Neli Ragina is a Ph.D. candidate in the Cellular Reprogramming Laboratory. Neli first entered the Genetics Program at the Michigan State University in the fall of 2003 and was officially accepted as a PhD candidate in the Cellular Reprogramming Laboratory in December 2003. Her project focuses in expanding differentiation potential of Cyno-1 cells. Cyno-1 cells are parthenogenetic embryonic stem cells derived from a non-fertilized Cynomolgus macaque egg.

The aims of her project are:

1. Downregulate the expression of H19 in Cyno-1 cells
2. Determine the extent of in vivo differentiation in H19 downregulated Cyno-1 cells.

Neli acquired her master degree in Molecular Biology with an emphasis of Clinical Chemistry from the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria in 2002. During that time Neli worked at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetics at the Medical University of Sofia, Bulgaria, where she further developed her interest in gene expression and regulation.

AWARDS:

2002 First award for oral presentation, International Congress of Medical Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:

1. M. Abouzied; A. Horvath; P. Podlesny; N. Regina; V. Metodiev; R. Kamenova-Tozeva; N. Niagolova; A. Stein; E. Petropoulos; V. Ganev; 2002. Ochratoxin A concentrations in food and feed from a region with Balkan Endemic Nephropathy; Food Addit Contam Aug; 19(8): 755-64.

2. N. Ragina; A. Horvath; V. Ganev; I. Andonova; J. Genova; et al; Association of common genetic variants of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes (CYPs, GSTs, NAT2) with the Balcan Endemic Nephropathy: A study in the Vratza’s district of Bulgaria (ongoing for publication in premedicus).