Doc. Dr. Sara Novak

[ email | bibliography ]

My main research activity is testing the biological potential of nanoparticles. I am studying effects of different nanomaterials on terrestrial and aquatic organisms.

My expertise are in:

  • Light and electron microscopy (SEM, FIB/SEM)
  • X-ray based techniques
  • Sample preparation for microscopy and spectroscopy (conventional histology, SEM and FIB/SEM, Fluorescent microscopy, X-ray spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy)
  • Single species toxicity testing by model organisms (terrestrial isopod Porcelio scaber,waterflea Daphnia magna,ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila)
  • Flame atomic absorption spectroscopy

The title of the PhD thesis is: Bioactivity of ingested nanomaterials on a model invertebrate organism (Porcellio scaber, Isopoda, Crustacea) [ pdf ]

International activities:

 

 

2023
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor as a pharmacological target in lung cancer
Kononenko V, Bele T, Novak S, Križaj I, Drobne D, Turk T.
[ site ] Acta Biologica

2023
Defining quality criteria for nanoplastic hazard evaluation : the case of polystyrene nanoplastics and aquatic invertebrate Daphnia spp.
Jemec Kokalj A, Heinlaan M, Novak S, Drobne D, Kühnel D.
[ site ] Nanomaterials

2023
Antibacterial and degradation properties of dialdehyded and aminohexamethylated nanocelluloses
Kokol V, Novak S, Kononenko V, Kos M, Vivod V, Gunde-Cimerman N, Drobne D
[ site ] Carbohydrate polymers

2022
Screening of NaCl salinity sensitivity across eight species of subterranean amphipod genus Niphargus
Jemec Kokalj A, Fišer Ž, Dolar A., Novak S, Drobne D, Bračko G, Fišer C
[ site ] Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

2020
Comparative biokinetics of pristine and sulfidized Ag nanoparticles in two arthropod species exposed to different field soils
Talaber I, GesteL C.A.M. van, Jemec Kokalj A, Marolt G, Novak S, Zidar P, Drobne D
[ site ] Environmental science Nano

2020
Stem cells and innate immunity in aquatic invertebrates : bridging two seemingly disparate disciplines for new discoveries in biology
Ballarin L, Karahan A, Salvetii A, Rossi L, Manni L, Rinkevich B, Rosner A, Voskoboynik A, Rosental B, Canesi L, Anselmi C, Pinsino A, Tohumcu BE, Jemec Kokalj A, Dolar A, Novak S, Sugni M, Corsi I, Drobne D
[ site ] Frontiers in immunology

2020
Comparison of sublethal effects of natural acaricides carvacrol and thymol on honeybees
Glavan G, Novak S, Božič J, Jemec Kokalj A
[ site ] Pesticide biochemistry and physiology

2020
Proteomic investigation of Zn-challenged rice roots reveals adverse effects and root physiological adaptation
Šimon M, Shen ZJ, Ghoto K, Chen J, Liu X, Gao GF, Jemec Kokalj A, Drašler B, Zhang JY, You YP, Drobne D, Zheng HL
[ site ] Plant and soil

2020
The quality of Slovenian chestnut honey and its specific properties relevant for medical application and functional nutrition = Kakovost slovenskega kostanjevega medu in njegove poznane lastnosti v prid medicinski uporabi in za funkcionalno prehrano
Božič J, Bertoncelj J, Drobne D, Glavan G, Gunde-Cimerman N, Leonardi A, Kopinč R, Jemec Kokalj A, Novak S, Korošec M, Križaj I, Podrižnik B, Turk M, Zabret A
Acta biologica slovenica

2019
The first comprehensive safety study of Magnéli phase titanium suboxides reveals no acute environmental hazard
Jemec Kokalj A, Novak S, Talaber I, Kononenko V, Bizjak Mali L, Vodovnik M, Žegura B, Eleršek T, Kalčíková G, Žgajnar Gotvajn A, Kralj S, Makovec D, Čaloudova H, Drobne D
[ site ] Environmental science Nano

2018
The biological fate of silver nanoparticles from a methodological perspective
Drobne D, Novak S, Talaber I, Lynch I, Jemec Kokalj A
[ site ] Materials

2018
The significance of nanomaterial post-exposure responses in Daphnia magna standard acute immobilisation assay : example with testing TiO2 nanoparticles.
Novak S, Jemec Kokalj A, Hočevar S, Godec M, Drobne D
[ site ] Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

2018
How cancer cells attach to urinary bladder epithelium in vivo : study of the early stages of tumorigenesis in an orthotopic mouse bladder tumor model
Erman A, Kapun G, Novak S, Pavlin M, Dražić G, Drobne D, Veranič P
[ site ] Histochemistry and cell biology

2018
The in vivo effects of silver nanoparticles on terrestrial isopods, Porcellio scaber, depend on a dynamic interplay between shape, size and nanoparticle dissolution properties
Novak S, Romih T, Drašler B, Birarda G, Vaccari L, Ferraris P, Sorieul S, Zieba M, Sebastian V, Arruebo M, Hočevar S.B., Jemec Kokalj A, Drobne D
Analyst

2017
Cerium(IV) oxide nanoparticles induce sublethal changes in honeybees after chronic exposure
Kos M, Jemec A, Glavan G, Marolt G, Zidar P, Božič J, Novak S, Drobne D
[ site ] Environmental Science: Nano

2017
Effects of CeO2 nanoparticles on terrestrial isopod Porcellio scaber: comparison of CeO2 biological potential with other nanoparticles
Malev O, Trebše P, Piecha M, Novak S, Budič B, Dramićanin MD, Drobne D
[ site ] Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology

