Stefan Jakovljević is a PhD candidate at the IMGGE, in the Probiotics and Microbiota-Host Interaction Group. His work integrates anaerobic microbiology, Caenorhabditis elegans neurodegeneration models (e.g., tauopathy, Alzheimer-like features) and multi-omics to understand how microbiota-derived metabolites and exopolysaccharides (EPS) shape key cellular pathways linked to neuroprotection and healthy aging, enhance synaptic function and neuronal stress resilience, and support the clearance of pathological protein aggregates (e.g., tau). He focuses on strain-specific “neurobiotics” and postbiotics from the human microbiota (often including genera such as Blautia and Ruminococcoides) and their translational potential to slow neurodegeneration.

Methodologically, he combines hybrid genome assembly, pangenomics and functional annotation with metabolomics (LC-MS/MS, HPLC) of bacterial products. On the host side, he applies RNA-seq, qPCR, WB and functional assays (lifespan/survival, chemotaxis, touch response, fecundity) and employs in vitro gut–brain barrier models using Caco-2 and SH-SY5Y co-cultures. He develops reproducible bioinformatics pipelines in Linux/WSL (R and Python).

He is a recipient of a FEMS research/training fellowship that he realised on Crete and the “Goran Ljubijankić” Award for the best master’s thesis; he also received two FENS Brain Awareness Week microgrants (2019 and 2020, Student Section for Neuroscience, Serbian Neuroscience Society) and advanced through the first selection round of the Ministry of Economy’s program “35 Best Business Ideas for Youth up to 35.”

Outside the lab, MMA/BJJ and trying out protocols to improve cognitive and physical performance and recovery.