Dr Jovana Serbanovic-Canic

School of Medicine and Population Health

BHF Intermediate Basic Science Research Fellow

j.serbanovic-canic@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 215 9502

The Medical School

Full contact details

Dr Jovana Serbanovic-Canic
School of Medicine and Population Health
The Medical School
Beech Hill Road
Sheffield
S10 2RX

Profile

For enquiries please contact - SMPH-West-Operational@sheffield.ac.uk

In 2013 I received my PhD from the University of Cambridge where, as a Marie Curie Fellow in the lab of Professor Willem Ouwehand, I used the zebrafish model for studying regulators of haematopoiesis.

Following my PhD, I took up the position of John Stokes Postdoctoral Fellow in the lab of Professor Paul Evans at the University of Sheffield. Here I developed a platform for functional screening of flow-responsive apoptotic regulators in zebrafish.

I subsequently used this model to identify mechanoreceptors regulating endothelial apoptosis in response to flow, which was the basis for my British Heart Foundation Intermediate Basic Science Research Fellowship, awarded in February 2018.

Current PhD opportunities:

The role of endothelial PKD1 in endothelial dysfunction and formation of aortic aneurysms

Research interests

I am interested in mechanoreceptors on endothelial cells which convert mechanical signals associated with blood flow into physiological changes. Disturbed blood flow conditions lead to endothelial cell injury which contributes to the development of cardiovascular disease, one of the leading causes of death globally.

My work is aimed at identifying mechanoreceptors which regulate endothelial cell death in response to mechanical forces and to study this I use a range of different models and approaches, including zebrafish, murine models and human cells.

Understanding the function and downstream pathways of these mechanoreceptors may provide useful targets for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Current projects

Role of the mechanoreceptor Pkd1 in endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis (British Heart Foundation funding, 2018-2023).

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Featured publications

Journal articles

Souilhol C, Gauci I, Feng S, Tardajos Ayllon B, Mahmoud M, Canham L, Fragiadaki M, Serbanovic-Canic J, Ridger V & Evans PC (2019) Homeobox B9 integrates bone morphogenic protein 4 with inflammation at atheroprone sites. Cardiovascular Research. View this article in WRRO
Mahmoud M, Serbanovic-Canic J, Feng S, Souilhol C, Xing R, Hsiao S, Mammoto A, Chen J, Ariaans M, Francis S , Van der Heiden K et al (2017) Shear stress induces endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition via the transcription factor Snail. Scientific Reports, 7. View this article in WRRO
Serbanovic-Canic J, de Luca A, Warboys C, Ferreira PF, Luong LA, Hsiao S, Gauci I, Mahmoud M, Feng S, Souilhol C , Bowden N et al (2016) Zebrafish Model for Functional Screening of Flow-Responsive Genes.. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 37(1), 130-143. View this article in WRRO
Bryan MT, Duckles H, Feng S, Hsiao ST, Kim HR, Serbanovic-Canic J & Evans PC (2014) Mechanoresponsive networks controlling vascular inflammation.. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, 34(10), 2199-2205.
Serbanovic-Canic J, Cvejic A, Soranzo N, Stemple DL, Ouwehand WH & Freson K (2011) Silencing of RhoA nucleotide exchange factor, ARHGEF3, reveals its unexpected role in iron uptake.. Blood, 118(18), 4967-4976.
Gieger C, Radhakrishnan A, Cvejic A, Tang W, Porcu E, Pistis G, Serbanovic-Canic J, Elling U, Goodall AH, Labrune Y , Lopez LM et al (2011) New gene functions in megakaryopoiesis and platelet formation. Nature.

