2008 - PhD. Marine sciences - Chemistry/microbial ecology, Thesis title:Fatty acids – Biomarkers of the structural and physiological changes in the marine bacterial communities. Geology department, Faculty of Natural Science and Mathematics, University of Zagreb. Mentor: Najdek Dragić, Mirjana.

2005 - MSc. Marine sciences – Chemistry/microbial ecology, Thesis title:Bacterial communities in the northern Adriatic macroagregates.Geology department, Faculty of Natural Science and Mathematics, University of Zagreb. Mentor: Najdek Dragić, Mirjana.

2000 - BSc. Chemical engineering. Inorganic processes, Thesis title:Organic inhibitors of the metal corrosion. Faculty of chemical engineering and technology, University of Zagreb. Mentor: Stupnišek-Lisac, Ema.

Picoplankton function and diversity along northern Adriatic trophic gradients (PICOADRIF)

ADRIS Foundation. 2010-2011. (coordinator)

• Optimization of process conditions for the growth of Pseudochloris wilhelmii in order to increase the yield of lipids for use in industries - PICO-POC

  22.01.2025 - 21.01.2026 | 68,057.00 EUR

  CroRISIRB

• Assessment of the Adriatic Algae Cogeneration Potential in Toxic industrial Wastewater Phycoremediation - A3PhyCoTox

  20.12.2024 - 19.12.2027 | 191,935.00 EUR

  CroRISIRB

• Assessment of Adriatic Algae Potential in Cogeneration Production of 3rd Generation Biofuel - A3-PICO-3G

  01.04.2017 - 31.03.2019 | 265,445.62 EUR

  CroRISIRB

• Mechanism of Long-term Changes in the Adriatic Sea Ecosystem

  01.01.2002 - 31.12.2005 | 0.00 HRK

  CroRISIRB

• Mechanism of long-term changes in the organic matter cycle of the northern Adriatic ecosystem

  22.11.1996 - 30.06.2002 | 120,000.00 HRK

  CroRISIRB

Assistent for Analytical chemistry and instrumental analysis. Undergraduate study in Marine Sciences at University Juraj Dobrila (Pula)

Blažina, M, Najdek, M,Fuks, D, Smodlaka, N (2011) Microbial communities in northern Adriatic mucilaginous aggregates: insight into the early phase of aggregate formation. Hydrobiologia. 658; 213-220

Najdek, M, Blažina, M, Fuks, D, Ivančić, I,Šilović, T (2011)  Intrusion of high-salinity water causes accumulation of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) in the northern Adriatic Sea. Aquatic microbial ecology. 63, 1; 69-74

Blažina, M, Iveša, Lj, Najdek, M (2009) Caulerpa racemosa: Adaptive varieties studied by fatty acid composition (Northern Adriatic Sea, Vrsar, Croatia).  European Journal of Phycology. 44, 2; 183-189

Blažina, M, Najdek, M, Fuks, D, Ruso, A, Štifanić, M, Pavlinić, D(2009)  Characterization and differentiation of the oligotrophic waters by culturable particle-attached and free-living bacterial community. Ecological Indicators. 9; 1265-1270

Blažina, M, Najdek, M, Fuks, D, Degobbis, D  (2005) Fatty acid profiling of microbial community during aging of mucilaginous aggregates in the northern Adriatic. Science of the total environment. 336, 1-3; 91-103

Original scientific paper

• Stupnišek-Lisac, Ema ; Gazivoda, Anita ; Madžarac, Maria | Nontoxic corrosion inhibitors for copper in sulphuric acid // Corrosion and corrosion protection. | Pennington (NJ): The Electrochemical Society (ECS), 2001. str. 493-500-x

