Name of the research center: Centre for translational research and systems medicine/ acronym CERT-MEDS
Director of the research center: Prof. Danina M. MUNTEAN, MD, PhD, Dr Hab
Date of establishment by Senate decision / acknowledgement as ARC: 14.10.2014 / 05.03.2021
Within the Advanced Research Center (ARC), the translational and exploratory research activity conducted in preclinical-clinical partnership, within the framework of intra- and inter-institutional multidisciplinary collaborations, with partners from the country and abroad, addresses the following directions:
1) Characterization the mitochondrial dysfunction associated with chronic (mainly cardio-metabolic, renal, hepatic pathology occurring in association with senescence) and acute (open heart surgery, sepsis, complications of pregnancy such as preeclampsia) pathology at the organ level (heart, liver, kidney, adipose tissue) and circulating cells (platelets) isolated from the peripheral blood – assessment of mitochondiral respiration using high-resolution respirometry, and of respiratory function and glycolysis using the extracellular flux analyzer;
2) Assessment the endothelial dysfunction in the context of the above mentioned pathologies in order to find novel pathomechanisms as well as innovative therapeutic approaches, with emphasis on drug repurposing – organ bath studies (endothelial-dependent and independent relaxation) and molecular biology (qPCR, Western Blot, immune fluorescence) on isolated vascular rings;
3) Evaluation of the oxidative stress, the central pathomechanism of the above mentioned pathologies, with a priority interest in understanding the contribution of monoamine oxidase (MAO)-mediated oxidative stress to their initiation and/or progression – spectrophotometry, spectrofluorimetry and confocal microscopy techniques;
4) Identify cardiovascular, metabolic, renal and hepatic protective strategies, with emphasis on the central role of mitochondria – all the above mentioned techniques;
5) Assessment of drug toxicity and the effects of phytochemicals at mitochondrial level – all the above mentioned techniques;
6) Characterization of changes in the arterial stiffness in cardiovascular pathologies and comorbidities – studies using the non-invasive arteriography technique;
7) Assessment the risk behaviours through individual, group and population-based approaches – ultrasound studies of body composition, questionnaires;
8) Meta-analyses and systematic reviews of chronic diseases with major impact on health status;
9) Communication of perspectives on the history of medicine – from traditional to modernity.
The support of the research activity has been achieved both through the internal funding allocated to the Advanced Research Center (ARC) over the last 4 years by the university and the funds priorly attracted by the research projects/grants in which the members of the center have participated as coordinators or members – international (> 5), national (> 20) and internal (> 5), which allowed the development of the infrastructure of the 5 laboratories within the center (described on the site EERTIS).
The relevance of the research activity of the ARC is demonstrated by the:
– increase in the number and quality of scientific papers published by the members of the Centre (as lead author or co-author) in journals with an impact factor (> 75 since the recognition of the center as a ARC);
– finalization of PhDs (3 with Summa cum laude distinction out of the 6 theses defended between 2020-2024);
– inclusion of the center members in the Management Committees for Romania of European networking projects COST (Cooperation in Science and Technology):
- „EUropean Network to Tackle METAbolic Alterations in HEART Failure – EU-METAHEART”, code CA22169, 2023-2027 – Prof. Dr. Danina M. Muntean
- ”Realising the Therapeutic Potential of Novel Cardioprotective Therapies” – COST Innovation Grant” code CIG16225, 2022-2023 – Prof. Danina M. Muntean
- ”Network for Research in Vascular Ageing” code CA 18216, 2019-2023 – Prof. Ioana Mozoș
which has allowed the participation of the PhD students in STSM (Short Term Scientific Mission) mobility, thus increasing the research expertise;
– awarding the title of Visiting Professor and DHC of our university to internationally renowned researchers:
- Doctor Honoris Causa: Fabio Di Lisa (Padova, Italia) – 2023
- Visiting Professor:
- Dr. Istvan Baczkó (Szeged, Ungaria) – 2024
- Dr. Norbert Jost (Szeged, Ungaria) – 2024
- Dr. Derek Yellon (Londra, UK) – 2023
- Dr. Vladimir Jakovljevic (Kragujevac, Serbia) – 2023
- Dr. Mariana Roșca (Michigan, USA) – 2022
– organisation of research workshops (on-site and on-line) and national/international scientific events, the most relevant being:
- The National Congress of the Romanian Society of Pathophysiology with international participation, October 2-5, 2024, Timișoar
- The 9th European Section Meeting of the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences, October 4-7 2023, Timișoara
The ultimate aim of the research activity is to meet the objectives of the university Research Strategy, by: i) continuously stimulating the development of human resources competitive in international research, ii) initiating and sustain effective regional, national and international collaborations and long-term partnerships with individual institutions and throughout research networks financed on a competitive basis, and iii) increasing the international visibility of the university in both research and education.
