Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad

Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection

Jovana Francuz, PhD

Associate Professor

Chair of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Natural Products

CONTACT

University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences

Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection

Office: 10/III

Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3

21000 Novi Sad, Serbia

Tel: + 381 21 485 2768

e-mail: jovana.francuz@dh.uns.ac.rs

SCOPUS Author ID: 22940871400

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4330-8561

2015. PhD in Chemistry, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Serbia
2008. MSc in Biochemistry, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Serbia
2006. BSc in Chemistry – Biochemistry, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Serbia.

2026-today Full Professor, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Serbia
2021-2026. Associate Professor, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Serbia
2016-2021. Assistant Professor, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Serbia
2013-2016. Teaching Assistant, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Serbia
2009-2013. Research Assistant, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Serbia
2007-2009. Junior Researcher, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Serbia.

Francuz, J., Glikobiologija, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Novi Sad, 2025.
Popsavin, V., Popsavin, M., Srećo Zelenović, B., Francuz, J., Kovačević, I. Bioorganski preparati – praktikum, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Novi Sad, 2020.

Synthesis and biological testing of new mimics or derivatives of selected cytotoxic lactones, antitumor agent tiazofurin and natural naphthenic acids, Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (2011-2019)
Program of scientific research work of the Faculty of Science and Mathematics of the University of Novi Sad, researcher (2020-2026).
Development and biomedicinal evaluation of potential antitumour agents, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (2015-2026)
Development of Anticancer Agents for Drug-Resistant Cancers (DAADRAC), Interreg VI-A IPA Croatia – Serbia 2021-2027 Programme (2024-2025).

Djokić, S., Popsavin, M., Stanisavljević, S., Rodić, M.V., Krüger, B., Filipić, B., Jakimov, D., Hefer, M., Petrović, A., Bjedov, S., Smolić, M., Popsavin, V., Francuz, J. (2026): Structural hybridization as a tool for developing novel biologically active analogues of protulactone A. Bioorg.Chem. 169: 109416.
Djokić, S., Benedeković, G., Kesić, J., Rodić, M.V., Popsavin, M., Popsavin, V., Francuz, J. (2024): First total synthesis of asperilactone B. Revision of absolute stereochemistry of asperilactones B and C. Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry. 22: 4864 -4867.
Djokić, S., Francuz, J., Popsavin, M., Rodić, M. V., Kojić, V., Stevanović, M., Popsavin, V. (2022): Natural product protulactone A: Total synthesis from D-galactose, X-ray analysis and biological evaluation. Bioorg.Chem. 127: 105980.
Francuz, J., Kovačević, , Popsavin, M., Benedeković, G., Srećo Zelenović, B., Kojić, V., Jakimov, D., Aleksić, L., Bogdanović, G., Srdić-Rajić, T., Lončar, E., Rodić, M. V., Divjaković, V., Popsavin, V. (2017): Design, synthesis and in vitro antitumour activity of new goniofufurone and 7-epi-goniofufurone mimics with halogen or azido groups at the C-7 position. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 128: 13–24.
Popsavin, V.,Benedeković,, Srećo, B., Popsavin, M., Francuz, J., Kojić, V., Bogdanović, G. (2007): Divergent synthesis of cytotoxic styryl lactones from d-xylose. The first total synthesis of (+)-crassalactone C. Organic Letters. 9: 4235–4238.

Postdoc research fellow (12 weeks) in the laboratory of prof. Christopher R. Coxon, John Moores University in Liverpool, School of pharmacy and biomolecular sciences.
Erasmus+ staff mobility at University of Aveiro, Portugal (2018)
Award from Serbian Chemical Society for achieved success during the undergraduated studies (2007)
Fund for Young Talents “Thousands of the best” awarded by the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development (2005)
Member of Serbian Chemical Society, member of Serbian association for cancer research, and member of Serbian Society for Immunology, Molecular Oncology, and Regenerative Medicine