Speakers
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rada M. Grubovic Rastvorceva, MD MSci PhD is Consultant in Transfusion Medicine and Hematology, Scientific Programe Manager at European Directorate for Quality of Medicines and Healthcare (EDQM) at Council of Europe. For the last five year Dr. Grubovic has been President of Macedonian Society for Transfusion Medicine, Chief Medical Officer of Institute for Transfusion Medicine of RNM in Skopje, and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Medical Sciences at Goce Delcev University. She has extensive research experience in clinical transfusion, hemovigilance, cellular therapy, blood donation, apheresis, autologous transfusion, clinical use of blood, transplantation medicine, quality management, blood safety and etc. Dr. Grubovic was awarded with Princes of Wales Memorial Award by the British Blood Transfusion Society and Fulbright scholarship by the US Department of State, and many other domestic and international recognitions. She gained additional research experience at King’s College Hospital in London, UK and University of California Los Angeles, USA. She was National Project Manager of the EU IPA project “Strengthening of the Blood Safety System” 2013/14 and collaborator at EU projects (EBA) SUPPORT-E and SUPPLY. Dr. Grubovic was national representative in the Expert Committee on Blood Transfusion at EDQM, Council of Europe and in European Commission on SoHO (bilateral screening ch. 28) and institutional representative and board member of EBA. She was advisor of Macedonian Minister of Health 2012-2015 and was a founder and Project Leader of National COVID-19 convalescent plasma program (PI – trial NCT04397523). She participated in numerous research projects and authored and coauthored more than 250 scientific publications. Dr. Grubovic is member of ISBT, AABB, ISCT, MMA, MMC, MSTM and editorial board member and reviewer in 20 international medical journals.
Dr. Sadula Useini was born in 1976 in Skopje. He graduated from the Medical Faculty at the University Ss Cyril and Methodius Skopje in 2004. He is a specialist in transfusion medicine from 2009. Since 2013 he completed subspecialisation оf hematology. In 2012 he become JACIE inspector. He is an active member of MSTM, MMA, MMC, ISBT and etc. He has extensive experience in the field of the quality of clinical transfusion practice and apheresis procedure. Since March 2018 Dr.Useini is Medical Director of the Institute for transfusion medicine of RNM – Skopje. Dr. Useini has CME Certificate for the quality of clinical transfusion practice in Europe from 2008; Certificate of practical training for apheresis procedure in clinic, November 2008, Athens Greece; Certificate – The ISBT Board of Directors, Cairo, Egypt 21-25 March 2009; Certificate, ISTH-2009 Boston March 2009 International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis 55 th Annual Meeting of the Scientific and Standartization Committee ; Certificate, ISBT 10-14 September 2008, The quality of clinical transfusion practice in Europe and basic step to haemovigilance and transfusion safety. Dr. Useini is a founder and Project Leader of National COVID-19 convalescent plasma program (PI – trial NCT04397523), institutional board member of EBA and collaborator at EU projects SUPPORT-E and SUPPLY.
Prof. Dr. Pierre Tiberghien, MD PhD,
President-Elect of International Society for Blood Transfusion
President of European Blood Alliance
Professor of Medicine, Franche-Comté University, France
Prof. Dr. Pierre Tiberghien is MD PhD and clinical haematologist at the Besançon University Hospital in France until 2009. Dr. Tiberghien has headed the Bourgogne France-Comté Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS) (2005-2009), as well a University INSERM EFS research laboratory on host-graft immune interactions (2002-2008). He is Professor of Medicine (immunology, transfusion) at the Franche-Comté University. He was EFS deputy Chief Executive Officer for Medicine and Research from 2009 to 2017 and is currently senior advisor for European and international medical and scientific affairs. Pierre Tiberghien is currently President of the European Blood Alliance (EBA) and President – elect of International Society for Blood Transfusion (ISBT).
Miquel Lozano, MD, PhD, Clinic University Hospital, University of Barcelona, Spain
Vice-President Europe of the World Apheresis Association
Editor-In-Chief of Vox Sanguinis
Miquel Lozano, MD, PhD is hematologist. Currently he is Hemotherapy Section
Head at the Department of Hemotherapy and Hemostasis at the Clínic University
Hospital, and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Barcelona, in
Barcelona, Spain. He is currently Vice-President Europe of the World Apheresis
Association and member of the board of the European Society for
Haemapheresis. He is honorary member of the Biomedical Excellence for Safer
Transfusion (BEST) Collaborative since 2019
In the past he has been, President of the European Society for Haemapheresis
from 2014 to 2022, European Regional Director of the ISBT Board between 2014
and 2018 and chair of the AABB Press Editorial Board between 2008 and 2018.