Original scientific paper

• Žilić, Luka; Jurković, Lara; Haberle, Ines; Geček, Sunčana; Blažina, Maria | Screening of the Two Pseudochloris wilhelmii Strains (Adriatic SAG 55.87 and Mangrove SAG 1.80) Cultured Under a Wide Range of Conditions: Nitrogen Concentration, Nitrogen Source and Salinity // Microorganisms, 14 (2026), 7; 1444, 22. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms14071444

  doiwww.mdpi.com

• Roggensack, Tim; Brenn, Christian; Döring, Maik; Jira, Wolfgang; Treitz, Christian; Hanel, Reinhold; Blažina, Maria; Yahyaoui, Ahmed; Tholey, Andreas; Clawin-Rädecker, Ingrid et al. | Species identification of shrimps, lobsters and crayfish using peptide-based liquid chromatography low-resolution mass spectrometry and random forest model // European food research and technology, 252 (2026), 3; 149, 20. doi: 10.1007/s00217-026-05062-3

  doilink.springer.comfulir.irb.hr

• Pritišanac, Ena; Fafanđel, Maja; Haberle, Ines; Geček, Sunčana; Markić, Marinko; Bolf, Nenad; Vukadin, Jela; Crnković, Goranka; Klanjšček, Tin; Žilić, Luka et al. | Comparative study of the microalgae-based wastewater treatment, in an oil refining industry cogeneration concept // Water, 17 (2025), 15; 2217, 17. doi: 10.3390/w17152217

  doiwww.mdpi.compapers.ssrn.comfulir.irb.hr

• Matulić, Daniel; Blažina, Maria; Pritišanac, Ena; Čolak, Slavica; Bavčević, Lav; Barić, Renata; Križanac, Silvia; Vitlov, Božena; Šuran, Jelena; Strunjak Perović, Ivančica et al. | Growth, Fatty Acid Profile and Malondialdehyde Concentration of Meagre Argyrosomus regius Fed Diets with Different Lipid Content // Applied sciences (Basel), 14 (2024), 11; 4842, 14. doi: 10.3390/app14114842

  doiwww.mdpi.comfulir.irb.hr

• Blažina, Maria; Fafanđel, Maja; Geček, Sunčana; Haberle, Ines; Klanjšček, Jasminka; Hrustić, Enis; Husinec, Lana; Žilić, Luka; Pritišanac, Ena; Klanjšček, Tin | Characterization of Pseudochloris wilhelmii potential for oil refinery wastewater remediation and valuable biomass cogeneration // Frontiers in marine science, 9 (2022), 983395, 12. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.983395

  doiwww.frontiersin.orgfulir.irb.hr

• Blažina, Maria; Iveša, Ljiljana; Matošović, Ksenija; Pustijanac, Emina; Devescovi, Massimo; Pritišanac, Ena; Fafanđel, Maja; Batel, Renato | Diversity of Epiphytic Bacterial Communities Associated with Adriatic Fucacean Species Phycosphere // Journal of marine science and engineering, 8 (2020), 12; 967, 16. doi: 10.3390/jmse8120967

  doiwww.mdpi.comfulir.irb.hr

• Haberle, Ines ; Hrustić, Enis ; Petrić, Ines ; Pritišanac, Ena ; Šilović, Tina ; Magić, Lana ; Geček, Sunčana ; Budiša, Andrea ; Blažina, Maria | Adriatic cyanobacteria potential for cogeneration biofuel production with oil refinery wastewater remediation // Algal research, 50 (2020), 101978, 10. doi: 10.1016/j.algal.2020.101978

  doiwww.sciencedirect.comfulir.irb.hr

• Budiša, Andrea ; Haberle, Ines ; Konjević, Lucija ; Blažina, Maria ; Djakovac, Tamara ; Lukarić Špalj, Biserka ; Hrustić, Enis | Marine microalgae Microchloropsis gaditana and Pseudochloris wilhelmii cultivated in oil refinery wastewater – a perspective on remediation and biodiesel production // Fresenius environmental bulletin, 28 (2019), 11; 7888-7897

  www.prt-parlar.de

• Blažina, Maria ; Haberle, Ines ; Hrustić, Enis ; Budiša, Andrea ; Petrić, Ines ; Konjević, Lucija ; Šilović, Tina ; Djakovac, Tamara ; Geček, Sunčana | Growth Aspects and Biochemical Composition of Synechococcus sp. MK568070 Cultured in Oil Refinery Wastewater // Journal of marine science and engineering, 7 (2019), 6; 164, 18. doi: 10.3390/jmse7060164

