Faculty and Staff Profile

Diana Ivankovic

Educational Background

1995 Clemson University Ph.D. Microbiology

1991 Clemson University M.S. Zoology

1986 United World College of the Adriatic I.B. Sciences 1988 Lander University B.S. Biology

Courses Taught

NURS 4990 Independent Study
HCG 9090 Lab Methods in Healthcare Genetics
HCG 9910 Doctoral Dissertation Research

Profile

Dr. Diana Ivankovic is a research associate in the HCG program at Clemson University, the Director of the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) at Anderson University, and a lecturer for the Summer Scholars Program at Clemson University for the past 25 summers. Her collaborative effort in cancer research between a small private university and a large state university has resulted in several grants funded, including the All In Dabo Swinney’s yearly grants, the SC INBRE grant, and a long list of research publications. She is the co-author of Principles of Cell Biology, 3rd edition, with Dr. George Plopper (https://books.google.com/books/about/Principles_of_Cell_Biology.html?id=pKDHDwAAQBAJ) She received an International Baccalaureate degree from the United World College of the Adriatic in Duino, Italy, and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Lander University, Greenwood, SC. She has a master’s degree in zoology (genetics) and a doctorate degree in microbiology (molecular medicine) from Clemson University, in Clemson, SC. Dr. Ivankovic has taught general biology at Clemson University from 1989 to 2004 before becoming a professor at Anderson University. She is a cancer survivor, the founder of the Anderson University CCR, and has been teaching biology, microbiology, cell biology, and genetics since 2004. In the Summer Scholar Program, she offers summer courses in oncology, pathogenesis, genetics, crime scene investigations, and cancer research (https://www.clemson.edu/.../summer.../human-oncology.html). In the HCG program, she has taught HCG 9090, HCG 9910, and NURS 4990. Dr. Ivankovic has received several teaching and leadership awards.

Research Interests

Cancer: screening of various plant extracts, assessment of the efficacy of new drugs , determination of molecular pathways involved in cancer, metabolic profiling of different cancer cell lines, identification of potential biomarkers and molecular targets for treatment.
Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS): definition of genotype/phenotype correlation and investigation of the role of several candidate genes, assessment of new potential treatments, use of zebrafish as a genetic model organism.
Predisposition to complex disorders: study of genetic variants affecting the susceptibility to complex disorders such as cancer, or COVID-19.