Since June 2020 is the Editor-in-Chief of Vox Sanguinis, the official journal of the
International Society of Blood Transfusion
He is the author or co-author of over 250 papers, monographs and book chapters
dealing with topics related with Transfusion Medicine, Apheresis and
Hemostasis. He is a frequent speaker in national and international meetings
where he has delivered more than 120 presentations.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ruchika Goel, MD PhD
John Hopkins University, USA
Senior Medical Director, Vitalant Blood Center, USA
Simmons Cancer Institute, SIU School of Medicine, USA
Dr. Ruchika Goel is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology at the Simmons Cancer Institute at SIU School of Medicine. She is an Adjunct faculty in the Department of Pathology, Division of Transfusion Medicine, at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Goel also works as the Senior Medical Director, Corporate Medical Affairs at Vitalant the second largest blood center in the United States. Dr. Goel did her Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at the Johns Hopkins University/National Cancer Institute Combined program at NIH (Pediatrics) and Transfusion Medicine Fellowship, at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell and New York Blood Center. Dr. Goel serves a dual role as a practicing hematologist/oncologist with a focus on benign and malignant hematology and heme malignancies and a transfusion medicine physician and is actively engaged in research in Big Data and Novel Computational Methods in Hematology and Transfusion Medicine with a special interest in Hemostasis and Thrombosis. She also serves as an invited consultant and subject matter expert for the NIH/NHLBI funded REDS-IV-P longitudinal studies. She is the current chair of the Pediatric Subgroup of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT). Dr. Goel has multiple accolades to her name including the BEST Collaborative Scott Murphy Lectureship, AABB Fenwal Future Leader TM Scholarship Award, Paul J. Stranjford Young Investigator award by the American College of Laboratory Physician and Scientists, 40 under 40 award for exemplary clinical service and has also received international recognition with the ISBT Harold Gunsen fellowship and the Australian and New Zealand Blood Transfusion Society Presidential award. Dr. Goel has over 125 peer reviewed publications and book chapters to her name including key first author publications in some leading journals including JAMA, JAMA Surgery, Blood, Transfusion, Lancet Americas, and Vox Sanguinis and has been invited to lecture nationally and internationally on topics of her research focus.
Riikka Lehtisalo, MD FRCBS
Chief Medical Officer, Finnish Red Cross Blood Service
Dr. Riikka Lehtisalo became Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Organizational Communication, University of Jyväskylä, Finland in 2000, and Medical Doctor at University of Tartu, Estonia in 2006. She became specialist in Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, University of Helsinki, Finland in 2018 and since 2020 she works in Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, as Specialist, in Medical Support in Blood Donation. Since 10/2023 Dr. Lehtisalo is Chief Medical Officer, Medical Support in Blood Donation at Finnish Red Cross Blood Service. She has long experience working as a general practitioner at health care centers all around Finland. She continued that work during her specialization as well, because she wanted to maintain her knowledge about basic health care. She has specialized in Anesthesiology and Intensive Care. During her specialization, Dr. Lehtisalo worked in many hospitals, including trauma-center, obstetric-center and intensive care unit, where transfusions are performed daily. During Covid-19 pandemic she worked at intensive care unit specialized for critically ill covid-patients. She has also worked in Finnish Red Cross emergency response unit in Nepal after the earth quake in 2015. In year 2020 Dr. Lehtisalo started to work at Finnish Red Cross Blood Service focusing on matters related to donor health, donor selection criteria, and transfusion safety. As a specialist she is responsible for the infection safety of the donated blood and work closely with their communication and marketing team in subjects related to blood donor communication. With her clinical background, Dr. Lehtisalo has good knowledge of the whole chain of blood products from donor to patient.