All publications

Journal articles

Bowley G, Irving S, Hoefer I, Wilkinson R, Pasterkamp G, Darwish HMS, White S, Francis SE, Chico T, Noel E , Serbanovic-Canic J et al (2024) Zebrafish model for functional screening of flow-responsive genes controlling endothelial cell proliferation. Scientific Reports, 14(1). View this article in WRRO
Pirri D, Tian S, Tardajos-Ayllon B, Irving S, Donati F, Allen SP, Mammoto T, Vilahur G, Kabir L, Bennett J , Rasool Y et al (2024) EPAS1 Attenuates Atherosclerosis Initiation at Disturbed Flow Sites Through Endothelial Fatty Acid Uptake.. Circ Res.
Li X, Souilhol C, Canham L, Jia X, Diagbouga M, Ayllon BT, Serbanovic-Canic J & Evans PC (2023) DLL4 promotes partial endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition at atherosclerosis-prone regions of arteries. Vascular Pharmacology, 150, 107178-107178.
Souilhol C, Tardajos Ayllon B, Li X, Diagbouga MR, Zhou Z, Canham L, Roddie H, Pirri D, Chambers EV, Dunning MJ , Ariaans M et al (2022) JAG1-NOTCH4 mechanosensing drives atherosclerosis.. Sci Adv, 8(35), eabo7958.
Kugler E, Snodgrass R, Bowley G, Plant K, Serbanovic-Canic J, Hamilton N, Evans PC, Chico T & Armitage P (2021) The effect of absent blood flow on the zebrafish cerebral and trunk vasculature. Vascular Biology, 3(1), 1-16.
Evans PC, Fragiadaki M, Morris PD & Serbanovic-Canic J (2020) Shear stress : the dark energy of atherosclerotic plaques. Cardiovascular Research. View this article in WRRO
Mahmoud MM, Serbanovic-Canic J, Feng S, Souilhol C, Xing R, Hsiao S, Mammoto A, Chen J, Ariaans M, Francis SE , Van der Heiden K et al (2020) Author Correction: Shear stress induces endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition via the transcription factor Snail. Scientific Reports, 10(1).
Souilhol C, Serbanovic-Canic J, Fragiadaki M, Chico TJ, Ridger V, Roddie H & Evans PC (2020) Endothelial responses to shear stress in atherosclerosis: a novel role for developmental genes. Nature Reviews Cardiology, 17(1), 52-63.
Souilhol C, Gauci I, Feng S, Tardajos Ayllon B, Mahmoud M, Canham L, Fragiadaki M, Serbanovic-Canic J, Ridger V & Evans PC (2019) Homeobox B9 integrates bone morphogenic protein 4 with inflammation at atheroprone sites. Cardiovascular Research. View this article in WRRO
Xanthis I, Souilhol C, Serbanovic-Canic J, Roddie H, Kalli AC, Fragiadaki M, Wong R, Shah DR, Askari JA, Canham L , Akhtar N et al (2019) β1 integrin is a sensor of blood flow direction. Journal of Cell Science. View this article in WRRO
Serbanovic-Canic J, Souilhol C & Evans PC (2019) Shear stress makes its mark on the endothelial genome.. Cardiovascular Research. View this article in WRRO
Mahmoud M, Souilhol C, Serbanovic-Canic J & Evans P (2019) GATA4-Twist1 Signalling in Disturbed Flow-Induced Atherosclerosis. Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy. View this article in WRRO
Mahmoud M, Serbanovic-Canic J, Feng S, Souilhol C, Xing R, Hsiao S, Mammoto A, Chen J, Ariaans M, Francis S , Van der Heiden K et al (2017) Shear stress induces endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition via the transcription factor Snail. Scientific Reports, 7. View this article in WRRO
Serbanovic-Canic J, de Luca A, Warboys C, Ferreira PF, Luong LA, Hsiao S, Gauci I, Mahmoud M, Feng S, Souilhol C , Bowden N et al (2016) Zebrafish Model for Functional Screening of Flow-Responsive Genes.. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 37(1), 130-143. View this article in WRRO
Bowden N, Bryan MT, Duckles H, Feng S, Hsiao S, Kim HR, Mahmoud M, Moers B, Serbanovic-Canic J, Xanthis I , Ridger VC et al (2016) Experimental Approaches to Study Endothelial Responses to Shear Stress. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, 25(7), 389-400.