Research Publications

• Ivankovic, Diana S., Stringer, Angela G., Carpenter, Andria E., Stringer Roberts F-Abigayle, Cole Stanley C., Jacobsen, Fynn H. L., Edwards, Alyssa C., Deweese, Ryan, M. Hunter, Ryan M. Connor, Davey Ivankovic Laura E., Mitchell Catherine R. Cancer Mapping Pilot Study of Cancer Association Patients in Anderson County, SC". GSC Advanced Research and Reviews, 2021, 08(01), 128–139.
• Ryan Deweese, Ryan Hunter, Connor Davey, Christina Stacy, Dorota Abramovitch, Diana Ivankovic, Donna Weinbrenner. Cytotoxic Effects of Trifolium pratense, Baptisia australis, and Rubus idaeus Extracts on CHO-K1 Cells". which has been published in Volume 8 - Issue 1 (July 2021) of GSC Advanced Research and Reviews (GSCARR) is now indexed at Scilit. GSC Advanced Research and Reviews, 2021, 08(03), 054–063.
• Stevens, M, Daffron I, Low J, Wright A, Dille H, Dujmic D, Weinbrenner D, Abramovitch D, Prager D, Ivankovic D. Modeling the Growth and Death of MCF-7 Breast Cancer While Simulating the Effects of Cancer Therapy Involving Optimal Levels of Phyto Extract. Cell and Cellular Life Sciences Journal, 2020.
• Principles of Cell Biology, textbook co-authored with Dr. George Plopper, 3rd edition, published (Jones and Bartlett Learning): https://books.google.com/books/about/Principles_of_Cell_Biology.html?id=pKDHDwAAQBAJ, 2019.
• Knapp MP1, Low JH, Siegwald JD, Weinbrenner DR, and Ivankovic DS. Effects of Indigo and Red Clover Extracts on MCF-7 Cancer Cells and MCF-12A Non-cancerous Cells. Cell and Cellular Life Sciences Journal, 2018.
• Daugherty, M.K., Abramovitch, D., Ivankovic, D. & Weinbrenner, D. Cytotoxic Effects of Amorpha fruticosa Leaf, Stem, and Root Extractions on PC-12 Adrenal Neural Cells from Male Rattus norvegicus. Advances in Cancer Prevention, 2016.
• Barrett, G., Weinbrenner, D., & Ivankovic, D. A comparison for MTS assay of PC12 cells cultured on collagen type IV and poly-lysine. Asian Journal of Physics Vol. 23, No 1 (2014) 783-788, 2016.
• Bova K, Bova S, Hill K, Dixon, M., Ivankovic, D., & Kisor, D. Introducing Pharmacogenetics and Personalized Medicine via a Weblog. Innovations in Pharmacy 2014;5(2): Article 151. https://pubs.lib.umn.edu/innovations/vol5/iss2/1.
• Deaton, B., Deaton, C., Ivankovic, D., & Norris, F. Creating Stop-Motion Videos with iPads to Support Students’ Understanding of Cell Processes: Because you have to know what you’re talking about to be able to do it. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 2013.
• Ivankovic, D., Weinbrenner,D., Harpe,G., Barret,G., Lewis,J. & Kardohely, A. Antiproliferative Activity of Raspberries on Two Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines. Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science, 2013.
• Ivankovic, D., Catoe,A., Ivankovic,S., & Martin,A. Obesity Study Case: Correlation Between Incidence of Breast Cancer and BMI in Women in Anderson County, South Carolina. Health Care. 2013, 1(1):1-4.
• Kisor, D., Hill, K., Dixon, M., Ivankovic, D., & Eggert, J. Personal Genome Evaluation: Health Professions Student Attitudes Towards Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing. Journal of Personalized Medicine.(in press), 2013
• Ivankovic, D., Davis,S., Holtel,R., & Hall,B. In Vivo and In Vitro Studies of Nanoparicles on Melanoma. Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science. LXXII. 2010.
• Springs A.E.B., Herold V.C., Ivankovic D., & Chen W.Y. In Vivo Evidence of Prolactin Receptor Antagonist, G129R, in Inhibition of HER2/neu Tumor. Proceedings of the Endocrine Society Annual Meeting, 91, 2010.
• Ivankovic, D., & Catoe, A. The Effects of Obesity on the Incidence of Breast Cancer. Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science. LXXI. 2009. 94.
• Gray, M., Kozel, T., & Ivankovic, D. Anthropogenic Impact on Coral Reefs in Boca Del Toro, Panama. Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science. LXXI. 2009. 103.
• Herold, V., & Ivankovic, D. A Step Forward: PHER2 Biomarker Discovered for the Prolactin Receptor Antagonist G129. Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science. LXXI. 2009. 107.

Honors and Awards

• Awarded (with Z. Sanders, M. Treaster, and J. Anderson) the national winner of excellence in undergraduate research award at the Ernest Just Symposium Conference at MUSC, in Charleston, SC., 2018.
• Awarded (with Jonathan Low) the national winner of excellence in undergraduate research award at the Ernest Just Symposium Conference at MUSC, in Charleston, SC., 2018.
• Awarded (with Eslie Aguilar) the national winner of excellence in undergraduate research award at the Ernest Just Symposium Conference at MUSC, in Charleston, SC, 2016.
• Awarded (with Rakish Taylor) the national winner of excellence in undergraduate research award at the Ernest Just Symposium Conference at MUSC, in Charleston, SC, 2015.
• Breakaway from Cancer Top Award, by Amgen, Greenville SC, 2011.
• Servant Leadership Award, Anderson University, 2006.