  doifulir.irb.hrwww.mdpi.com

• Najdek, Mirjana ; Ezgeta-Balić, Daria ; Blažina, Maria ; Crnčević, Marija ; Peharda, Melita | Potential food sources of Glycymeris nummaria (Mollusca, Bivalvia) during the annual cycle indicated by fatty acid analysis // Scientia marina, 80 (2016), 1; 123-129. doi: 10.3989/scimar.04267.23A

  doiscimar.icm.csic.es

• Korlević, Marino; Žučko, Jurica; Najdek Dragić, Mirjana; Blažina, Maria; Pustijanac, Emina; Vojvoda Zeljko, Tanja; Gačeša, Ranko; Baranašić, Damir; Starčević, Antonio; Diminić, Janko et al. | Bacterial diversity of polluted surface sediments in northern Adriatic Sea determined by pyrosequencing // Systematic and applied microbiology, 38 (2015), 3; 189-197. doi: 10.1016/j.syapm.2015.03.001

  doiwww.sciencedirect.com

• Müller, Werner E.G. ; Link, T. ; Li, Q. ; Schröder, H.C. ; Batel, Renato ; Blažina, Maria ; Grebenjuk, Vladislav A. ; Wang, X. | A novel TiO2-assisted magnetic nanoparticle separator for treatment and inactivation of bacterial contaminants in aquatic systems // RSC Advances, 4 (2014), 89; 48267-48275. doi: 10.1039/c4ra09055a

  doipubs.rsc.org

• Najdek, Mirjana ; Paliaga, Paolo ; Šilović, Tina ; Batistić, Mirna ; Garić, Rade ; Supić, Nastjenjka ; Ivančić, Ingrid ; Ljubimir, Stijepo ; Korlević, Marino ; Jasprica, Nenad et al. | Picoplankton community structure before, during and after convection event in the offshore waters of the southern Adriatic Sea // Biogeosciences, 11 (2014), 2645-2659. doi: 10.5194/bg-11-2645-2014

  doiwww.biogeosciences.netfulir.irb.hr

• Najdek, Mirjana ; Iveša, Ljiljana ; Paliaga, Paolo ; Blažina, Maria ; Čelig, Ana | Changes in the fatty acid composition of Fucus virsoides J. Agardh in response to the type of substratum // Acta Adriatica, 55 (2014), 1; 19-30

  hrcak.srce.hrfulir.irb.hr

• Orlić, Sandi ; Najdek, Mirjana ; Supić, Nastjenjka ; Ivančić, Ingrid ; Fuks, Dragica ; Blažina, Maria ; Šilović, Tina ; Paliaga, Paolo ; Godrijan, Jelena ; Marić, Daniela | Structure and variability of microbial community at transect crossing a double gyre structure (north-eastern Adriatic Sea) // Aquatic microbial ecology, 69 (2013), 193-203. doi: 10.3354/ame01631

  doiwww.int-res.com

• Najdek, Mirjana ; Blažina, Maria ; Ezgeta-Balić, Daria ; Peharda, Melita | Diets of fan shells (Pinna nobilis) of different sizes : fatty acid profiling of digestive gland and adductor muscle // Marine biology, 160 (2013), 4; 921-930. doi: 10.1007/s00227-012-2144-x

  doilink.springer.com

• Fuks, Dragica ; Ivančić, Ingrid ; Najdek, Mirjana ; Lučić, Davor ; Njire, Jakica ; Godrijan, Jelena ; Marić, Daniela ; Šilović, Tina ; Paliaga, Paolo ; Blažina, Maria et al. | Changes in the planktonic community structure related to trophic conditions: the case study of the northern Adriatic Sea // Journal of marine systems, 96/97 (2012), 95-102. doi: 10.1016/j.jmarsys.2012.02.006

  doiwww.sciencedirect.comac.els-cdn.comdx.doi.org

• Ezgeta-Balić, Daria ; Najdek, Mirjana ; Peharda, Melita ; Blažina, Maria | Seasonal fatty acid profile analysis to trace origin of food sources of four commercially important bivalves // Aquaculture, 334 (2012), 89-100. doi: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2011.12.041