Mahmoud M, Kim HR, Xing R, Hsiao S, Mammmoto A, Chen J, Serbanovic-Canic J, Feng S, Bowden NP, Maguire R , Ariaans M et al (2016) TWIST1 Integrates Endothelial Responses to Flow in Vascular Dysfunction and Atherosclerosis. Circulation Research, 119, 450-462. View this article in WRRO
Bryan MT, Duckles H, Feng S, Hsiao ST, Kim HR, Serbanovic-Canic J & Evans PC (2014) Mechanoresponsive networks controlling vascular inflammation.. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, 34(10), 2199-2205.
Bielczyk-Maczyńska E, Serbanovic-Canic J, Ferreira L, Soranzo N, Stemple DL, Ouwehand WH & Cvejic A (2014) A loss of function screen of identified genome-wide association study Loci reveals new genes controlling hematopoiesis.. PLoS Genet, 10(7), e1004450. View this article in WRRO
Gray C, Bratt D, Lees J, daCosta M, Plant K, Watson OJ, Solaymani-Kohal S, Tazzyman S, Serbanovic-Canic J, Crossman DC , Keavney BD et al (2013) Loss of function of parathyroid hormone receptor 1 induces Notch-dependent aortic defects during zebrafish vascular development.. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, 33(6), 1257-1263.
Brieu N, Navab N, Serbanovic-Canic J, Ouwehand WH, Stemple DL, Cvejic A & Groher M (2012) Image-based characterization of thrombus formation in time-lapse DIC microscopy.. Med Image Anal, 16(4), 915-931.
Serbanovic-Canic J, Cvejic A, Soranzo N, Stemple DL, Ouwehand WH & Freson K (2011) Silencing of RhoA nucleotide exchange factor, ARHGEF3, reveals its unexpected role in iron uptake.. Blood, 118(18), 4967-4976.
Cvejic A, Serbanovic-Canic J, Stemple DL & Ouwehand WH (2011) The role of meis1 in primitive and definitive hematopoiesis during zebrafish development.. Haematologica, 96(2), 190-198.
Brieu N, Groher M, Serbanovic-Canic J, Cvejic A, Ouwehand W & Navab N (2011) Joint thrombus and vessel segmentation using dynamic texture likelihoods and shape prior.. Med Image Comput Comput Assist Interv, 14(Pt 3), 579-586.
Gieger C, Radhakrishnan A, Cvejic A, Tang W, Porcu E, Pistis G, Serbanovic-Canic J, Elling U, Goodall AH, Labrune Y , Lopez LM et al (2011) New gene functions in megakaryopoiesis and platelet formation. Nature.
Gieger C, Radhakrishnan A, Cvejic A, Tang W, Porcu E, Pistis G, Serbanovic-Canic J, Elling U, Goodall AH, Labrune Y , Lopez LM et al (2011) New gene functions in megakaryopoiesis and platelet formation. Nature, 480(7376), 201-208.
Soranzo N, Spector TD, Mangino M, Kühnel B, Rendon A, Teumer A, Willenborg C, Wright B, Chen L, Li M , Salo P et al (2009) A genome-wide meta-analysis identifies 22 loci associated with eight hematological parameters in the HaemGen consortium.. Nat Genet, 41(11), 1182-1190.
Tardajos Ayllon B, Bowden N, Souilhol C, Darwish H, Tian S, Duckworth C, Pritchard DM, Xu S, Sayers J, Francis S , Serbanovic-Canic J et al () Endothelial c-REL orchestrates atherosclerosis at regions of disturbed flow through crosstalk with TXNIP-p38 and non-canonical NF-κB pathways. Cardiovascular Research.
X S, Aitken C, Mehta V, Tardajos-Ayllon B, Serbanovic-Canic J, Zhu J, Miao B, Tzima E, Evans P, Fang Y & Schwartz MA () Controversy in mechanotransduction: the role of endothelial cell-cell junctions in fluid shear stress sensing. Journal of Cell Science.
Canham L, Sendac S, Diagbouga MR, Wolodimeroff E, Pirri D, Tardajos Ayllon B, Feng S, Souilhol C, Chico TJA, Evans PC & Serbanovic-Canic J () EVA1A (Eva-1 Homolog A) Promotes Endothelial Apoptosis and Inflammatory Activation Under Disturbed Flow Via Regulation of Autophagy. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.
Bowley G, Chico TJA, Serbanovic-Canic J & Evans PC () Quantifying endothelial cell proliferation in the zebrafish embryo. F1000Research, 10, 1032-1032.
Bowley G, Kugler E, Wilkinson R, Lawrie A, Eeden F, Chico TJA, Evans PC, Noël ES & Serbanovic‐Canic J () Zebrafish as a tractable model of human cardiovascular disease. British Journal of Pharmacology.