Prof. Dr Aleksandar Mijovic, MBBS, PhD, FRCPath
King’s College Hospital, NHS Blood and Transplant, London, UK
Prof. Dr Aleksandar Mijovic, MBBS, PhD, FRCPath, graduated from the Medical School of University of Belgrade, Serbia, in 1978. He completed specialty training in internal medicine in 1986, and obtained his PhD degree in 1992 (Thesis: Prognosis and Treatment of Myelodysplastic Syndromes). He continued his career at King’s College Hospital, London, initially in research on peripheral blood stem cells mobilisation and gene transfer (1993-1999). In 1999, he was appointed a consultant jointly by King’s College Hospital and the NHS Blood and Transplant. His main interests include blood transfusion in special clinical situations (haemopoietic cell transplantation, sickle cell disease, fetal medicine), autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, neutropenia, and therapeutic apheresis. Dr Mijovic served as medical director of the Apheresis Unit at King’s College Hospital 2005-2019. Dr Mijovic has over 70 publications in peer-reviewed journals and books. He authored the book Transfusion medicine: case studies and clinical management (2012). He is a teacher of the European School of Transfusion Medicine and European Haematology Association, and examiner for the Royal College of Pathologists. He established a training program for foreign trainees in transfusion medicine at King’s College Hospital. He received research grants from the National Blood Authority and pharmaceutical industry. Dr Mijovic served as WHO adviser and he is a reviewer for several international haematology and transfusion medicine journals.
Academician Prof. Dr. Bela Balint, MD PhD, member of Serbian Academy of Science and Art
Prof. dr. Bela Balint is born in 1952, specialist in transfusion medicine (1983) and a subspecialist in hematology (2007). He worked at the Military Medical Academy (MMA) Institute for Transfusion and Chemobiology (1980–2018, Head of Institute 2010–2017). He is now Head of the Blood Transfusion Department at IKVB Dedinje, Belgrade. He works at the Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, as an experimental hematologist (since 1996). Since 2005 he is a full professor (Faculty of Medicine – MF) and scientific advisor (Ministry of Science of RS). He is professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, Nis, Novi Sad and the European School of Transfusion (Milan). He is a member of the Academy of Medical Sciences SLD (2002). He was elected a member of SANU (2015). Published 868 papers, Scientific (M) Coefficient = 1008, Cumulative IF = 122.5. He is the author / co-author of 20 monographies. His works have been cited 763 times (RGC). He is the founder of the Stem Cell Transplant Center (MTC) and the MMA Regenerative Medicine Center. He explored the protocols of processing, immunomagnetic selection and cryopreservation of pluripotent and targeted MCs. In the field of regenerative medicine, Serbia was among the first in the world to start with intracoronary (myocardial infarction) and intramyocardial (coronary bypass) administration of MIC.
Prof. dr. Balint was the first in the world to introduce innovative apheresis therapies: 1) selective plasma exchange with extracellular immunoadsorption (for kidney transplants) and 2) multi-modal apheresis (for hemobiological disorders). He is the founder and president of the National Interdisciplinary Association for Apheresis Treatment in our country.
He was awarded the SLD Award (2002), Cvijic Medal (2001) and the Gold Medal by President of Serbia (2011). He received the SLD Scientific Award (2007) and the Best NIR Project Award (2008).
Dr. Alex Aquilina MD, PhD, FRCP
National Blood Transfusion Service, Malta
Dr Alex Aquilina is a specialist in Haematology He graduated in Medicine from the Maltese Medical School in 1985 and continued training in Haematology and Immunology in the UK. In 1998 he was appointed as Medical Director and Responsible Person for the Maltese National Blood Transfusion Service, right up to June of 2022. Since then he has been appointed as consultant pathologist at Hospital with the aim of leading the clinical laboratory for ISO15189 certification.
Throughout the last 24 years Dr Aquilina has been involved in numerous boards/committees at European levels relating to Blood Transfusion, including EMEA, Council of Europe (and EDQM) , EU Commission and the European Blood Alliance(EBA). He has also been highly involved in various related EU cofunded projects, including EU-Q-SOP, EUBIS, CATIE, and Transpose. He has also been a very active member of the Council of Europe EDQM-Quality Management group till 2022, and for some time he was the chair of the group. He has also extensive experience in providing training as a tutor within EUBIS and CATIE and also in his personal capacity in many countries within and outside of Europe.
Dr Aquilina has also a considerable experience in training auditing and inspection of Blood establishments both as a member of the EDQM-QM group as well as on his personal capacity. He has also provided support and advice to a number of Blood establishments and National associations on developing the Blood Service and the respective Quality system.