Titular members:
No. | Name and surname of the titular member (didactic/research personnel) | Didactic / research degree | Email address |
1. | MUNTEAN Mirela-Danina | Professor, Dr.Hab. | daninamuntean@umft.ro |
2. | BORZA Claudia | Professor, Dr.Hab. | borza.claudia@umft.ro |
3. | MOZOȘ Ioana-Monica | Professor, Dr.Hab. | ioanamozos@umft.ro |
4. | URSONIU Sorin | Professor, Dr.Hab. | sursoniu@umft.ro |
5. | ABUREL Oana-Maria | Associate Professor | oanaduicu@umft.ro |
6. | STURZA Adrian | Associate Professor | sturza.adrian@umft.ro |
7. | ILIE Adrian-Cosmin | Associate Professor | ilie.adrian@umft.ro |
8. | ȘERBAN Costela Lăcrămioara | Associate Professor | costela.serban@umft.ro |
9. | POPA Zoran-Laurențiu | Associate Professor | popa.zoran@umft.ro |
10. | ȘERBAN Maria-Corina | Lecturer | corinaserban@umft.ro |
11. | DĂNILĂ Maria-Daniela | Lecturer | danila.maria@umft.ro |
12. | LASCU Ana | Lecturer | lascu.ana@umft.ro |
13. | BUCUR Adina-Ioana | Lecturer | bucur.adina@umft.ro |
14. | MARIȘ Mihaela-Ioana | Assistant Professor | maris.ioana@umft.ro |
15. | CARAION-BUZDEA Constantin | Assistant Professor | ccaraion@umft.ro |
16. | RADU Ion | Assistant Professor | ionut_radu@ymail.com |
Associated members:
No. | Name and surname | Student, masters student, PhD student, postdoctoral student, auxilliary and non-teaching staff |
1. | IONICĂ MIHAELA | Postdoctoral student |
2. | BEȚIU ALINA-MARIA | PhD student |
3. | CIOBANU ANDRA VERA LIVIA | PhD student |
4. | IONICĂ LOREDANA-NICOLETA | PhD student |
5. | RAȚIU SONIA | PhD student |
6. | PĂTRUICĂ MIHAELA | PhD student |
7. | MERCE ADRIAN-PETRU | PhD student |
8. | BĂTRÂN ALINA-DORUȚA | PhD student |
9. | HÂNCU IASMINA-MARIA | PhD student |
10. | ROMANIUC ANDREEA | PhD student |
11. | ALEXANDRU FLAVIA-CORINA | PhD student |
12. | CHELU SORINA | PhD student |
13. | RĂDULESCU ANDA | PhD student |
14. | VĂTĂMAN ANDREEA-ANCUȚA | PhD student |
15. | LUGOJAN-GHENCIU OLIVIA-OANA | PhD student |
16. | GEABA CLAUDIA | PhD student |
17. | BRICI VLAD | PhD student |
18. | MARIN IOANA | PhD student |
19. | BURIMAN RUXANDRA | PhD student |
20. | MARȚIS RUXANDRA OANA | PhD student |
21. | HELER STEFANIA | PhD student |
22. | BABA MIRELA | PhD student |
23. | ONULOV ROBERT | Student |
24. | POPOIU TUDOR-ALEXANDRU | Student |
25. | TĂMAȘ ALEXANDRU-PAUL | Student |
26. | IERCOȘAN ALEXANDRU | Student |
27. | RUSNAC ANDRA NICOLE | Student |
28. | FARCAȘ GIANINA | Student |
29. | LINȚA ADINA-VALENTINA | Student |
30. | MESEȘAN DENISA | Student |
31. | ANECHITEI ANDREEA IONELA | Chem. Eng. |
32. | HȂNCU MIRCEA | Electr. Eng. |
Internal collaborators:
No. | Name and surname (didactic/ research personnel) | VBUMP Affiliation (Discipline and department) |
1. | Prof. LIGHEZAN Daniel Florin | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Medical Semiology I, Dept. V |
2. | Prof. OANCEA Cristian Iulian | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Pulmonology, Dept. XIII |
3. | Prof. DEHELEAN Cristina Adriana | Faculty of Pharmacy, Discipline of Toxicology and Drug Industry, Dept. II |
4. | Prof. MARIAN Catalin Valer | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Biochemistry, Dept. IV |
5. | Prof. NEGRUTIU Meda Lavinia | Faculty of Dental Medicine, Discipline of Propaedeutic and Dental Materials, Dept. I |
6. | Prof. PETRICA Ligia | Facultatea of Medicine, Discipline of Nephrology, Dept. VII |
7. | Prof. DEMA Alis Liliana | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Morphopathology, Dept. II |
8. | Prof. TIMAR Romulus Zorin | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Internal Medicine III, Dept. VII |
9. | Prof. TIMAR Bogdan | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Internal Medicine III, Dept. VII |
10. | Prof. ANGHEL Andrei | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Biochemistry, Dept. IV |
11. | Prof. SECLAMAN Edward | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Biochemistry, Dept. IV |
12. | Prof. SIRBU Ioan Ovidiu | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Biochemistry, Dept. IV |
