Assoc. Prof. Lidija Svečnjak, PhD

Assoc. Prof. Lidija Svečnjak, PhD

Associate Professor
Division for Animal Sciences
Department of Fisheries, Apiculture, Wildlife management and special Zoology
Office location: Apiary of the Archbishop Haulik
Phone: +385 1 239 3995
Email: lsvecnjak ( at ) agr.hr
Languages: Croatian, English
Consultations: Wednesday, from 10 am to 1 pm

Academic qualifications

  • 2009 - 2015: PhD
    University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture
    Infrared spectroscopy for the identification of the botanical and geographical origin of honey
  • 2000 - 2008: mag. ing. agr.
    University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture
    Breeding value estimation of Carniolan queens (Apis mellifera carnica) in Croatia

Employment and work experience

  • 2016 - : University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture
    Assistant Professor
  • 2015 - 2016: University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture
    Postdoctoral Researcher
  • 2015 - 2015: Postdoctoral researcher
    Assistant
  • 2009 - 2015: University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture
    Young Researcher

Teaching

Research interests

  • Analysis of bee products (spectroscopic analysis, physico-chemical analyses, sensory analysis)
  • Honey bee biology
  • Honey bee diseases
  • Infrared (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy (analysis of biological samples)

Training and research experience

  • 2017/06/27 - 2017/08/09: Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, Novi Zeland (scientific)
    Training and collaboration in the field of ecology and apiculture
  • 2013/04/09 - 2013/04/12: CRA - API (Agriculture Research Council - Research Unit for Apiculture and Sericulture) Bologna, Italy (expert)
    Introduction course to the sensory analysis of honey
  • 2012/11/19 - 2012/12/18: Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI), Institute of Infectology (IMED), German National Reference Laboratory for Bee Diseases, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany (scientific)
    Training in identification of small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) i Tropilaelaps-mites, ERIC-PCR genotyping of Paenibacillus larvae, RT-PCR/PCR analysis of deformed wing virus (DWV) and acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV)
  • 2012/04/30 - 2012/05/12: Swiss Bee Research Center, Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux Research Station ALP, Bern, Switzerland (scientific)
    An infrared insight into honeybee haemolymph: a diagnostic potentials (COST Action FA 0803 - COLOSS, STSM grant)
  • 2012/02/06 - 2012/02/08: Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia (scientific)
    Methodological courses in biology and medicine “Molecular phylogeny”
  • 2011/02/01 - 2014/12/01: Ruđer Bošković Institute, Department of organic chemistry and biochemistry, Laboratory for molecular spectroscopy, Zagreb, Croatia (scientific)
    Training in the field of infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR technique applied in analysis of honey and beeswax, chemometrics) within the frame of postgraduate study and joint PhD thesis
  • 2010/07/19 - 2010/08/21: Swiss Bee Research Center, Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux Research Station ALP, Bern, Switzerland (scientific)
    Interactions between Varroa destructor, bacteria and viruses at the individual honeybee level, in vitro larvae rearing (COST Action FA 0803 - COLOSS, STSM grant)
  • 2010/03/22 - 2010/03/26: Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia (scientific)
    Methodological courses in biology and medicine “DNA and RNA”
  • 2009/11/08 - 2009/12/05: Swiss Bee Research Center, Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux Research Station ALP, Bern, Switzerland (scientific)
    Training in molecular tools for honey bee pathogens (bacteria, viruses)

