MSc. Natalie (Natasha) Rudenko, Ph.D.

Researcher ID: J-8571-2012
SCOPUS ID: 56207687000
ORCID: 0000-0002-0506-2249
Biology Centre v.v.i., AS CR, Institute of Parasitology,
Branisovska 31, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
office: +420-387775446; cell: +420-776408587;
natasha@paru.cas.cz ; natasharudenko@hotmail.com
URL for web site: https://www.paru.cas.cz/pracovnici/profil/42-nataliiarudenko/
Reseacrh Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Natasha_Rudenko

Academic background:

• 2010-2016 – intermittent professional training at U.S. National Tick Collection and James H. Oliver Jr. Institute for Coastal Plain Sciences (GSU, Statesboro, GA, USA)

• 2006-2009 – intermittent postdoctoral training; Georgia Southern University, James H. OliverJr. Institute of Arthropodology and Parasitology (Statesboro, GA, USA);

• 2002 - PhD degree in molecular & cellular biology & genetics; University of South Bohemia (USB) & Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (AS CR);

• 1986 - MSc. degree in Biology and Biochemistry, Kiev State University, Ukraine;

• 1984 - Bc. degree in Biology and Biochemistry, Kiev State University, Ukraine.

• Technical, professional, commercial or relevant training:

• 2018 – Certificate of professional competence to design experiments and experimental projects under Section 15d (3) of Act No 246/1992 Coll., on the protection of Animals against Cruelty, as amended, registration number of certificate CZ 03644.

• 2013 – Certificate; practical courses on Molecular evolution, molecular phylogenetics, phylogeography; International Workshop of Molecular Evolution, Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic.

• 2010 – Certificate of Technology Transfer Manager; EU educational project CZ.1.07/2.4.00/12.0082.

• 2005 - 6 months training course on Borrelia glycosylation proteins in term of the efficiency of the infection dissemination; Institute for Biological Sciences, NRC, Ottawa, Canada;

• 2004 - practical course on Basic and Advanced PCR Techniques in Molecular Biology (Etten-Leur, Holland)

• 2003 – EMBO Course on Microarray Techniques: Applications in Biomedical Research (Tokyo, Japan)

• 2002 - training production of recombinant proteins in term of their use as vaccine candidates; Institute for Biological Sciences, NRC, Ottawa, Canada;

• 2001- 2002 - 6 months training course on molecular mechanisms of vector-pathogen interactions; Center for Ecology and Hydrology (Oxford), Great Britain;

• 1999 - 2 months training course on modern techniques for detection and identification of the causative agent of Lyme disease; State University of New York at Stony Brook (Stony Brook), USA;

• 1999 - 2 months training on molecular cloning and production of recombinant proteins; Brookhaven National Laboratory (Brookhaven), NY, USA;

• 1989 – 1 months training on cultivation of retroviruses, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Prague, Czech Republic

Work experience:

• 2012 - 2021: Deputy Head of Laboratory of Molecular Ecology of Vectors and Pathogens, Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology (Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic);

• Since 2007 - till present: Group Leader, Project Leader, Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology and Faculty of Science, USB (Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic);

• 2005 - 2007: Group Leader, Project Leader, Institute of Parasitology and Faculty of Science, USB, (Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic);

• 2000 - 2005: Senior Research Scientist, Institute of Parasitology, AS CR and Faculty of Biological Science, USB (Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic);

• 1996 - 2000: Research Scientist, Institute of Parasitology, AS CR and Faculty of Biological science, USB (Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic);

• 1994 - 1995: Research Scholar, Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Biology, Temple University (Philadelphia, USA);

• 1991 - 1994: Research Scholar, University of California at Los Angeles, School of Medicine, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (Los Angeles, USA);

• 1987 - 1990: Junior research worker, Department of Biosynthesis of Nucleic Acids, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences (Kiev, Ukraine);

• 1982 - 1986: Laboratory assistant, Department of Biosynthesis of Nucleic Acids, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences (Kiev, Ukraine);

• 1979 - 1982: Technician, Institute of Botany, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences (Kiev, Ukraine).

