being involved in the didactic activity within the practical works / seminars and in the scientific research activity, based on a volunteer contract.

The following scientific research structures operate within the Academic Department of Biochemistry:

• UMF ” Victor Babeş ” Biological Samples Biobank Timişoara (http://www.umft.ro/biobanca_782)
• Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Gednap Certification, GermanDNAProfiling, ISO 9001: 2008

Among the significant scientific achievements of the academic department:

• The first use in Romania of DNA genotyping in the identification of persons and the expertise of filiation for forensic purposes
• Implementation of metagenomics analysis techniques based on long-reads sequencing
• Initiation of the first applied research studies on the introduction of angiogenetic gene therapy in cardiovascular diseases
• Studies on the role of retinoids in axial embryogenesis in mammals

The most representative scientific papers listed by ISI, published by the Biochemistry team, are:

• Buzatu AR, Soler MA, Fortuna S, Ozkilinc O, Dreavă DM, Bîtcan I, Badea V, Giannozzi P, Fogolari F, Gardossi L, Peter F, Todea A, Boeriu CG. Reactive natural deep eutectic solvents increase selectivity and efficiency of lipase catalyzed esterification of carbohydrate polyols, Catalysis Today, 2024, 426, 114373.
• Moatar AI, Chis AR, Romanescu M, Ciordas PD, Nitusca D, Marian C, Oancea C, Sirbu IO. Plasma miR-195-5p predicts the severity of Covid-19 in hospitalized patients. Sci Rep. 2023 Aug 23;13(1):13806.
• Capraru ID, Romanescu M, Anghel FM, Oancea C, Marian C, Sirbu IO, Chis AR, Ciordas PD. Identification of Genomic Variants of SARS-CoV-2 Using Nanopore Sequencing. Medicina (Kaunas). 2022 Dec 15;58(12):1841.
• Moatar AI, Chis AR, Marian C, Sirbu IO. Gene Network Analysis of the Transcriptome Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Interacting MicroRNAs in COVID-19 Disease. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Aug 17;23(16):9239.
• Da Cunha PA, Nitusca D, Canto LMD, Varghese RS, Ressom HW, Willey S, Marian C, Haddad BR. Metabolomic Analysis of Plasma from Breast Cancer Patients Using Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Mass Spectrometry: An Untargeted Study. Metabolites. 2022 May 17;12(5):447.
• Homorogan C, Nitusca D, Enatescu V, Schubart P, Moraru C, Socaciu C, Marian C. Untargeted Plasma Metabolomic Profiling in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder Using Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Mass Spectrometry. Metabolites. 2021 Jul 20;11(7):466.
• Chis AR, Moatar AI, Dijmarescu C, Rosca C, Vorovenci RJ, Krabbendam I, Dolga A, Bejinar C, Marian C, Sirbu IO, Simu M. Plasma hsa-mir-19b is a potential LevoDopa therapy marker. J Cell Mol Med. 2021 Sep;25(18):8715-8724.
• Buzatu AR, Frissen AE, van den Broek LAM, Todea A, Motoc M, Boeriu CG. Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of New Aromatic Esters of Mono- and Oligosaccharides. Processes. 2020; 8(12):1638.
• Seclaman E, Balacescu L, Balacescu O, Bejinar C, Udrescu M, Marian C, Sirbu IO, Anghel A. MicroRNAs mediate liver transcriptome changes upon soy diet intervention in mice. J Cell Mol Med. 2019 Mar;23(3):2263-2267.
• Seclaman E, Narita D, Anghel A, Cireap N, Ilina R, Sirbu IO, Marian C. MicroRNA Expression in Laser Micro-dissected Breast Cancer Tissue Samples – a Pilot Study. Pathol Oncol Res. 2019 Jan;25(1):233-239. 
• Balacescu O., Petruţ B., Tudoran O., Feflea D., Bălăcescu L., Anghel A., Sîrbu I.O., Şeclăman E., Marian C., Urinary microRNAs for prostate cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response: are we there yet?, Wiley Interdiscip Rev RNA, 2017; 8(6).