Projects

scientific

Title Funding Duration AFZ role
Detaljna analitička karkaterizacija i antimikrobno djelovanje odabranih pčelinjih proizvoda na multirezistentne patogene bakterije National 2021/01/14 - 2023/01/14 coordinator
Detaljna karakterizacija i antimikrobno djelovanje pčelinjih proizvoda: inhibicija rasta patogenih bakterija rezistentnih na antibiotike National 2021/01/01 - 2022/12/31 coordinator
Potvrđivanje autentičnosti i bioraznolikosti propolisa primjenom plinske kromatografije sa spektrometrijom masa i infracrvene spektroskopije Agencija za plaćanja u poljoprivredi, ribarstvu i ruralnom razvoju (sredstva Europske unije za potporu pčelarstvu) 2020/01/16 - 2020/07/31 coordinator
Utjecaj botaničkog i zemljopisnog podrijetla na fizikalno-kemijska svojstva pčelinje peludi Agencija za plaćanja u poljoprivredi, ribarstvu i ruralnom razvoju (sredstva Europske unije za potporu pčelarstvu) 2018/12/21 - 2019/07/31 coordinator
Kemijska karakterizacija kontaminiranog pčelinjeg voska i utvrđivanje pozadinskih mehanizama negativnih učinaka kontaminacije primjenom fizikalno-kemijskih i spektroskopskih (NMR, FTIR-ATR, GC-MS) metoda Agencija za plaćanja u poljoprivredi, ribarstvu i ruralnom razvoju (sredstva Europske unije za potporu pčelarstvu) 2018/01/15 - 2018/07/31 coordinator
Research of natural products and favours: chemical fingerprinting and unlocking the potential Croatian science foundation 2014/02/01 - 2018/06/01 partner
Sustainable pollination in Europe - joint research on bees and other pollinators (SUPER-B) COST 2014/02/12 - 2018/04/20 coordinator
Primjena plinske kromatografije u analizi kakvoće meda prije i nakon zagrijavanja Agencija za plaćanja u poljoprivredi, ribarstvu i ruralnom razvoju (sredstva Europske unije za potporu pčelarstvu) 2016/01/19 - 2016/07/31 partner
Utjecaj patvorenja satnih osnova na sigurnost, sastav i kakvoću meda i pčelinjeg voska Agencija za plaćanja u poljoprivredi, ribarstvu i ruralnom razvoju (sredstva Europske unije za potporu pčelarstvu) 2015/05/04 - 2015/07/31 coordinator
Utjecaj epidemiologije bolesti i vanjskih čimbenika na biološko-uzgojno stanje pčelinjih zajednica Agencija za plaćanja u poljoprivredi, ribarstvu i ruralnom razvoju 2014/04/18 - 2014/07/31 partner
Palinološke odlike nektara i meda od ljekovite kadulje (Salvia officinalis) MZOS 2007/01/01 - 2013/12/31 coordinator

expert

Title Funding Duration AFZ role
Ishođenje oznake zaštite izvornosti za „Dalmatinski med“ Suradnja s tijelima uprave 2016/05/31 - 2020/05/31 coordinator
Izrada dokumentacije za zaštitu „Zagorskog bagremovog meda“ Suradnja s tijelima uprave 2016/07/18 - 2018/07/18 coordinator
Primjena nutraceutika u pčelarstvu VIP - Vijeće za istraživanja u poljoprivredi 2014/07/01 - 2015/12/31 partner
Uspostavljanje testnih pčelinjaka u Republici Hrvatskoj : Agencija za plaćanja u poljoprivredi, ribarstvu i ruralnom razvoju 2013/06/28 - 2013/09/15 coordinator

university support

Title Funding Duration AFZ role
Utjecaj ksenobiotika i stresora na autohtone životinjske vrste i njihove nusproizvode Sveučilište u Zagrebu 2017/01/01 - 2017/12/31 coordinator
Identifikacija stresora na autohtone životinjske vrste i utjecaj na nusprodukte njihova metabolizma Sveučilište u Zagrebu 2016/01/01 - 2016/12/31 coordinator
Održivi sustavi proizvodnje i korištenja ratarskih kultura Sveučilište u Zagrebu 2015/01/01 - 2015/12/31 coordinator
Utvrđivanje rezidua akaricida i patvorina u pčelinjem vosku Sveučilište u Zagrebu 2014/01/01 - 2014/12/31 coordinator
Fizikalno-kemijske i senzorske karakteristike meda od ljekovite kadulje (Salvia officinalis L.) Sveučilište u Zagrebu 2013/01/01 - 2013/12/31 coordinator