Dr. Dragoslav Domanovic, MD MSci PhDDragoslav Domanović is a medical doctor and a specialist in transfusion medicine. He holds a master’s degree and a doctorate in the investigation of the mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells with growth factors. Working experiences gained at the National Institute for transfusion medicine Ljubljana, Slovenia. Last 10 years, he was a principal expert for the microbiological safety of substances of human origin at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden. The main expertise and areas of interest: scientific advice in the transmission of communicable diseases through substances of human origin; response to outbreaks and risk assessments of infectious diseases transmissible through substances of human origin; preparedness for the safety of supply with substances of human origin; epidemiology of donor-derived infection; emerging infectious diseases. He has published numerous articles in the aforementioned fields, implemented several procedures in the Slovenian transfusion service and participated in international projects. Since January 2022, he is working part-time as a medical director of the European Blood Alliance(EBA).
Dr. Nigar ERTUĞRUL ÖRÜÇ, MD, Director, Blood Transfusion Center, Ankara, Turkey
Dr. Nigar Ertuğrul Örüç is Medical Director of the Blood Transfusion Center and Haemovigilance Coordinator of Health Sciences University Dışkapı Yıldırım Bayazıt Training and Research Hospital in Ankara since 1998. She is specialist in Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology and she received Advanced Training in Blood Banking at Baylor College of Medicine in USA. She has 39 years of professional working experience including 23 years in the field of blood banking and transfusion medicine. Since 2001, she is working in various committees and commissions, at the Turkish Ministry of Health, tasked with preparation of legislation, implementing regulation, policies, strategies, national guidelines and educational planning on blood banking and transfusion medicine. As of 2009, she was appointed as a national representative to the European Commission Competent Authority Meeting of Blood and Blood Components in Brussel. Since 2009, she is representing Türkiye at the European Committee on Blood Transfusion (Steering Committee) (CD-P-TS) and the Committee on Quality Assurance in Blood Transfusion Services (Expert Committee) (GTS) at Council of Europe. As of 2011, she was assigned to the Blood Services Department of the Ministry of Health as a consultant and project coordinator. She worked as a project coordinator for the EU-funded IPA Projects on; “Strengthening the Blood Supply System in Türkiye-TR080215” between 2012-2014, “Recruitment of Future Blood Donors in Türkiye-TR2010/0328.01” between 2014-2016 and “Technical Assistance for Improvement of Blood Transfusion Management System in Türkiye-139230/IH/SER/TR” in between 2019-2022. She is knowledgeable of EU regulations and guidelines and has experiences in developing and managing EU-funded projects. She has a deep experiences on scientific remarks to formulation, development & implementation of the National Blood Policies and Strategies as well as of training programs on blood banking and transfusion medicine, inspection criteria for blood establishments, haemovigilance and patient blood management. She actively works on training of health care staff on blood transfusion at national level. She is member of ISBT Working Party on Quality Management, Global Blood Safety, Blood Supply Management, Clinical Transfusion and Haemovigilance.
