Tea Lenarčič
Tea Lenarčič is a successful researcher at the Institute of Chemistry, a volleyball player and a pianist. She is a graduate of the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology and a PhD student at the Faculty of Medicine, where she is working on the molecular evolution of the cell surface binding domain of proteins. In 2018, she was awarded the elite UNESCO Loreal Scholarship for Women in Science for her successful research work and the Prešeren Prize for her successful dissertation.
Back in 2013 she was already working at the Chemistry Institute in the Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology. Here she studies toxic NLP proteins which are used by pests in attacks on dicotyledons. This leads to financial loss. The findings of the research point to a rationalisation of plant protection agents that target undesired pests. It is envisaged that such preparations could save the agronomy industry a lot of money, since they would prevent the spoiling of produce through infestation by phytopathogenic microorganisms.
Tea has published her results in the magazine Science, which is one of the most prominent world publications and has a major factor of influence. In addition to her research work, Tea Lenarčič has an artistic and adrenaline-loving side.
She loves playing the piano and various sports, including volleyball, mountain biking, skiing and wakeboarding. Since her childhood she has succeeded in many areas she has tried out. As a secondary student she won first place in the national piano competition, and as a member of the Vital Volley team she trained intensively and in her very second year became a member of the Slovenian national volleyball team. Despite intensive training, during her studies she remained a member of the Calcit Volleyball team and up until 2013 a member of the national team. As a student she won gold with her club in the Slovenian cup and in the national volleyball league. Her team has won silver three times in the national volleyball league and four times in the Slovenian cup, and it also won bronze in the VZA Central European Cup.
Tea is also actively involved in two societies, the Slovenian Biochemistry Society (SBD) and the Society of Biophysicists of Slovenia (DBS), and we would probably not be wrong in saying she has a very bright future.