Aija LINE

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: [email protected]

Born: November 19, 1973, Riga, Latvia

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

                    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

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

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.

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

                    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.

2005-2008: Partner of EC 6^th 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.

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