• Enătescu V.R., Papava I., Enătescu I., Antonescu M., Anghel A., Şeclăman E., Sîrbu I.O., Marian C., Circulating Plasma Micro RNAs in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder Treated with Antidepressants: A Pilot Study. Psychiatry Investig. 2016; 13(5):549-557.
• Nariţa D., Şeclăman E., Anghel A., Ilina R., Cireap N., Negru S., Sîrbu I.O., Ursoniu S., Marian C., Altered levels of plasma chemokines in breast cancer and their association with clinical and pathological characteristics, Neoplasma, 2016; 63(1):141-149.
• Do Canto L.M., Marian C., Willey S., Sidawy M., Da Cunha P.A., Rone J.D., Li X., Gusev Y., Haddad B.R., MicroRNA analysis of breast ductal fluid in breast cancer patients, Int J Oncol., 2016; 48(5):2071-8.
• Ciucanu I., Pilat L., Ciucanu C.I., Şişu E., Dumitraşcu V., Simultaneous analysis of neutral monosaccharides, fatty acids and cholesterol as biomarkers from a drop of blood, Bioanalysis, 2016, 8(20):2147-2156.
• Llanos A.A., Marian C., Brasky T.M., Dumitrescu R.G., Liu Z., Mason J.B., Makambi K.H., Spear S.L., Kallakury, B.V., Freudenheim J.L., Shields P.G., Associations between genetic variation in one-carbon metabolism and LINE-1DNAmethylation in histologically normal breast tissues, Epigenetics, 2015, 10(8):727-735.
• Matos Do Canto L., Marian C., Varghese R.S., Ahn J., Da Cunha P.A., Willey S., Sidawy M., Rone J.D., Cheema A.K., Luta G., Nezami Ranjbar M.R., Ressom H.W., Haddad B.R., Metabolomic profiling of breast tumors using ductal fluid, Int J Oncol., 2016; 49(6):2245-2254.
• Ochs-Balcom H.M., Marian C., Nie J., Brasky T.M., Goerlitz D.S., Trevisan M., Edge S.B., Winston J., Berry D.L., Kallakury B.V., Freudenheim J.L., Shields P.G., Adiposity is associated with p53 gene mutations in breast cancer, Breast Cancer Res Treat., 2015; 153(3):635-45.
• Anghel A., Enache A., Şeclăman E., Gruin G., Ursoniu S., Alexa A., Antonescu M., Marian C., Genetic polymorphism data on 15 autosomal STR markers in a Western Romanian population sample, Leg Med (Tokyo). 2014; 16(4):238-40.
• Ghiulai R.M., Galusca M.,Şişu I., Şişu E., Zamfir A.D., High resolution mass spectrometric characterization of amino linked oligosaccharides a preliminary study, Cent. Eur. J. Chem., 2013, 11(8), 1309-1319.
• Şerb A.F., Şişu E., Vukelić Ž., Zamfir A.D., Profiling and Sequencing of Gangliosides from Human Caudate Nucleus by Chip-Nanoelectrospray Mass Spectrometry, J Mass Spectrom., 2012: 47(12):1561-1570.
• Anghel A., Ţăranu G., Şeclăman E., Rata A., Tămaş L., Moldovan H., Ursoniu S., Samoilă C., Ionac M., Popa-Wagner A., Safety of vascular endothelial and hepatocyte growth factor gene therapy in patients with critical limb ischemia, Curr Neurovasc Res. 2011; 8(3):183-9.
• Tata P.R., Tata N.R., Kühl M., Sîrbu I.O., Identification of a novel epigenetic regulatory region within the pluripotency associated microRNA cluster, EEmiRC. Nucleic Acids Res.,2011, 39(9):3574-3581.
• Flangea C., Şerb A., Şişu E., Zamfir AD, Chip-based nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry of brain gangliosides, Biochim Biophys Acta: Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids, 2011:1811 (9), 513-535.
• Sirbu IO, Duester G. Retinoic-acid signalling in node ectoderm and posterior neural plate directs left-right patterning of somitic mesoderm. Nat Cell Biol. 2006 Mar;8(3):271-7.
• Anghel A., Raica M., Marian C., Ursoniu S., Caraion C., Mitrasca O., Combined profile of the tandem repeatsCAG, TA and CA of the androgen and estrogen genes in breast cancer, Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology, 2006; 132(11):727-33.
• Anghel A, Marian C, Pitulescu M, Daba A, Sirbu IO, Rusu V, Budowle B. Population genetic study of eight short tandem repeat loci CSF1PO, TPOX, TH01, F13A01, FESFPS, vWA, F13B and LPL in the Western Romanian population. Forensic Sci Int. 2003 Jan 28;131(2-3):218-9.

