Mateja Erdani Kreft, Slovenia

Prof. Mateja Erdani Kreft is Full Professor of Cell Biology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, where she also serves as Head of the Laboratory for Cell and Tissue Culture. She leads the national research programme P3-0108 (Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics in Biomedicine) and coordinates collaborative projects with industry. She has made pioneering contributions to the development of advanced biomimetic 2D and 3D in vitro models, establishing methodologies that bridge fundamental research and translational applications, and has several patent-protected innovations in this area. Her current research focuses on basic cell biology, the therapeutic potential of the human amniotic membrane, and the role of tunnelling nanotubes in cancer, and she is internationally recognised for her expertise in electron microscopy, freeze-fracture immunolabeling, and correlative microscopy techniques, which she applies to investigate subcellular structures and drug responses in biomimetic models. She actively supports students in achieving research excellence, is co-author of the monograph Biology of Bladder Cancer (Springer, 2024), serves on the editorial boards of Histochemistry and Cell Biology and Scientific Reports, and in recognition of her scientific leadership and innovation, she received the University of Ljubljana Award for Outstanding Research Achievements in 2024.Prof. Mateja Erdani Kreft is Full Professor of Cell Biology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, where she also serves as Head of the Laboratory for Cell and Tissue Culture. She leads the national research programme P3-0108 (Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics in Biomedicine) and coordinates collaborative projects with industry. She has made pioneering contributions to the development of advanced biomimetic 2D and 3D in vitro models, establishing methodologies that bridge fundamental research and translational applications, and has several patent-protected innovations in this area. Her current research focuses on basic cell biology, the therapeutic potential of the human amniotic membrane, and the role of tunnelling nanotubes in cancer, and she is internationally recognised for her expertise in electron microscopy, freeze-fracture immunolabeling, and correlative microscopy techniques, which she applies to investigate subcellular structures and drug responses in biomimetic models. She actively supports students in achieving research excellence, is co-author of the monograph Biology of Bladder Cancer (Springer, 2024), serves on the editorial boards of Histochemistry and Cell Biology and Scientific Reports, and in recognition of her scientific leadership and innovation, she received the University of Ljubljana Award for Outstanding Research Achievements in 2024.