Prof. Dr. Primož Rožman, MD, PhD
Blood Transfusion Centre of Slovenia
Prof. Primož Rožman, MD, PhD, is a specialist in transfusion medicine/immunohematology. He was the Medical Director of the Blood Transfusion Centre of Slovenia until 2016. He held various positions in the national and European bodies in the field of transfusion medicine and cell therapy. He studied at Ljubljana University Medical Faculty and has been later educated at various institutes in London, Gießen, Paris, Leiden, Amsterdam, and Worcester (MA, USA). His area of expertise includes immune disorders of blood cells, molecular research of erythrocyte and platelet antigens and their role in bone marrow transplantation. He was a PI in several national research projects, he has designed several new courses related to transfusion and transplantation at the University of Ljubljana, and mentored many graduate and PhD students as well as medical fellows in the transfusion medicine. Currently, his main research is focused at the regenerative medicine, aging, rejuvenation and stem cell therapies. He produced around 420 bibliographic units. His complete bibliography is available at:
http://izumbib.izum.si/bibliografije/Y20190522100256-A3671651.html
Sherri Ozawa, MSN, RNImmediate Past President of
Society for the Advancement of Patient Blood Management
Sherri Ozawa, MSN, RN, is an advanced practice nurse and has been a leader in the field of patient blood management and for more than two decades. Her background in critical care nursing enabled her to help create and lead one of the largest, most successful, and widely known multidisciplinary Patient Blood Management programs in the world at Englewood Health in New Jersey. Her undergraduate and Master’s degree are in the Science of Nursing, with a focus on healthcare administration. She lectures throughout the United States and internationally, with a particular focus on the creation and implementation of sustainable, organized Patient Blood Management Programs. She has published numerous peer reviewed abstracts, posters, book chapters, and articles on the subject, and continues to be actively involved in research in the field. She has also worked extensively with regulatory agencies and other academic organizations, such as The Joint Commission, to analyze and develop better practices for delivery and creation of organized Patient Blood Management Programs. Additionally, Sherri has advised and served as an expert for numerous medical and public media outlets. She served as an Investigator on the first US Federal Government Grant via the Department of Defense, funding the creation of an organized training program for physicians and other health care professionals in the field of patient blood management. She was also a founding member and Immediate Past President for the Society for the Advancement of Blood Management, an international multidisciplinary medical society dedicated to promoting optimal Patient Blood Management. She currently serves as Director, Comprehensive Patient Blood Management Delivery and Operations for Accumen, Inc., a US based company specializing in implementation of comprehensive PBM Programs across the USA and advises numerous bloodless and PBM programs globally on successful and sustainable program creation and implementation. In addition, she has recently been selected as the only nurse contributor to the World Health Organization Patient Blood Management Policy Brief implementation panel.
Dr. Ana Antić, MD PhD, President of Transfusion Medicine Association of Serbia
Assoc. Prof. Dr Ana Antić, MD, PhD is a specialist in transfusion medicine and PhD in the field of hematology. She works at the Blood Transfusion Institute in Niš, Serbia, and also is a professor of anatomy, physiology and oncology on Toplica Academy of applied studies.
Dr Antić is a President of Transfusion Medicine Association of Serbia, Vice-president of Transfusion Medicine Section in Serbian Medical Society, editor-in-chief of “Medical Word” magazine, member of the Editorial Board of Bulletin of Transfusion medicine, member of ISBT and Society for Haemostasis and Thrombosis and President of the Scientific and Expert Committee of the National Association of Healthcare Workers of Serbia. He was awarded a new passport of the Republic of Serbia as part of the project “New Serbian passport – new face of Serbia” among 204 meritorious citizens of the Republic of Serbia.
She was one of the leaders in National team for implementing information system in transfusion services in Serbia, when IT system (eProgesa, Mak-system) was implemented in Blood Transfusion Institute in Niš. During her professional career, she implemented many new technologies in the routine transfusion practice, such as gel-agglutination method in immunohematological testings, automation in pretransfusion testings, point-of-care coagulation testings and monitoring of antiplatelet therapy. The focus of her work was the examination and introduction of new methods of preparing blood components and improving storage conditions, like pathogen inactivation in blood products (Mirasol PRT system) and ISBT 128 labelling, and examining the quality of blood products prepared from “top&bottom” blood bags and membrane separation system.
Assoc. Prof. Dr Antić is the author of more than 170 papers, and one of the authors of the monography of national importance “Immunohaemotological diagnostics of alloimunization in pregnancy”, Belgrade 2016.
Dr. Snežana Jovanović-Srzentić, MD, MSci, PhD
Blood Transfusion Institute of Serbia
Jovanović-Srzentić Snežana, MD, PhD, graduated at Medical Faculty, University of Belgrade, Serbia, where she received the Diploma degrees of specialist of transfusion medicine, Master of science degree, as well as PhD diploma degree, all of them with the highest honour. She is the lecturer at the Department for postgraduate education of transfusion medicine of Medical Faculty, University of Belgrade, Serbia, since 2004. Her current position is Head of the Department for molecular testing in the Blood Tranfusion Institute of Serbia, from 2016 onwards. Her fields of professional interest are blood groups in humans, blood groups and diseases, immunohaematological testing in pregnancy, introduction and improvement of quality assurance in laboratory practice. Professional experience/leading positions: Director of the Blood Transfusion Institute of Serbia (2010-2015); President of the Committee for the improvement of the quality of professional activities at the Blood Transfusion Institiute of Serbia (2007-2010); Head of the Department for blood group serology of donors in the Blood Transfusion Institute of Serbia (2008-2010); responsible person for the introduction and improvement of quality in laboratory practice at the Department for laboratory testing and control of blood donors in the Blood Transfusion Institute of Serbia (2008-2010). She is the author and co-author of more than 50 research papers, 6 of them are published in journal notificated at SCI list. She is the coauthor of two national monographies and of the one chapter concerning the blood groups in humans in the Textbook of Clinical Haematology of Belgrade University Faculty of Medicine.