13. | Prof. DANCIU Corina | Faculty of Pharmacy, Discipline of Pharmacognosy, Dept. II |
14. | Prof. DEHELEAN Liana | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Psychiatry, Dept. VIII |
15. | Assoc. Prof. AMARICAI Elena Constanta | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Medical Recovery, Dept. XVI |
16. | Assoc. Prof. ONOFREI Roxana Ramona | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Medical Recovery, Dept. XVI |
17. | Assoc. Prof. LIGHEZAN Rodica | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Parasitology, Dept. XIII |
18. | Assoc. Prof. MORNOS Cristian | Faculty of MEDICINE, Discipline of Cardiology II, Dept. VI |
19. | Assoc. Prof. ANDREESCU Nicoleta Ioana | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Medical Genetics, Dept. II |
20. | Assoc. Prof. MLADINESCU-FIRA Ovidiu | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Pulmonology, Dept. XIII |
21. | Assoc. Prof. ONOFREI Roxana Ramona | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Medical Recovery, Dept. XVI |
22. | Assoc. Prof. BUDA Valentina Oana | Faculty of Pharmacy, Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, Communication in Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Assistance, Dept. II |
23. | Assoc. Prof. CORICOVAC Elena Dorina | Faculty of Pharmacy, Discipline of Toxicology and Drug Industry, Dept. II |
24. | Lect. PAVEL Ioana Zinuca | Faculty of Pharmacy, Discipline of Pharmacognosy, Dept. II |
25. | Lect. MIOC Alexandra Teodora | Faculty of Pharmacy, Discipline of Anatomy, Physiology and Pathophysiology, Dept. I |
26. | Lect. VADUVA Adrian Ovidiu | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Morphopathology, Dept. II |
27. | Assist. Prof. ȘOȘDEAN Raluca | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Cardiology, Dept. VI |
28. | Assist. Prof. AVRAM Vlad Florian | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Internal Medicine III, Dept. VII |
29. | Assist. Prof. MILAS Livia Oana | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Nephrology, Dept. VII |
30. | Assist. Prof. UNGUREANU Ana-Maria | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Radiology and Medical Imaging, Dept. XV |
31. | Assist. Prof. BRAESCU Laurentiu Andrei | Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Cardiovascular Surgery, Dept. VI |
32. | Assist. Prof. STAN Adrian Tudor | Faculty of Dental Medicine, Discipline of Propaedeutics and Dental Materials, Dept. I |
External collaborators:
No. | Name and surname (didactic/ research personnel) | Affiliation (Department, |
1. | Prof. VARRO Andras | Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, University of Szeged, Hungary |
2. | Prof. LAZOU Antigone | Department of Physiology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece |
3. | Prof. ANGOULVANT Denis | Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiology,Tours University, Tours, France |
4. | Prof. BACZKÓ István | Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, University of Szeged, Hungary |
5. | Prof. BANACH Maciej | Department of Nephrology, Hypertension and Family Medicine, University of Lodz, Poland |
6. | Prof. CSUK René | Dept. of Organic Chemistry, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany |
7. | Prof. JOST Norbert Laszlo | Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapy, University of Szeged, Hungary |
8. | Assoc. Prof. ELMER Eskil | Mitochondrial Medicine Unit, Lund University, Sweeden |
9. | Assoc. Prof. NAGEL Adrian Constantin | Discipline of Physical Activities-Yoga, Stretching, Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, West University of Timisoara |
10. | Lect. MIRICA Silvia Nicoleta | Discipline of Physiology, Department of Physical Therapy and Motor Skills, Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, West University of Timisoara |
11. | Lect. ORDODI Laurentiu Valentin | Faculty of Industrial Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Polytechnic University, Timisoara |