Environmental Communication

Prof. Dr Valbona Aliko

Albania

Prof. Dr. Valbona Aliko is a Full Professor in the Animal Physiology & Biochemistry Research Group, nearby the Department of Biology at the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Tirana University, Albania. She is also the leader of NanoAlb Research Group of Nanotoxicology & Biomarkers of Effects, nearby the Albanian Academy of Sciences, and coordinator of Quartz- NanoAlb Ph.D. Program. She received her Ph.D. degree in biochemistry from the University of Tirana, Albania, and her M.Sc. degree in molecular biology and biotechnology from Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Belgium.

Her research interests are focused on studying the mechanisms of the adaptive response of animals to environmental stress, with special attention to establishing a battery of biochemical, physiological, morphological, genetic, and cytological biomarkers for evaluation of the health status of biota using model organisms (invertebrates, fish, amphibians, tadpoles). It also concerns the expression of genes induced by stress factors (heavy metals, pesticides, nanoparticles) and elucidating possible molecular mechanisms of the onset of cellular programmed cell death (eryptosis and autophagy). Computational tools for modeling and prediction of cellular damages as well as mega data analysis are being developed. Other interests are focused on the dissemination of scientific information to wider audiences to better meet the need of the public for reliable and trustable scientific research.

Dr. Aliko has published more than 100 full papers in national and internationally referenced journals publications, 20 papers published in scientific journals such as Aquatic Toxicology, Comparative Physiology, Biochemistry Part C, Fish and Shellfish Physiology, Microscopy Research and Techniques, H10-index -16, 726 citations (November 2022), more than 50 conferences, 14 projects (EU projects, Erasmus + KA1, COST, e-learning, etc.), 4 Ph.D. supervised thesis; author of 10 books & textbooks and popular scientific articles.