Dr Anita Skakic
Laboratory for Molecular Biomediine
Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering
University of Belgrade
Address: Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, 11042 Belgrade, Serbia

Email1: anita.skakic@imgge.bg.ac.rs
Email2: Skakic.anita@gmail.com
Tel:      +38162795197

My research interest is focused mainly on the molecular basis of rare metabolic diseases, specifically on glycogen storage disease type Ib. I am interested in the identification of cellular, molecular, and genetic mechanisms underlying the cause of the development of neutropenia in GSD Ib patients. Furthermore, the targeted therapy approach using small molecules and stem cell biology are also in the focus of my research.

I am a molecular geneticist with expertise in determining the precise diagnostics of rare metabolic diseases and differential diagnosis in patients with overlapping phenotypes. Also, I have experience in the functional characterization of novel variants and stem cell therapies.

• NGS (clinical exome sequencing)
• Sanger sequencing
• Cell culture (stem cells, immortalized cells)
• Characterization of a novel variants (in silico analysis, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, RT-qPCR, western blot)

• Sarajlija A, Djordjevic M, Kecman B, Skakic A, Pavlovic S, Pasic S, Stojiljkovic M. Impact of genotype on neutropenia in a large cohort of Serbian patients with glycogen storage disease type Ib. Eur J Med Genet. 2019; doi: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2019.103767.
• Skakic A, Andjelkovic M, Tosic N, Klaassen K, Djordjevic M, Pavlovic S, Stojiljkovic M. CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing of SLC37A4 gene elucidates the role of molecular markers of endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis in renal involvement in glycogen storage disease type Ib. Gene. 2019 Apr 3;703:17-25. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2019.04.002.
• Skakic A, Djordjevic M, Sarajlija A, Klaassen K, Tosic N, Kecman B, Ugrin M, Spasovski V, Pavlovic S, Stojiljkovic M. Genetic characterization of GSD I in Serbian population revealed unexpectedly high incidence of GSD Ib and three novel SLC37A4 variants. Clin Genet. 2018; 93(2): 350-355. doi: 10.1111/cge.13093.