Publications

  • Svečnjak, L., Nunes, M., Garcia Matas, R., Cravedi, J., Christodoulidou, A., Rortais, A. & Saegerman, C. (2020) Validation of analytical methods for the detection of beeswax adulteration with a focus on paraffin. Food control, 120, 1-13. doi:10.1016/j.foodcont.2020.107503
  • Jakšić, A. M., Karner, J., Nolte, V., Hsu, S., Barghi, N., Mallard, F., Otte, K., Svečnjak, L., Senti, K. & Schlötterer, C. (2020) Neuronal Function and Dopamine Signaling Evolve at High Temperature in Drosophila. Molecular biology and evolution, 37 (9), 2630-2640. doi:10.1093/molbev/msaa116.
  • Svečnjak, L., Marijanović, Z., Okińczyc, P., Marek Kuś, P. & Jerković, I. (2020) Mediterranean Propolis from the Adriatic Sea Islands as a Source of Natural Antioxidants: Comprehensive Chemical Biodiversity Determined by GC-MS, FTIR-ATR, UHPLC-DAD-QqTOF-MS, DPPH and FRAP Assay. Antioxidants, 9 (4), 1-32. doi:10.3390/antiox9040337.
  • Svečnjak, L., Chesson, L., Gallina, A., Maia, M., Martinello, M., Mutinelli, F., Necati Muz, M., Nunes, F., Saucy, F., Tipple, B., Wallner, K., Waś, E. & Waters, T. (2019) Standard methods for Apis mellifera beeswax research. Journal of apicultural research, 58 (2), 1-108. doi: 10.1080/00218839.2019.1571556
  • Svečnjak, L., Jović, O., Prđun, S., Rogina, J., Marijanović, Z., Car, J., Matošević, M. & Jerković, I. (2019) Influence of beeswax adulteration with paraffin on the composition and quality of honey determined by physico-chemical analyses, 1H NMR, FTIRATR and HS-SPME/GC–MS. Food chemistry, 291, 187-198. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.03.151
  • Svečnjak, L., Bubalo, D., Baranović, G. & Novosel, H. (2015) Optimization of FTIR-ATR spectroscopy for botanical authentication of unifloral honey types and melissopalynological data prediction. European food research and technology, 240 (6), 1101-1115. doi:10.1007/s00217-015-2414-1.

Bibliography (CROSBI): https://www.bib.irb.hr/pregled/znanstvenici/316672

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.hr/citations?hl=hr&user=9pQsplsAAAAJ

Other professional activities

  • 2019 - 2020: Activity
    European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), participation in EFSA „Working group on beeswax adulterated with stearin and paraffin“ (role: Hearing expert)
  • 2018 - : Organization
    Croatian Metrology Society (HMD), member
  • 2018 - : Organization
    International Honey Commission (IHC), Working group „Sensory Analysis“, member
  • 2017 - : Activity
    Head of the Laboratory for bee products analysis and bee biology
  • 2016 - : Organization
    International Honey Commission (IHC), Working Group “Authenticity of Bee Products”, member
  • 2015 - 2020: Journal
    Professional journal „Croatian Bee“, Editorial board member
  • 2013 - : Organization
    Honey bee research association COLOSS (Prevention of honeybee colony losses), member
  • 2012 - 2012: Activity
    Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan (Hubei), Kina
    Bilateral cooperation China - Croatia (Croatian and Chinese scientific and technological cooperation)
    invited lecture (Analytical authentication of the botanical origin of Croatian honey types)
  • 2010 - 2010: Activity
    Karl-Franzens-University Graz, Austria
    COLOSS Workshop “Method standardization for larval tests”
  • 2009 - 2009: Activity
    Swiss Bee Research Center, Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux Research Station ALP, Bern, Switzerland
    COLOSS Workshop „New molecular tools“
  • 2009 - : Activity
    Honey Sensory Competitions (County level), sensory analyst / Sensory panel member
  • 2006 - 2010: Journal
    International scientific journal “Journal of Central European Agriculture” (JCEA), University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Technical board

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