Martin Matejček, MSci, University Hospital Motol Prague, Czech RepublicMartin Matějček M.Sc. is a specialist in transfusion medicine/immunohematology. His workplace is the University Hospital Motol Prague /CZ/, where he has been working for 25 years. In addition to working in the transfusion service, he works as the head of quality and safety management of the hospital. Martin has experience in implementing international accreditation standards for various medical specialties (JACIE, ERN, etc.).
Prof. Dr. Milena Todorović Balint, MD, PhD
Clinic for Haematology University Clinical Center of Serbia Medical, Faculty University of Belgrade
Prof. Dr. Milena Todorović Balint is the Head of the Bone Marrow Transplantation Department and deputy director of the Clinic for Haematology University Clinical Center of Serbia. She is full professor at the Medical Faculty University of Belgrade for the scientific field of Internal Medicine (Hematology), member of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the Serbian Medical Association and Master Manager in the Health Care System. Prof. Dr. Todorović Balint published 450 papers, with cumulative IF 160, Hi index = 14, and citations = 1098 (RG). She is the Head of the Department for postgraduate teaching in Haematology at the Medical Faculty University of Belgrade, President of the Examination Committee for the Specialist Degree in
Internal Medicine, Transfusion Medicine, and subspecialization in Clinical transfusiology. She is founder and President of the Association for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Serbia and President of the Program Council for Doctoral studies in Haematology at the Medical Faculty University of Belgrade. Prof. Dr. Todorović Balint is a member of many domestic and international professional associations.
Prof. dr. Dusan Vucetic, MD, PhD
Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia
Prof. dr. Dusan Vucetic, MD, PhD, successfully graduated Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade in 1987. Specialization of transfusion medicine finished at the Military Medical Academy in Belgrade in 1993 with great success. Master's thesis defended in 200 and PhD thesis in 2007 at the the Military Medical Academy. He was elected as Assistant Professor of Transfusion medicine in Faculty of Medicine University of Defense, Serbia, in 2011 and Professor of Transfusion medicine in 2016. He was the Chief of the Department of hematogenous transmissible viral disease since 2006 year until 2011, afterwards he was appointed as Head of the Department of chemotherapy and apheresis treatment with the Laboratory for cryopreservation. Since 2017, he is appointed the Head of the Institute for Transfusiology and Hemobiology of Military Medical Academy. Dr. Vucetic was elected as Professor of Transfusion medicine in Faculty of Medicine University of Defense, Serbia, in 2022. He published 21 full length peer reviewed articles (Source SCOPUS: citations number 35,917; h-index 7). He is particularly experienced in the following topics: platelets, cryopresrvation of platelets, platelet gel, transfusion transmitted diseases, stem cell transplantation. Dr. Vucetic coordinated research into new approaches and procedures in stem cell transplantation and led the team responsible for creating a completely system for managing blood collection, processing, and distribution system involving the production of blood products and testing for transfusion transmitted diseases.
Dr Džihan Abazovic, MD
President of Global Regenerative Academy (GRA), Miami, Florida, USA
Regenerative Medicine Orthopaedic Society
Dr. Abazovic is a medical doctor and an emergency medicine specialist who started to work in the field of regenerative medicine and blood management during his residency. During his professional career, he practiced emergency medicine for a long time and was the Head of the Department in Ulcinj. He expanded his professional interest in the field of regenerative medicine, closely dealing with the application of stem cells and blood derivatives as one of the pioneers in the field in the region. Since 2013, Dr. Abazovic decide to primarily deal with regenerative medicine, at first in the Renova Clinic, where he served as medical director expanding his knowledge and collaboration with other clinics. As a consultant for private and public hospitals, he has done more than 5,000 various procedures using platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) and stem cells in orthopedics, wound care, aesthetics, neurology, and open-heart surgery. Together with his team, Dr. Abazovic introduced novel techniques in treating different pathologies (orthopedics, gynecology, endocrinology, cardiology) involved in developing and implementing novel cell-based therapies. He is Scientific Advisory Board Member of Global Regenerative Academy and Regenerative Medicine Orthopaedic Society. He has over 40 scientific publications, with h-index 7 and number of citations 326 in the field of regenerative medicine in world renowned journals.