Membership in professional bodies/professional registration

• European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID)

• European Study Group for Lyme Borreliosis (ESGBOR)

• European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST)

• American Society of Microbiology (ASM)

Scholarships and prizes

• 1982-The best young scientist of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, honorary award (Ukraine)

• 2012 - The Georgia Lyme Disease Association, honorary award of appreciation (Georgia, USA)

Track record of selected grants and funding

COST Action project " CA21170 Prevention, Anticipation and Mitigation Of Tick-Borne Disease Risk Applying The Dama Protocol (PRAGMATICK)" 2022- 2026. Co-PI, Member of Management Committee.

Ministry of Health of the Czech republic, project NV19-05-00191" Importance of non-spiral forms of Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes in the pathogenesis of Lyme borreliosis and post-Lyme disease syndrome", duration 4 years, 2019-2022.Role. Co-PI.

TACR GAMA 2, project 7620/100046 " Genetic markers of persistent spirochetal infection: molecular tools to study latent chronic Lyme disease", duration 2,5 years July 2020-December 2022.Role: PI.

Czech Academy of Sciences, Mobility project with Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SAZU) ( University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine ), "Cultivation of emerging human pathogens Borrelia miyamotoi and Lyme disease spirochetes from tick vectors and rodents in new MKP-F medium", duration 3 years, 2019-2021 (extended due to COVID till December 2022). Role: PI.

Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech republic, project QK1920258 " Changes in distribution of ticks and tick transmitted diseases: new and neglected risks for domestic animals, livestock and humans", duration 3 years, 2019-2021. Role: co-PI.

Ventura Grant from Mount Allison University (Canada), 2017-2019. Role: Co-PI.

European Commission (FP7 Cooperation), 01.11.11 -31.10.2016, ANTIGONE, ANTIcipating the Global Onset of Novel Epidemics, project number 278976 FP 7 Role: Co-PI

Czech Science Foundation Grant, 01/2011-12/2013, Antimicrobial proteins in immune system of competent and incompetent vectors of Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes: search of borreliacidal factor. Role: Key member

POSTICK, FP7 EU – PEOPLE-ITN-(Marie Curie), 2010-2013 Role: Key member.

OP cross-border collaboration with Bavaria (=interreg/”Cíl-3”), 2009-2011. Role: Key member

CRDF/NIH/NIAID Grant CZB1-2966-CB-09, 07/2010-12/2011, Distribution and diversity of Borrelia bissettii in the southeastern United States and in Europe. Role: PI

CRDF/NIH/NIAID Grant CZB1-2963-CB-09, 07/2010-12/2011, Population structure of the Lyme borreliosis spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi ss in the southeastern United States and in Europe Role: Co-PI

Czech Science Foundation Grant 206/09/1782, 01/2009-12/2011, Interaction of LB spirochete and salivary glands of Ixodes ricinus tick: the role of Borrelia ospC protein.” Role: Key member

Technology transfer activities (Co-investigator in applied research projects)

• Dynex CZ Ltd./Eureka, Development and Production of in vitro diagnostic tests for Lyme borreliosis; EUREKA – Development of PCR diagnostics.

• Inpharmatica Ltd., UK, Selective Drug Discovery: from Target to Candidate, database of target tick molecules.

• GEN-TREND s.r.o. - technology development, processing, production and delivery of recombinant proteins in appropriate quality and quantity, hybrid fusion proteins.

• Baxter International Inc., “A New Approach to a Lyme Disease Vaccine”.

• Vidia spol. s r.o. – Production of recombinant proteins for complete diagnostics of human viruses and other infectious agents, production of antibodies.

Language skills:
Mother language(s): Russian, Ukrainian