ROLES
🔹 Director of the Institute of Biological Research Cluj: 2022 - present
🔹 ISME Senior Ambassador for Romania: 2022 - present
🔹 Honorary Advisor in the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research: Jan 2025 - present
RESEARCH
Senior Scientist: 2019 - present
Institute of Biological Research Cluj, Romania
Field of research: adaptive evolution of microalgae under climate change; consequences for the ecosystem
Postdoctoral Researcher: 2017-2018
TU Darmstadt, Germany
Project: Interaction between wastewater microorganisms and various substrates: biofilm formation.
Supervisor: Prof. Susanne Lackner
Postdoctoral Researcher: 2014 - 2016
Eawag, Switzerland
Project: Dynamics of zooplankton genotypes in the presence of toxic /nontoxic cyanobacteria.
Supervisor: Dr. Francesco Pomati
Visiting Researcher: January - March 2012
Imperial College London, UK
Research topic: Technique for obtaining genetically engineered cyanobacteria.
Supervisor: Prof. Peter Nixon
Research scientist: 2007 - 2014
Institute of Biological Research, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Field of research: molecular biology techniques applied on studying the biology and ecology of cyanobacteria
🔹 Director of the Institute of Biological Research Cluj: 2022 - present
🔹 ISME Senior Ambassador for Romania: 2022 - present
🔹 Honorary Advisor in the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research: Jan 2025 - present
RESEARCH
Senior Scientist: 2019 - present
Institute of Biological Research Cluj, Romania
Field of research: adaptive evolution of microalgae under climate change; consequences for the ecosystem
Postdoctoral Researcher: 2017-2018
TU Darmstadt, Germany
Project: Interaction between wastewater microorganisms and various substrates: biofilm formation.
Supervisor: Prof. Susanne Lackner
Postdoctoral Researcher: 2014 - 2016
Eawag, Switzerland
Project: Dynamics of zooplankton genotypes in the presence of toxic /nontoxic cyanobacteria.
Supervisor: Dr. Francesco Pomati
Visiting Researcher: January - March 2012
Imperial College London, UK
Research topic: Technique for obtaining genetically engineered cyanobacteria.
Supervisor: Prof. Peter Nixon
Research scientist: 2007 - 2014
Institute of Biological Research, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Field of research: molecular biology techniques applied on studying the biology and ecology of cyanobacteria
EDUCATION
PhD Molecular Biology: 2006 - 2010
Babes-Bolyai University, Romania. Dissertation title: Molecular markers for the identification of cyanotoxin-producing strains of genus Microcystis.
Doctoral advisor: Prof. Nicolae Dragoş.
M.S. Biology: 2005 – 2006
Babes-Bolyai University, Romania.
BS Biology: 2001 - 2005
Babes-Bolyai University, Romania.
PhD Molecular Biology: 2006 - 2010
Babes-Bolyai University, Romania. Dissertation title: Molecular markers for the identification of cyanotoxin-producing strains of genus Microcystis.
Doctoral advisor: Prof. Nicolae Dragoş.
M.S. Biology: 2005 – 2006
Babes-Bolyai University, Romania.
BS Biology: 2001 - 2005
Babes-Bolyai University, Romania.
TEACHING AND MENTORING EXPERIENCE
PhD Student mentor – Eawag, Switzerland: 2014 – 2016
I have co-advised a PhD student whose goal was to analyze and predict the phytoplankton biodiversity and dynamics in several lakes in Danube Delta.
Master Student mentor - Babes-Bolyai University, Romania: 2012 – 2014
I have co-advised a Master student (Edina Szekeres) who identified the best reference genes for qPCR in a highly valuable cyanobacterial strain. She has published her findings in FEMS Microbiology Letters, in 2014.
Teaching Assistant and mentor, Babes-Bolyai University, Romania: 2009 – 2013
I taught the Biochemistry of Nucleic Acids course and laboratory classes at the Faculty of Biology and Geology. I have also served as mentor for 7 students in performing their laboratory work and in accomplishing their dissertations.
PhD Student mentor – Eawag, Switzerland: 2014 – 2016
I have co-advised a PhD student whose goal was to analyze and predict the phytoplankton biodiversity and dynamics in several lakes in Danube Delta.
Master Student mentor - Babes-Bolyai University, Romania: 2012 – 2014
I have co-advised a Master student (Edina Szekeres) who identified the best reference genes for qPCR in a highly valuable cyanobacterial strain. She has published her findings in FEMS Microbiology Letters, in 2014.
Teaching Assistant and mentor, Babes-Bolyai University, Romania: 2009 – 2013
I taught the Biochemistry of Nucleic Acids course and laboratory classes at the Faculty of Biology and Geology. I have also served as mentor for 7 students in performing their laboratory work and in accomplishing their dissertations.
METRICS
Total publications in SCI Journals (April 2025): 22
Hirsch Index: 12
Total publications in SCI Journals (April 2025): 22
Hirsch Index: 12