  doidx.doi.orgwww.sciencedirect.com

• Najdek, Mirjana ; Blažina, Maria ; Fuks, Dragica ; Ivančić, Ingrid ; Šilović, Tina | Intrusion of high-salinity water causes accumulation of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) in the northern Adriatic Sea // Aquatic microbial ecology, 63 (2011), 1; 69-74

  www.int-res.com

• Blažina, Maria ; Najdek, Mirjana ; Fuks, Dragica ; Smodlaka, Nenad | Microbial communities in northern Adriatic mucilaginous aggregates: insight into the early phase of aggregate formation // Hydrobiologia, 658 (2011), 213-220. doi: 10.1007/s10750-010-0474-6

  doiwww.springerlink.com

• Ivančić, Ingrid ; Fuks, Dragica ; Najdek, Mirjana ; Blažina, Maria ; Devescovi, Massimo ; Šilović, Tina ; Paliaga, Paolo ; Orlić, Sandi | Long-term changes in heterotrophic prokaryotes abundance and growth characteristics in the northern Adriatic Sea // Journal of marine systems, 82 (2010), 4; 206-216. doi: 10.1016/j.jmarsys.2010.05.008

  doiwww.sciencedirect.comwww.sciencedirect.comdx.doi.org

• Blažina, Maria ; Najdek, Mirjana ; Ruso, Ana ; Fuks, Dragica | Adaptational changes in cellular fatty acids of cultured bacteria as a response to trophic differences // Acta Adriatica, 51 (2010), 2; 131-140

  jadran.izor.hr

• Blažina, Maria ; Najdek, Mirjana ; Fuks, Dragica ; Ruso, Ana ; Štifanić, Mauro ; Pavlinić, Dinko | Characterization and differentiation of the oligotrophic waters by culturable particle-attached and free-living bacterial community // Ecological indicators, 9 (2009), 6; 1265-1270. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2009.04.005

  doidx.doi.orgwww.sciencedirect.com

• Blažina, Maria ; Iveša, Ljiljana ; Najdek, Mirjana | Caulerpa racemosa: Adaptive varieties studied by fatty acid composition (Northern Adriatic Sea, Vrsar, Croatia) // European journal of phycology, 44 (2009), 2; 183-189. doi: 10.1080/09670260802428250

  doiwww.tandfonline.comdoi.org

• Najdek, Mirjana ; Travizi, Ana ; Bogner, Danijela ; Blažina, Maria | Low impact of marine fish farming on sediment and meiofauna in Limski channel (Northern Adriatic, Croatia) // Fresenius environmental bulletin, 16 (2007), 7; 784-791

• Fuks, Dragica ; Radić, Jadranka ; Radić, Tomislav ; Najdek, Mirjana ; Blažina, Maria ; Degobbis, Danilo ; Smodlaka, Nenad | Relationships between heterotrophic bacteria and cyanobacteria in the northern Adriatic in relation to the mucilage phenomenon // Science of the total environment, 353 (2005), 1-3; 178-188-x

• Najdek, Mirjana ; Blažina, Maria ; Đakovac, Tamara ; Kraus, Romina | The role of the diatom Cylindrotheca closterium in a mucilage event in the northern Adriatic Sea: coupling with high salinity water intrusions // Journal of plankton research, 27 (2005), 9; 851-862. doi: 10.1093/plankt/fbi057

  doiacademic.oup.comdoi.orgfulir.irb.hr

• Hamer, Bojan ; Najdek, Mirjana ; Blažina, Maria ; Radić, Tomislav ; Reifferscheid, Georg ; Muller, Werner E.G. ; Zahn, Rudolf K. ; Batel, Renato | Genotoxic sub-lethal injuries, filamentous growth and culturability of Salmonella typhimurium TA1535/pSK1002 // Fresenius environmental bulletin, 14 (2005), 7; 625-633-x

• Blažina, Maria ; Najdek, Mirjana ; Fuks, Dragica ; Degobbis, Danilo | Fatty acid profiling of microbial community during aging of mucilaginous aggregates in the northern Adriatic // Science of the total environment, 336 (2005), 1-3; 91-103