Prof. Dr. Miodrag Vučić, hematologist
Director of the Hematology Clinic, Niš, University Clinical Center Serbia
He trained professionally at the University Hospital in Malmö and Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm-Sweden, MD Anderson Hospital in Houston-USA, Mayo Clinic in Rochester-USA, St. Mary’s Hospital in Fukuoka-Japan, St. Thomas Hospital in London-UK. Participant of a large number of domestic and international meetings in hematology, hemostasis and thrombosis. President of the IV Congress of Hematologists of Serbia 2019 He has published 210 scientific, professional papers and announcements in the field of hematology. He is a member of the Association of Hematologists of Serbia, the European Association of Hematologists (EHA), the International Association for Hemostasis and Thrombosis (ISTH), and the World Federation for Hemophilia (WFH). He is a member of the Expert Council of the Niš Clinical Center. He was the principal investigator in 6 clinical studies in the field of hematology and co-investigator in 3 clinical studies. Lecturer by invitation at a number of meetings and professional congresses in the country and abroad. He has been the director of the hematology clinic since 2011.
Assist. Prof. dr Nikola Gramatnikovski, MD PhD
University Clinic for Thoracic and Vascular Surgery,
Medical Faculty, Skopje, N.Macedonia
Dr. Nikola Gramatnikovski is Assistant Professor in Surgery, Health Care and Cardiovascular Surgery at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. He graduated at Medical Faculty in Skopje in 1995 and undertook Cardiovascular Surgery specialization in 2000 at GATA Military Medical Academy, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Ankara, Republic of Turkey, and completed it in October 2006, accruing him the title of specialist in cardiovascular surgery. He also completed his doctoral studies at GATA Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Republic of Turkey, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, during his specialization. He received the degree of Doctor of Medical Sciences – Clinical Medicine, Cardiovascular Surgery. Since October 2007, Dr. Gramatnikovski works at University Clinic for Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Medical Faculty, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje and since 2014 he is Head of ICU Department as Consultant-Educator in Vascular Surgery. He is a member of Macedonian Medical Association and Doctor’s Chamber of Macedonia. Dr Gramatnikovski was VASCULAR SURGERYVice President of Doctor’s Chamber of Macedonia from 2017 to 2022. He has surgical skills in peripheral vascular surgery, (Аневризми на абдоминална аорта, Бајпас хирургија на периферни и висцерални артерии , Екстра анатомски бајпасеви ,Хирургија на каротидни артерии, Реконструкција на крвни садови, Артерио-венски малформации и фистули, Тромбектомија , Ендовакуларни процедури на периферни крвни садови-тимски со инвазивен радиолог, Класична хирургија на вени ,Торакална дренажа,Торакална и лумбална симпатектомија )abdominal aortic aneurysm, adult cardiac surgery, endovascular procedures – EVAR, TAVI, EVLA, thoracic and lumbar sympathectomy. His research interests are vascular, endovascular surgery, patient blood management and treatment of chronic wounds. Dr Gramatnikovski is an author and coauthor of articles published in international journals and proceedings of congresses. He participated in seminars, congresses, symposia and conferences in the country and abroad. He speaks English and Turkish fluently.
