Rate My Professor Lada Vugic

Dr Lada Vugic is a Lecturer in the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences at Griffith University, within Griffith Health. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Genetics and Nutrition, awarded by Griffith University on 28 October 2018, and a Master's degree in Cell Biology and Genetics. Her PhD thesis, supervised by Professor Indu Singh and Dr Natalie Shilton, examined the role of anthocyanins in attenuating obesity and obesity-induced inflammation. With nearly 10 years of university teaching experience specializing in Cell Biology and Genetics, Dr Vugic serves as convenor for the first-year course 1005MSC Genes and Disease at the Gold Coast campus, where students explore cell reproduction, basic genetics, evolution, and disease processes.

Dr Vugic's research focuses on the anti-inflammatory properties of plant-based antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins, in relation to obesity, metabolic syndrome, and asthma. She has co-authored 10 publications, accumulating over 160 citations. Notable contributions include 'Anthocyanin supplementation inhibits secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines in overweight and obese individuals' (Journal of Functional Foods, 2020, with Natalie Colson, Elham Nikbakht, Almottesembellah Gaiz, and Indu Singh), which showed reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine levels following supplementation. Other key papers are 'Anthocyanins reduce inflammation and improve glucose and lipid metabolism associated with inhibiting nuclear factor-kappaB activation and increasing PPAR-γ gene expression in metabolic syndrome subjects' (2020), 'The Interplay of Plant-Based Antioxidants, Inflammation, and Asthma: Implications for Asthma Therapy' (Respiratory Medicine, 2025, with Madiha Ajaz et al.), 'A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of IL-8, IL-10, IL-18, IFN-γ and Resistin in Healthy, Overweight and Obese Populations' (Food Science & Nutrition, 2026, with Alessandro Young et al.), and 'From Chronic Inflammation to Remodeling: Anthocyanins in the Context of Asthma Management' (Pharmaceuticals, 2026, with Madiha Ajaz et al.). Her work at Griffith University since 2018 advances understanding of nutritional interventions in inflammatory diseases.