Education

• 1988 B.S. Molecular Biology and Physiology, University of Belgrade, Serbia
• 1992 M.S. Molecular Biology and Genetics Engineering, University of Belgrade, Serbia,
• 1999 Ph.D. University of Illinois at Chicago/ University of Belgrade Serbia
• 1999 – 2006: Postdoctoral fellow and Research Assistant professor, Mentor: Gail Hecht, MD, University of Illinois at Chicago

Biography

After graduating from the Molecular Biology program at the University of Belgrade in Yugoslavia, the Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering accepted Dr. Savkovic into their graduate program. Soon after finishing her MS thesis, she accepted an invitation to be part of a team working on the Genome Project at the Argonne National Laboratory in the U.S. Although this project was exciting, her desire to continue with academic science transpired after meeting Dr. Gail Hecht at the University of Illinois in Chicago. After finishing her Ph.D., through which she sought to understand the mechanism of intestinal inflammation, and with the support of her mentor, Dr. Savkovic's post-graduate projects received Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America Fellowship and Career Development Awards. While her interests have expanded towards understanding how inflammation fosters tumor growth, which is often seen among patients with ulcerative colitis, she was searching for an institution with a strong cancer program. As a result, she landed her first independent position at the Research Institution of Evanston-Northwestern Healthsystem, which was part of Northwestern University and then later became associated with the University of Chicago. Her main research focus at the time was to study the role of the transcription factor FOXO3 in inflammation-mediated tumor growth, with a specific focus on the colonic epithelium and colon cancer. These projects were awarded the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America Senior Investigator Award and an NIH R01 grant. In 2013, Dr. Savkovic joined Tulane University and became a member of the Cancer Center in the hopes of further understanding the regulation of FOXO3-dependent metabolic pathways that provide fuel energy to support inflammation and tumor growth.

Faculty Appointments

2006–2010: Research Assistant Professor, (Evanston-Northwestern-HealthSystem and Northwestern University, Evanston IL)
2010–2013: Assistant Professor (Northshore University HealthSystem, Evanston IL)
2013–Present: Associate Professor, Tulane University School of Medicine

Teaching and Mentoring Activities

1994–2013: Actively participating in training activities of Department of Medicine, Section of Digestive Disease at previous institutions.
2013–present: Lectures for BMS Tulane Graduate Students: Cell Signaling
2017–present: Co-director Molecular and Cellular Biology Principles and Technologies- MS Molecular Medicine
2007–present: Actively participating in mentoring graduate and post-graduate students.