2016
Four decades of multidisciplinary studies on isopods: a tribute to Pavel Ličar
Bogataj U, Drobne D, Jemec A, Kostanjšek R, Mrak P, Novak S, Prevorčnik S, Sket B, Trontelj P, Tušek Žnidarič M, Vittori M, Zidar P, Žnidaršič N, Štrus J
[ pdf ] [ site ] Acta Biologica Slovenica

2016
Gold nanoparticles do not induce adverse effects on terrestrial isopods Porcellio scaber after 14-day exposure
Škarková P, Romih T, Kos M, Novak S, Kononenko V, Jemec A, Vávrová M, Drobne D
[ pdf ] [ site ] Acta Biologica Slovenica

2016
An interlaboratory comparison of nanosilver characterisation and hazard identification: Harmonising techniques for high quality data
Jemec A, Kahru A, Potthoff A, Drobne D, Heinlaan M, Böhme S, Geppert M, Novak S, Schirmer K, Rekulapally R, Singh S, Aruoja V, Sihtmäe M, Juganson K, Käkinen A, Kühnel D
[ pdf ] [ site ] Environment International

2015
FTIR microscopy reveals distinct biomolecular profile of crustacean digestive glands upon subtoxic exposure to ZnO nanoparticles
Romih T, Jemec A, Novak S, Vaccari L, Ferraris P, Šimon M, Kos M, Susič R, Kogej K, Zupanc J, Drobne D
[ pdf ] [ site ] Nanotoxicology

2015
Altered physiological conditions of the terrestrial isopod Porcellio scaber as a measure of subchronic TiO2 effects
Menard A, Drobne D, Novak A
[ site ] Protoplasma

2015
Bioavailability of cobalt and iron from citric-acid-adsorbed CoFe2O4 nanoparticles in the terrestrial isopod Porcellio scaber
Romih T, Drašler B, Jemec A, Drobne D, Novak S, Golobič M, Makovec D, Susič R, Kogej K
[ pdf ] [ site ] Science of the Total Environment

2015
Elemental distribution and sample integrity comparison of freeze-dried and frozen-hydrated biological tissue samples with nuclear microprobe
Vavpetič P, Vogel-Mikuš K, Jeromel L, Potočnik Ogrinc N, Pongrac P, Drobne D, Pipan Tkalec Ž, Novak S, Kos M, Koren Š, Regvar M, Pelicon P
[ pdf ] [ site ] Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms

2015
Chapter One – Development of Polymer/Nanodiamond Composite Coatings to Control Cell Adhesion, Growth, and Functions
Keremidarska M, Hristova K, Hikov T, Radeva E, Mitev D, Tsvetanov I, Presker R, Drobne D, Drašler B, Novak S, Kononenko V, Eleršič K, Pramatarova L, Krasteva N
[ pdf ] [ site ] Advances in Planar Lipid Bilayers and Liposomes

2014
Effects of magnetic cobalt ferrite nanoparticles on biological and artificial lipid membranes
Drašler B, Drobne D, Novak S, Valant J, Boljte S, Otrin L, Rappolt M, Sartori B, Iglič A, Kralj-Iglič V, Šuštar V, Makovec D, Gyergyek S, Hočevar M, Godec M, Zupanc J
[ pdf ] [ site ] International Journal of Nanomedicine

2014
Oxidative potential of ultraviolet-A irradiated or nonirradiated suspensions of titanium dioxide or silicon dioxide nanoparticles on Allium cepa roots
Dolenc Koce J, Drobne D, Klančnik K, Makovec D, Novak S, Hočevar M
[ pdf ] [ site ] Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

2013
Effect of Ingested Tungsten Oxide (WOx) Nanofibers on Digestive Gland Tissue of Porcellio scaber – Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Imaging
Novak S, Drobne D, Vaccari L, Kiskinova M, Ferraris P, Birarda G, Remškar M, Hočevar M
[ pdf ] [ site ] Environmental Science & Technology

2013
Use of scanning electron microscopy to monitor nanofibre/cell interaction in digestive epithelial cells
Millaku A, Drobne D, Torkar M, Novak S, Remškar M, Pipan-Tkalec Ž
[ pdf ] [ site ] Journal of Hazardous Materials

2013
Cellular Internalization of Dissolved Cobalt Ions from Ingested CoFe2O4 Nanoparticles: In Vivo Experimental Evidence
Novak S, Drobne D, Golobič M, Zupanc J, Romih T, Gianoncelli A, Kiskinova M, Kaulich B, Pelicon P, Vavpetič P, Jeromel L, Ogrinc N, Makovec D
[ pdf ] [ site ] Environmental Science & Technology

2012
Effect of ingested titanium dioxide nanoparticles on the digestive gland cell membrane of terrestrial isopods
Valant J, Drobne D, Novak S
[ pdf ] [ site ] Chemosphere

2012
Cell membrane integrity and internalization of ingested TiO2 nanoparticles by digestive gland cells of a terrestrial isopod
Novak S, Drobne D, Valant J, Pipan-Tkalec Ž, Pelicon P, Vavpetič P, Grlj N, Falnoga I, Mazej D, Remškar M
[ pdf ] [ site ] Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

2012
Prolonged feeding of terrestrial isopod (Porcellio scaber, Isopoda, Crustacea) on TiO2 nanoparicles. Absence of toxic effect
Novak S, Drobne D, Menard A
[ pdf ] [ site ] ZooKeys

2012
Internalization of Consumed TiO2 Nanoparticles by a Model Invertebrate Organism
Novak S, Drobne D, Valant J, Pelicon P
[ pdf ] [ site ] Journal of Nanomaterials