Aija LINE

LineA_0.JPG (7658 bytes) Aija Line, PhD

Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre
Ratsupites Str. 1
Riga, LV-1067
Latvia

Phone: +371 67808208
Mobile: +371 29357839
Fax: +371 67442407
E-mail: aija@biomed.lu.lv

Born: November 19, 1973, Riga, Latvia

Research area:

Tumour immunology: identification and characterisation of tumour antigens, the role of autoantibody profiles in the diagnosis of cancer and prediction of response to immunotherapy, the role of humoral response in anti-tumour immune response;
pre-mRNA splicing defects in cancer: identification of aberrant splice variants in cancer, studies of their frequency and immunogenicity.
Cancer pharmacogenetics: identification of genetic factors determining patients’ response to cytarabine, fludarabine and cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

Languages: Latvian (native), English, Russian

Education:

                    2002: Ph.D, University of Latvia
                    1997: M.Sc. in molecular biology, University of Latvia, Faculty of Biology
                    1995: B.Sc. in biology, University of Latvia, Faculty of Biology

Research experience:

2005- present: senior scientist, group leader, Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, Latvia.
2003 (3 months): visiting research scientist with Prof. RC Rees, Nottingham Trent University, UK. Travel Fellowship from the Royal Society (UK).
2002-2005: research scientist, Biomedical Research and Study Centre, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
1999 (4 months): postgraduate exchange student at Nottingham Trent University, UK, supervisor Prof. RC Rees. Travel fellowship from TEMPUS.
1998 (6 months): postgraduate exchange student at Nottingham Trent University, UK, supervisor Prof. RC Rees. Travel fellowship from TEMPUS.
1996 (3 months): postgraduate exchange student at Division of Clinical Virology, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden, supervisor: Prof. Matti Sallberg.
1993-2002: research assistant, Biomedical Research and Study Centre, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia

Honours and Awards:

L’OREAL, UNESCO and LZA Fellowship for Women in Science (Latvia) award, year 2005
University of Latvia, K. Morberg’s Fellowship award, year 2004/2005
Latvian Academy of Sciences and Grindeks Ltd Award for Young Researchers, year 2002
Latvian Academy of Sciences, Award for Young Scientists, year 1997.

Memberships:

European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)
European Society for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy (ESCII)

Other professional activities:

                    2008 - expert for EU FP7 Research for SMEs proposals, Call 2 (FP7-SME-2008-1)
                    2009- present:  editor for Biomarkers in Cancer
                    2005 - present:  editor for Central European Journal of Biology (CEJB).
                    2003 - present:  UNEP/GEF Biosafety Clearing-house expert.
                    2003 - development of assays for molecular diagnostics of leukaemia, GenEra, Ltd.

Grants held:

2005-2008: Partner of EC 6th FP STREP “European network for the identification and validation of antigens and biomarkers in cancer and their application in clinical tumour immunology” (ENACT).
2007-2008: Partner of Latvian State Research Program “Development of novel drugs: construction, transport forms and mechanisms of action” (VPP2), sub-project: Development of novel serological test for the early detection of cancer.
2005-2008: Partner of collaborative project: “Genomic Studies of the Latvian Population”, Latvian Council of Sciences, sub-project: The role of pharmacogenetics in treatment of cancer.
2005-2008: Latvian Council of Sciences grant No.05.1623: Defects of pre-mRNA splicing in cancer: frequency and immunogenicity.
2004-2008: Latvian Council of Sciences grant No.04.1143: Development of bioinformatic method for identification of cancer-specific alternative splice variants.
2001-2004: Latvian Council of Sciences grant No. 01.0226: Molecular characterisation of tumour antigens in gastric and colon cancer.

Representative publications:

1. Zandberga E, Kozirovskis V and Line A. MicroRNAs as diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers in lung cancer. -    Biomarkers in Cancer (submitted).
2. Kalnina Z, Silina K, Bruvere R, Gabruseva N, Stengrevics A, Barnikol-Watanabe S, Leja M, Line A. Molecular characterisation and expression analysis of SEREX-defined antigen NUCB2 in gastric epithelium, gastritis and gastric cancer. - Eur J Hisopathol, 2009, 53 (1): 7-18.
3. Kalnina Z, Silina K and Line A. Autoantibody profiles as biomarkers for response to therapy and early detection of cancer. - Current Cancer Therapy Reviews, 2008, 4 (2):149-156.
4. Kalnina Z, Silina K, Meistere I, Zayakin P, Rivosh A, Abols A, Leja M, Minenkova O, Schadendorf D and Line A. Evaluation of T7 and Lambda phage display systems for survey of autoantibody profiles in cancer patients. - J Immunol Methods, 2008 May 20;334(1-2):37-50.
5. Kalnina Z, Silina K, Zajakin P and Line A. Alterations of pre-mRNA splicing in cancer. - Genes, Chromosomes & Cancer, 2005, 42,(4):342-57.
6. Li G, Miles A, Line A, Rees RC. Identification of tumour antigens by serological analysis of cDNA expression cloning. - Cancer Immunol Immunother, 2004, 53 (3):139-43.
7. Line A, Stengrevics A, Slucka Z, Li G, Jankevics E and Rees RC. Serological Identification and Expression Analysis of Gastric Cancer-associated Genes. - Br J Cancer, 2002, 86 (11): 1824-30.
8. Line A, Slucka Z, Stengrevics A, Silina K, Li G and Rees RC. Characterisation of Tumour-associated Antigens in Colon Cancer. -  Cancer Immunol Immunother, 2002, 51: 574-582.
9. Line A, Slucka Z, Stengrevics A, Li G and Rees RC. Altered Splicing Pattern of TACC1 mRNA in Gastric Cancer. - Cancer Genet Cytogenet, 2002, 139 (1): 78-83.   



Last update 10.11.2009