Publications

1. Penrose H, Heller S, Cable C, Biswas D, Nakhoul H, Baddoo M, Flemington E,Crawford SE, Savkovic SD. OncoScience, 2017 Dec 27;4(11-12):189-198. doi: 10.18632/oncoscience.386 PMID: 29344557
2. Reduced mitochondrial activity in colonocytes facilitates AMPKα2 dependent inflammation. Heller S, Penrose H, Cable C, Biswas D, Nakhoul H, Baddoo M, Flemington E,Crawford SE, Savkovic SD. FASEB Journal, 2017 May;31(5):2013-2025. doi: 10.1096/fj.201600976R PMID: 28183804 *Cover page May 2017
3. In colonic ρ0 (rho0) cells reduced mitochondrial function mediates transcriptomic alterations associated with cancer.
4. High-fat diet induced leptin and Wnt expression: RNA-sequencing and pathway analysis of mouse colonic tissue and tumors. Penrose H, Heller S, Cable C, Nakhoul H, Baddoo M, Flemington E, Crawford SE, Savkovic SD. Carcinogenesis; Mar 1;38(3):302- 311. doi: 10.1093/carcin/bgx001. PMID: 28426873
5. Intestinal inflammation requires FOXO3 and Prostaglandin E2 dependent lipogenesis and elevated lipid droplets. Heller S, Cable C, Penrose H, Makboul R, Biswas D, Cabe M, Crawford SE, Savkovic SD. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2016 Mar 11;ajpgi.00407.2015. PMID: 26968210
6. Epidermal growth factor receptor mediated proliferation depends on increased lipid droplet density regulated via a negative regulatory loop with FOXO3/Sirtuin6. Penrose H, Heller S, Cable C, Chadalawada G, Chen S, Crawford SE, Savkovic SD. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2016 Jan 15;469(3):370-6. PMID: 26657850
7. Decreased FOXO3 within advanced human colon cancer: implications of tumor suppressor function. Savkovic SD. Br J Cancer. 2013 Jul 23;109(2):297-8. PMID: 23828519
8. FOXO3 Growth Inhibition of Colonic Cells is Dependent on Intraepithelial Lipid Droplet Density. Qi W, Fitchev P, Cornwell M, Greenberg J, Cabe M, Weber CR, Roy H, Crawford S, Savkovic SD. J Biol Chem. 2013 Jun 7;288(23):16274-81. PMID: 23603907
9. Topical Polyethylene Glycol as a Novel Chemopreventive Agent for Oral Cancer via Targeting of Epidermal Growth Factor Response. Wali R, Kunte D’ De La Cruz M, Tiwari A, Brasky J, Weber CR, Gibson T, Patel A, Savkovic SD, Brockstein B, Roy HK. PLoS One. 2012;7(6):e38047. PMID: 22675506
10. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) diminishes pathological effects of Citrobacter rodentium infection by blocking bacterial attachment to the colonic epithelia. Qi W, Joshi S, Weber CR, Wali R, Roy H, Savkovic SD. Gut Microbes. 2011 Sep 1;2(5):267-73. PMID: 22067938
11. Genistein inhibits proliferation of colon cancer cells by attenuating a negative effect of epidermal growth factor on tumor suppressor FOXO3 activity. Qi W, Weber CR, Wasland K, Savkovic SD. BMC Cancer. 2011 Jun 3;11:219. PMID: 21639915
12. Tumor suppressor FOXO3 mediates signals from the EGF receptor to regulate proliferation of colonic cells. Qi W, Weber CR, Wasland K, Roy H, Wali R, Savkovic SD. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2011 Feb;300(2):G264-72. PMID: 21109589
13. Tumor suppressor FOXO3 participates in the regulation of intestinal inflammation. Snoeks L, Weber CR, Wasland K, Turner JR, Vainder C, Qi W, Savkovic SD. Lab Invest. 2009 Sep;89(9):1053-62. PMID: 19636295
14. Tumor suppressor Foxo3a is involved in the regulation of LPS-induced IL-8 in intestinal HT- 29 cells. Snoeks L, Weber CR, Turner JR, Bhattacharyya M, Wasland K, Savkovic SD. Infect Immun. 2008 Oct;76(10):4677-85. PMID: 18678662
15. Mouse model of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli infection. Savkovic SD, Villanueva J, Turner JR, Matkowskyj KA, Hecht G. Infect Immun. 2005 Feb;73(2):1161-70. PMID: 15664959
16. Differing roles of protein kinase C-zeta in disruption of tight junction barrier by enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. Tomson FL, Koutsouris A, Viswanathan VK, Turner JR, Savkovic SD, Hecht G. Gastroenterology. 2004 Sep;127(3):859- 69. PMID: 15362041
17. PKC zeta participates in activation of inflammatory response induced by enteropathogenic E. coli. Savkovic SD, Koutsouris A, Hecht G. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2003 Sep;285(3):C512- 21. PMID: 12900386
18. Intestinal epithelial responses to enteric pathogens: Effects on the tight junction barrier, ion transport, and inflammation. Berkes J, Viswanathan VK, Savkovic SD, Hecht G. Gut. 2003 Mar;52(3):439-51. PMID: 12584232 (Review)
19. EPEC-activated ERK1/2 participate in inflammatory response but not tight junction barrier disruption. Savkovic SD, Ramaswamy A, Koutsouris A, Hecht G. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2001 Oct;281(4):G890-8. PMID: 11557508
20. Galanin-1 receptor up-regulation mediates the excess colonic fluid production caused by infection with enteric pathogen. Matdowskyj KA, Danilkovich A, Marrero JA, Savkovic SD, Hecht G, Benya RV. Nat Med. 2000 Sep;6(9):1048-51. PMID: 10973327
21. Infection of intestinal epithelial cells with bacterial pathogens decreases luciferase activity: Ramifications for reporter gene studies. Savkovic SD, Koutsouris A, Wu G, Hecht G. Biotechniques. 2000 Sep;29(3):514-6, 518-20, 522. PMID: 10997265
22. Pathogenic Escherichia coli increase Cl- secretion from intestinal epithelia by upregulating galanin-1 receptor expression. Hecht G, Marrero JA, Danilkovich A, Matkowskyj KA, Savkovic SD, Koutsouris A, Benya RV. J Clin Invest. 1999 Aug;104(3):253-62. PMID: 10430606
23. Activation of NF-kappaB in intestinal epithelial cells by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli. Savkovic SD, Koutsouris A, Hecht G. Am J Physiol. 1997 Oct;273(4 Pt 1):C1160-7. PMID: 9357759
24. Effector role of epithelia in inflammation - Interaction with bacteria. Hecht G, Savkovic SD. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 1997 Dec;11 Suppl 3:64-8; discussion 68-9. PMID: 9467980
25. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli-induced myosin light chain phosphorylation alters intestinal epithelial permeability. Yuhan R; Koutsouris A, Savkovic SD, Hecht G. Gastroenterology. 1997 Dec;113(6):1873-82. PMID: 9394726
26. Attachment of a noninvasive enteric pathogen, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, to cultured human intestinal epithelial monolayers induces transmigration of neutrophils. Savkovic SD, Koutsouris A, Hecht G. Infect Immun. 1996 Nov;64(11):4480-7. PMID: 8890195
27. Molecular evidence for increased hematopoietic proliferation in the spleen of the b/b laboratory rat. Savkovic S, Pavlovic S, Mitrovic T, Joksimovic M, Marjanovic J, Glisin V, Popovic Z. Experientia. 1996 Aug 15;52(8):807-11. PMID: 8774753
28. Genome-scale DNA sequence recognition by hybridization to short oligomers. Milosavljevic A, Savkovic S, Crkvenjakov R, Salbego D, Serrato H, Kreuzer H, Gemmell A, Batus S, Grujic D, Carnahan S, Tepavcevic J. Proc Int Conf Intell Syst Mol Biol. 1996;4:176-81. PMID: 8877517
29. DNA sequence recognition by hybridization to short oligomers: experimental verification of the method on the E. coli genome. Milosavljevic A, Savkovic, S, Crkvenjakov R, Salbego D,
30. Serrato H, Kreuzer H, Gemmell A, Batus S, Grujic D, Carnahan S, Paunesku T, Tepavcevic J. Genomics. 1996 Oct 1;37(1):77-86. PMID: 8921373
31. The disbalance of alpha and beta globins in anemic Belgrade rat red blood cells. Marjanovic J, Savkovic,S, Nikcevic G, Glisin V, Ivanovic Z. Milenkovic N, Popovic Z. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1994 May 30;201(1):115-22. PMID: 8198563
32. The "b" mutated gene in heterozygous Belgrade anemic rat. Popovic ZB, Rajic NV, Savkovic SD, Glisin VR. Exp Hematol. 1993 Jan;21(1):21-4. PMID: 8417956

