Inga Patarčić

I joined the Team to support:

• Event management: coordination, organisation, communication and team coordination for the Long Night of Science and Wissenstadt
• Scientific Writing and Data Analysis for “Meeting the call for change towards Open Science through training - Insights into training programs and program development for early career researchers”
• Public Engagement: Long Night of Science, Wissenstadt and “Open your DNA” workshops for high-school students

My core research idea is to develop a computational model to associate regulatory regions and their target genes using data integration approaches:

• Integrated various datasets (H3K4me1,H3K27ac, DNAme, DHS, HiC) and algorithms (elastic net, random forest, distance correlation and correlation)
• Developed two R packages: reg2gene and myDNA
• Started myDNA blog and developed myDNA Shiny App

I focused on improving machine learning models to calculate polygenic risk score

• Performed GWAS and analysis of exome datasets
• Tested LASSO, ridge regression, random forest, CART calculation for polygenic risk scores for metabolic syndrome
• Co-authored 1 publication

I supported epidemiological research of infectious diseases:

• Published 2 systematic reviews and meta-analyses
• Developed guidelines to improve research design of future association studies
• Awarded with the New Voices in Global Health Award at the World Health Summit

I assisted in establishing and managing the Croatian National Biobank:

• Interviewed and phenotyped >500 participants
• Participated in collection and processing of human tissues and other samples
• Created and maintained filing system for storing records
• Contributed to the development and maintenance of SOPs
• Graduated with topic in population genetics: Genetic structure of the human population of Korčula island
• Analyzed genotypes of thousand Croatian individual with R, STRUCTURE, ADMIXTURE, PLINK, and ADMIXTOOLS softwares.

• Collected samples and data in >100 speleological objects during multiple speleological expeditions in different EU countries
• Reached the bottom of the deepest Croatian cave: Lukina Jama - Trojama (-1431m)
• Awarded with The Rector’s Award for “Phylogenetic analysis of endemic bivalve Congeria kusceri Bole, 1962 (Dreissenidae, Bivalvia).”
• Mastered problem solving skills in the wet lab environment: PCR, DNA isolation and sequencing, cell and bacterial culture manipulation…
• Awarded with: The City of Zagreb Scholarship, University of Zagreb Scholarship for Top Students

I have been actively engaged in the scientific research since 2004:

• Conducted research projects:Mendel’s laws applied on the history of one dog family (2004), Human evolution: biology or math? (2005), Cariogram of some fish species (2006)
• Developed strong analytical skills at the: Summer School of Biology (2004-2006) and Summer School of Science (2006)
• Developed strong communication and presenting skills by giving talks at the: National Competitions, Faculty of Science (2005), Matrix Croatica (2004-2006)
• Awarded with: 1st prize at the National Competition in Biology (2004), 2nd prize at the National Competition in Biology (2005 - 2006)