Among the reference research projects, carried out within the Academic Department of Biochemistry team:

• CNFIS-FDI-2023-F-0355, Analiza bioinformatică metagenomică integrată a datelor de secvențiere Nanopore generate utilizând chimia Q20+. C. Oancea project manager.
• CNFIS-FDI-2022-0423, Centru zonal de referință pentru analiza metagenomică. C. Oancea project manager.
• CNFIS-FDI-2021-0484, Dezvoltarea unui centru zonal de referință pentru secvențierea de nouă generație. Oancea project manager.
• PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2021-1171/, Performance evaluation of a microRNA panel as clinical histocaphological biomarkers of prostate cancer. C. Marian project manager.
• SOL_2-12Sol/ 2020, Secvențierea genomului SARS-CoV-2 și analiza filogenetică a tulpinilor circulante în România, C. Marian project manager in partnership with University of Suceava.
• Contract CNFIS-FDI-2019-0468, Excelenţa în cercetarea doctorală şi masterală în cadrul UMFVBT prin creşterea şi diversificarea resurselor de cercetare. E. Şeclăman project manager.
• PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2016-0735, Plasma microRNA biomarkers in Parkinson’s disease. I.O. Sîrbu project manager.
• PN-III-P4-ID-PCE-2016-0371, Long non coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in biological fluids: potential biomarkers in prostate cancer and their role in the carcinogenic process. C. Marian project manager.
• PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-0443, Transfered microRNAs as biomarkers for evaluating the impact of genetically modified organisms on the end consumer. A. Anghel director de proiect.
• PN -II -80 -2012 , Cellular Therapeutic approaches for regenerative stroke. A. Anghel project manager.
• PN-II-ID-PCE-2012-4-0279, Prostate cancer specific miRNAs: evaluation as biomarkers in biological fluids and their role in the carcinogenic process. C. Marian project manager.
• PN-II-ID-PCE-2012-4-0575, Retinoic acid-Wnt signaling interactions during early axial development of the mouse embryo. I. O. Sîrbu project manager.
• PN-II-PT-PCCA-2011-3.1-087, Obtaining functionalized polysaccharides for applications in biomedicine and biotechnology. E. Şişu project manager.
• PD-43-2011, Determination and structural analysis of glycolipid biomarkers in brain metastases of human tumors by high performance electrospray mass spectrometry. A. Şerb director de proiect.
• PN II – Parteneriate direcţia de cercetare – contract de finanţare nr 41-052I/24.09.2007, 4 – sănătate, Tratamentul complicaţiilor vasculare periferice în diabetul zaharat şi în arteriopatiile nondiabetice utilizând terapia genică angiogenetică. A. Anghel director de program.
• Programul PN II – Capacităţi (modul I, tip PI)- contract de finanţare nr 98/cp/I/14.09.2007, Centru de expertiză pentru determinarea biomarkerilor în boli degenerative (cancer, diabet, boli cardiovasculare) . A. Anghel director de program.
• Contract CNCSIS nr.73GR/08.05.2006 cod CNCSIS 748/2006, Identificarea de noi ţinte terapeutice în cancerul de sân la nivelul domeniilor funcţionale ale receptorului pentru estrogen. A. Anghel director de program.
• ID-2494, Investigarea capacităţii de reparare endotelială a celulelor progenitoare endoteliale – un nou biomarker în evaluarea predispoziţiei, atitudinii terapeutice şi a prognosticului în sindromul metabolic. A. Anghel director de proiect.