Presentations

Over 50 Abstracts presented as a first or senior author at national and international meetings

American Gastroenterological Association (AGA):

• San Francisco, CA, 1996
• Washington, DC, 1997
• Orlando, FL, 1999
• San Diego, CA, 2000
• Atlanta, GA, 2001
• San Francisco, CA, 2002
• Orlando, FL, 2003
• New Orleans, LA, 2004
• Los Angeles, CA, 2006
• Washington DC, 2007
• San Diego, CA, 2008
• Chicago, IL, 2009
• New Orleans, LA, 2010
• Chicago, IL, 2011
• San Diego, CA, 2012
• Orlando, FL, 2013
• Washington, DC, 2015
• Chicago, IL, 2017

Experimental Biology (EB):

• San Diego, CA, 2014

Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology (FASEB):

• Colorado, 1996
• Montana, 2001
• Colorado, 2005
• Colorado, 2007
• Vermont, 2014
• Colorado, 2015

Invited Speaker

• Northwestern University - IBD Retreat, Chicago, 2002
• John Hopkins University - IBD Retreat, Baltimore, 2005
• University of Chicago - Chicago, 2006
• University of New Mexico - Albuquerque, 2006
• University of Chicago - Chicago, 2009
• University of Illinois – Chicago, 2010
• Midwestern University – Downers Grow, 2012
• University of Connecticut - Farmington, 2012
• University of Illinois – Chicago, 2012
• University of Missouri – Columbus, 2012
• Tulane University – New Orleans, 2013
• Department of Structural & Cellular Biology, Tulane University, 2014
• Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Tulane University, 2013
• Department of Physiology, Tulane University, 2014
• Metabolic Center, Tulane University, 2015
• Hayward Genetics Center; Tulane University Medical Center, 2015
• Metabolic Center, Tulane University, 2017
• Department of Pathology, Tulane University, 2017