Measure. Understand. Prevent. Meet Young Croatian Scientists in Biomedicine

What makes someone dedicate their life to understanding depression, dementia or preventing disease? And what happens when those stories meet?

For one evening, Croatian researchers from Berlin and Zagreb come together to share not only their science, but the personal journeys behind it: the questions that stayed with them, the experiences that shaped their research, and why they believe their work matters.

Their stories take us from measuring depression, through the surprising connections between metabolism and dementia, to asking whether osteoarthritis can be prevented after a knee injury. Along the way, the story of Znanost u prolazu shows how one conversation can grow into a community — and how we do not always have to wait for change, but can start building the world we want to live in.

This is science made for citizens: personal, accessible and interactive. Ask questions, share your perspective and join the conversation in Croatian, German and English. No scientific background needed — just curiosity.

And the conversation does not end with the talks: stay for a drink, meet the researchers and continue it together.

Talk 1: Možemo li mjeriti depresiju? 

Speaker: Eda Jovičić, univ. mag. ing. el. techn. inf.

Depresija, „bolest 21. stoljeća“, spada u afektivne poremećaje raspoloženja, koje je obilježeno padom životne energije, gubitkom volje i tužnim raspoloženjem. Možemo li mjeriti depresiju, pitanje je na koje pokušavaju odgovoriti istraživači FER-a i Klinike za psihijatriju Vrapče. Korištenjem snimki EEG-a i strojnog učenja istražuju se još uvijek nepoznati mehanizmi nastanka depresije, te se time pokušava ostvariti bolja skrb pacijentima. Krajnji cilj je izgraditi sustav potpore odlučivanju koji bi medicinskoj struci pomogao prilikom postavljanja dijagnoza, određivanja protokola liječenja i drugih zadataka. Istraživanje se provodi u sklopu projekta ALFABEATS, HRZZ istraživačkog projekta o kojem se više može pročitati na sljedećoj poveznici: https://www.zemris.fer.hr/~ajovic/alfabeats/index.html

Talk 2: The Sweet Path of Dementia 

Speaker: Kamelija Horvatović, MD, MSc mol. biol.

Diabetes and insulin resistance are increasingly recognized as risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Lewy body dementia, though the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Current research at the Max Delbrück Center in Berlin is investigating this link by modeling how metabolic dysfunction shapes tau-alpha-synuclein co-pathology in lab-grown brain organoids. This lecture will trace a young researcher's journey, from showing that insulin resistance drives cognitive decline, through uncovering the environmental and biological factors that shape it, to building a human brain organoid model to explore these mechanisms further.

Talk 3: Kniearthrose nach Verletzungen vorbeugen – mit digitalem Training

Speaker: Dr. Matej Škrobot

Veränderte Bewegungsmuster nach einer Knieverletzung können wesentlich zur Entstehung einer Kniearthrose beitragen. In dieser EU-geförderten klinischen Studie wird untersucht, ob ein digitales Trainingsprogramm das Risiko für eine Kniearthrose nach einer Verletzung verringern kann. Die Studie wird an der Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin durchgeführt und umfasst Berlin Movement Diagnostics, das Julius Wolff Institut und das Centrum für Muskuloskeletale Chirurgie.

Moderator: Dr. Inga Patarčić

Title: Building the world you want to live in: from a glacier in Chamonix to a network of 100+ women scientists 

Meaningful change rarely begins with a grand plan, funding, or a formal position—it often starts with a single conversation. In my moderation, I will share how a passion for explaining science to people outside academia led me from Soapbox Science to founding Znanost u prolazu, a science outreach NGO that today connects more than 100 women scientists. Along the way, I learned that we do not have to wait for change to happen around us; we can start creating it ourselves.

Following the talks and discussion, the Croatian Embassy will host a reception (domjenak), giving visitors the opportunity to meet the speakers and continue the conversation informally.