Conference proceedings papers

Serbanovic-Canic J, Evans PC & Chico T (2023) BS1 Polycystin-1 suppresses apoptotic signalling in endothelial cells and protects from atherosclerosis. Basic Science
Bowley G, Evans P, Serbanovic-Canic J & Chico T (2021) BS15 Using zebrafish embryos to identify genes that regulate endothelial proliferation. Basic science
Souilhol C, Feng S, Gauci I, Serbanovic-Canic J, Canham L & Evans PC (2019) Mechanosensitive Hox Genes Control Vascular Dysfunction in Adult Arteries. CARDIOVASCULAR DRUGS AND THERAPY, Vol. 33(2) (pp 272-272)
Serbanovic-Canic J, Feng S, Souilhol C & Evans PC (2019) The Role of FAM176A in Endothelial Cell Responses to Flow. CARDIOVASCULAR DRUGS AND THERAPY, Vol. 33(2) (pp 273-273)
Serbanovic-Canic J, de Luca A, Warboys C, Chico T & Evans P (2013) YIA4: IDENTIFICATION OF NOVEL SHEAR STRESS-RESPONSIVE REGULATORS OF ENDOTHELIAL CELL DYSFUNCTION USING THE ZEBRAFISH MODEL. Heart, Vol. 99(suppl 2) (pp A6.1-A6)
Freson K, Serbanovic-Canic J, Cvejic A, Soranzo N, Stemple D & Ouwehand W (2011) Silencing of RhoA nucleotide exchange factor, ARHGEF3, reveals its role in thrombopoiesis and iron uptake. JOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS, Vol. 9 (pp 33-33)
Cvejic A, Serbanovic-Canic J, Stemple D & Ouwehand W (2010) THE ROLE OF MEIS1 IN PRIMITIVE AND DEFINITIVE HAEMATOPOIESIS AND VASCULAR PATTERNING DURING ZEBRAFISH DEVELOPMENT. HAEMATOLOGICA-THE HEMATOLOGY JOURNAL, Vol. 95 (pp 247-247)
Brieu N, Serbanovic-Canic J, Cvejic A, Stemple D, Ouwehand W, Navab N & Groher M (2010) Thrombus segmentation by texture dynamics from microscopic image sequences. Progress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging - Proceedings of SPIE, Vol. 7623(PART 1)

Preprints

Pirri D, Tian S, Tardajos-Ayllon B, Irving S, Donati F, Allen SP, Mammoto T, Vilahur G, Miller C, Schenkel T , Chambers EV et al (2023) EPAS1 Attenuates Atherosclerosis Initiation at Disturbed Flow Sites through Endothelial Fatty Acid Uptake, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Kugler E, Snodgrass R, Bowley G, Plant K, Serbanovic-Canic J, Evans PC, Chico T & Armitage P () The effect of absent blood flow on the zebrafish cerebral and trunk vasculature, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Souilhol C, Li X, Canham L, Roddie H, Pirri D, Ayllon BT, Chambers EV, Dunning MJ, Ariaans M, Li J , Fang Y et al () JAG1-NOTCH4 Mechanosensing Drives Atherosclerosis, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

Research group

Mr George Bowley (NC3R PhD Studentship)
Mr Samuel Sendac (Research Technician)

Professional activities and memberships

Member of British Atherosclerosis Society (since 2013)
Committee member of the British Society for Cardiovascular Research (since January 2021)