Hanna Dubrovska

EDUCATION

College / University

Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv

Highest Degree

Bachelor of Science

Major Subjects

Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

Country

Ukraine

Lab Experience

PCR (quantitative, methylation-specific) genotyping, cell-culture techniques, gene cloning, DNA and RNA (mRNA, miRNA) purification, cDNA synthesis, bisulfite treatment of DNA, detection of loss of heterozygosity, DNA / Protein Electrophoresis, ELISA, Dot blot, Western blot, mouse behavior tests, stereotaxic surgery, neuronal tracers injection, perfusion, brain banking, cryosection, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, staining, fluorescence microscopy, microdialysis, basic statistical analysis in Statistica, SnapGene and EthoVision software, basic bioinformatics skills (BLAST, UniProt, Target Scan)

Projects / Research

2018 – 2019: Investigation of epigenetic regulation of behavior and cognitive abnormalities in mouse, namely fear alterations and memory dysfunction under supervision of Hoon Ryu, Ph.D., at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Brain Science Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea
2015 – 2018: Developing of a non-invasive test system for detection renal cancer by blood sample based on detection of epigenetic changes of cell-free DNA such as cancer-associated genes methylation, loss of heterozygosity and changes in gene expression level under supervision of Inessa Skrypkina, Ph.D., at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics NAS Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine

Scholarships / Awards

2019 – 2020:	Stipend by International Max Planck Research School
2018 – 2019	Scholarship by Korea Institute of science and Technology School
2018:	"Zavtra.UA" Scholarship for outstanding students provided by Victor Pinchuk Foundation
2014 – 2018	Ukrainian State Scholarship for students with high academic achievements

SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS AND GOALS

Being a molecular biologist, I have always been interested in learning the most fundamental aspects of the functioning of a living system. Therefore, I want to study the mechanisms of functioning of consciousness and learning at the level of molecular pathways, protein interactions and their genetic and, most importantly, epigenetic regulation. I want to conduct research in, not the field of just observation and description of the processes that occur in the brain during certain actions and tasks, but in the reason for the occurrence of all these changes, in order to understand not only what happens, but how and, most importantly, why. I would like to focus on the mechanisms of learning and the environmental factors affecting these processes, to find specific molecular mechanisms that may be influenced by external factors in order to improve the learning process, and also develop a methodology for passive learning using external brain stimulation.