• Najdek, Mirjana ; Blažina, Maria ; Fuks, Dragica | Northern Adriatic mesocosm experiment Rovinj 2003: changes in bacterial community by fatty acid profiling // Periodicum biologorum, 106 (2004), 1; 49-55-x

• Pečar, Osvin ; Precali, Robert ; Giani, Michele ; Blažina, Maria ; Smodlaka, Nenad | Northern Adriatic mesocosm experiment Rovinj 2003: primary production and total organic carbon // Periodicum biologorum, 106 (2004), 1; 23-29-x

• Iveša, Ljiljana ; Blažina, Maria ; Najdek, Mirjana | Seasonal variations in fatty acid composition of Caulerpa taxifolia (M. Vahl.) C. Ag. in the northern Adriatic Sea (Malinska, Croatia) // Botanica marina, 47 (2004), 3; 209-214-x

• Radić, Tomislav ; Radić, Jadranka ; Najdek, Mirjana ; Fuks, Dragica ; Blažina, Maria | Potential of the northern Adriatic bacterioplankton for the production of transparent exopolymer particles // Periodicum biologorum, 105 (2003), 4; 381-387-x

• Najdek, Mirjana ; Blažina, Maria ; Fuks, Dragica | Temperature regulated changes in fatty acid composition of some marine bacteria // Periodicum biologorum, 105 (2003), 4; 373-379-x

• Stupnišek-Lisac, Ema ; Gazivoda, Anita ; Madžarac, Maria | Evaluation of non-toxic corrosion inhibitors for copper in sulphuric acid // Electrochimica acta, 47 (2002), 26; 4189-4194-x

Short communication

• Gaćeša, Ranko; Baranašić, Damir; Starčević, Antonio; Diminić, Janko; Korlević, Marino; Najdek-Dragić, Mirjana; Blažina, Maria; Oršolić, Davor; Kolesarić, Domagoj; Long, Paul F. et al. | Bioprospecting for Genes Encoding Hydrocarbon-Degrading Enzymes from Metagenomic Samples Isolated from Northern Adriatic Sea Sediments // Food technology and biotechnology, 56 (2018), 2; 270-277. doi: 10.17113/ftb.56.02.18.5393

  doihrcak.srce.hrftb.com.hrfulir.irb.hr

Review article (professional)

• Blažina, Maria | Institut Ruđer Bošković punih deset godina u nanobiotehnološkom istraživanju Jadrana // Kemija u industriji : časopis kemičara i tehnologa Hrvatske, 64 (2015), 6; 319-323

  hrcak.srce.hrfulir.irb.hr

Conference abstract

• Najdek, Mirjana ; Paliaga, Paolo ; Šilović, Tina ; Ivančić, Ingrid ; Korlević, Marino ; Blažina, Maria ; Orlić, Sandi ; Beg Paklar, Gordana ; Supić, Nastjenjka | Role of Po River waters in the intense winter convection episode in the South Adriatic Pit // Geophysical research abstracts, 2017, EGU2017-13346-3, 1

  meetingorganizer.copernicus.org

Short communication

• Blažina, Maria | Mikroalge kao biogorivo budućnosti: Prilike i izazovi // Kemija u industriji : časopis kemičara i tehnologa Hrvatske, 2019. str. 149-150

Master's thesis (university)

• Madžarac, Maria | Organski inhibitori korozije metala / Stupnišek-Lisac, Ema (mentor). | Zagreb, Fakultet kemijskog inženjerstva i tehnologije, 2000

Master of Science thesis

• Blažina, Maria | Bakterijske zajednice u makroagregatima sjevernog Jadrana / Najdek-Dragić, Mirjana (mentor). | Zagreb, Prirodoslovno-matematički fakultet, Zagreb, 2005

Doctoral thesis

• Blažina, Maria | Masne kiseline - biomarkeri strukturnih i fizioloških promjena morskih bakterijskih zajednica / Najdek Dragić, Mirjana (mentor). | Zagreb, Prirodoslovno-matematički fakultet, Zagreb, 2008

Croatian society of chemical engineers and technologists