Assoc. Prof. dr Nebojša Antonijević, MD PhD
Clinic of Cardiology, University Clinical Center, Belgrade, Serbia
Medical Faculty, University of Belgrade
Dr. Nebojsa Antonijevic was born on 1963 in Pozega, Serbia. He graduated from the School of Medicine, Belgrade University. In 1996, he received his master’s degree in haematology from the School of Medicine, University in Belgrade; completed postgraduate specialty training in internal medicine in 1997; In 2008, he was conferred his PhD degree defending the thesis titled “Haemostasis Disturbances in Patiens with Thyroid Gland Dysfunction”; In 2015, he completed cardiology subspecialty. He is employed in the Clinic of Cardiology, Univerisity Clinical Centre of Serbia, as an internist and cardiologist, head of Cardiac Intensive Care Unit 2 and an associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade. Dr. Antonijevic is recipient of the following awards and recognitions: Knight of the Order of the Italian Star – Cavaliere dell’Ordine della Stella d’Italia, by decree of the President of the Republic of Italy dated 02.12.2021; Honorary member of the Association for Thrombosis and Hemostasis of Slovakia since May 2023; winner of the Commemorative Bronze Medal for significant contribution to research in the field of hemostasis and thrombosis, focused on the treatment of arterial and venous thromboembolism, received from the Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, University of Bratislava from 2021; Award of the Association of Cardiologists of Serbia from the “Prof. Dr. Dejan Bošković” fund for outstanding contribution to the education and improvement of the treatment of cardiology patients in 2021; Charter of the Association of Internists of Serbia for contribution and assistance in the work in June 2022. He is President of Section of Internal Medicine of Serbial Medical Society (since april 2019) and member of presidency of Serbian Medical Society (elected in october 2019). Serving as Vice President of Serbian Society of Haemostasis and Thrombosis since 2012. He is external member of Board on Cardiovascular pathology of Serbian Academy of Science and Arts since December 2015. He was President of the Working Group on Thrombosis and Periferal Circulation, the Serbian Society of Cardiology, 2015-17. He is the author of the more then 450 papers; 44 papers were published in CC/SCI Journals and 12 in MEDLINE Journals. According to the Scopus database (dated 10. october 2022), the works of Dr Nebojša Antonijević were cited a total of 2478 times, h-index 13. He is a reviewer in a number of international medical journals.
Elena Petkovic, MD PhD
Vice President of Macedonian Society for Transfusion Medicine
Doctor Elena Petkovic is a specialist in transfusion medicine since 2010, PhD since 2020, Head of department for Quality Assurance and Quality Control in the Institute for Transfusion Medicine of Republic of North Macedonia and Vice-president of Macedonian Society for Transfusion Medicine and member of ISBT and ISTH. She is contact person for blood safety in the South-eastern Europe Health Network. She has extensive research experience in the field of transfusion medicine, including blood donation, testing and processing of blood components, haemovigilance, quality management system in the blood establishments and clinical use of blood. Dr Petkovic was one of the founders of the National COVID-19 Convalescent plasma program (NCT 04397523). She is author and coauthor in more than 80 scientific publications.
Assist. Prof. Nikolina Zdraveska, MD, PhD
University Children’s Hospital, Medical Faculty, Skopje, N.Macedonia
Dr. Nikolina Zdraveska, MD, PhD is an attending neonatologist at Department for Neonatology and Special Neonatal Intensive Care at University Children’s Hospital in Skopje and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Medical Faculty, Ss Cyril and Methodius University. She received her medical degree from Medical Faculty in Skopje, pediatric residency and neonatology subspecialisation at University Children’s Hospital in Skopje. She has been included in many neonatology projects as well as national neonatal guidelines establishment. In 2018 she defended her PhD about neonatal hypothyroidism and its variants, as well as its genetic characterization which was done in collaboratoin with University of Cambridge in UK, and presents the first molecular analysis of congenital hypothyroidism in Macedonia. In two separate occasions, in 2018 and 2020 she received highly reputative Medis Award for medical research in the field of Pediatrics at the International Competition or published papers in journals with high impact factor. She has more than 100 publications including first authored papers in high impact peer reviewed journals, as well as abstracts presented on the international conferences covering her fields of interest. She is co-author of the monography about “Iodine and thyroid status in population of Macedonia”, the book “Screening and vaccination in neonates”. Her other research interests include new biomarkers in neonatal sepsis, neuromonitoring in high-risk infants, development of newborn microbiome and its modifications, the fetal origin of adult diseases, etc. She has realized several clinical fellowships in highly ranked pediatric centers in Europe. From 2021 she is member of the management committee of the EU founded COST action “Maximising impact of multidisciplinary research in early diagnosis of neonatal brain injury”. In 2023, she realized short term scientific mission (STSM) at Neonatology Department, University Children’s Hospital in Vienna, Austria for amplitude integrated EEG usage in neonates with high risk of brain injury. She is a member of the European Society for Pediatric Research and European School of Neonatology and actively included in several neonatal interest groups, including mentorship-mentee program and The European Board of Neonatal & Child Health Research.