
CURRENT STUDENTS	PARENTS
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION	FACULTY & STAFF
ACCREDITATIONS & AFFILIATIONS	GRADUATE WRITING HUB
Policies, Procedures, and Expectations for Students	Preferred Partnership Program
State Authorization and Disclosures	Tuition & Fees
University Center of Greenville


CURRENT STUDENTS	PARENTS
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION	FACULTY & STAFF
ACCREDITATIONS & AFFILIATIONS	GRADUATE WRITING HUB
Policies, Procedures, and Expectations for Students	Preferred Partnership Program
State Authorization and Disclosures	Tuition & Fees
University Center of Greenville

Quick Links

Diana Ivankovic

College of Arts and Sciences

Director of the Center for Cancer Research, Biology Professor

divankovic@andersonuniversity.edu

(864) 506-5969

Watkins Hall

Academic Background

Dr. Ivankovic joined Anderson University in 2004, contributing to classroom teaching, establishing a Center for Cancer Research as well as numerous collaborative research projects involving both national and international researchers. Dr. Ivankovic has been working diligently as director of the Anderson University Center for Cancer Research and is presently coordinating several research projects focused on alternative treatments for breast cancer, metabolic profiling of a variety of cancer cells, and rare genetic disorders.

BS in Biology, Lander University

MS in Zoology, Clemson University

Ph.D in Microbiology, Clemson University

Fast Facts

Why teach at AU?

I love working closely with students and introducing them to different fields of science. Integrating faith into my subject matter completes my teaching goals.

What I wish prospective students knew about my discipline or careers in my discipline?

Students who become researchers at our Center for Cancer Research after graduating from Anderson University, continue their careers in graduate school, medical school, dental school, pharmacy school, and many other health professional studies.

Notable achievements within discipline

Co-authored with Dr. George Plopper a textbook entitled “Principles of Cell Biology” (2020) Founder and director of the AU Center for Cancer Research Board Member of the Cancer Association of Anderson Creator of sterile techniques manual and video for the AU Center for Cancer Research Winner of multiple student-led research projects at the national yearly Ernest Just Symposium at MUSC Yearly grant recipient of the All In Foundation

What do you find most enjoyable about working at AU?

I love teaching students about cancer prevention and its early detection. Additionally, the world of microbiology and rare genetic disorders are my passions, which I enjoy sharing with our Anderson University students.

Areas of specialties within field

Cancer, microbiology, rare genetic diseases

Publications

2024 Mattingly A, Vickery Z, Ivankovic D, Farrell CL, Hakonarson H, Nguyen K, Boccuto L. “Exploring the Therapeutic Potential for Breast Cancer of Phytochemicals and Secondary Metabolites in Marjoram, Thyme, and Persimmon.” Metabolites. 2024 Nov 25;14(12):652. doi: 10.3390/metabo14120652. Manolakos P, Boccuto L, Ivankovic DS. “A Critical Review of the Impact of SMARCA4 Mutations on Survival Outcomes in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.” J Pers Med. 2024 Jun 26;14(7):684. doi: 10.3390/jpm14070684. Blommel JH, Roforth MM, Jerde CR, Karsten CA, Bridgeman AR, Voss JS, Boccuto L, Ivankovic DS, Sarasua SM, Kipp BR, Murphy SJ. “Evaluating User Experience and DNA Yield from Self-Collection Devices.” J Appl Lab Med. 2024 May 20:jfae030. doi: 10.1093/jalm/jfae030. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38767175.

2023Allen, B., Sarasua, S., Ivankovic, D., Ward, D., Valentine, K., Bennett, W., Rogers, R.C., Phelan, K., Boccuto, L. Stratification of a PMS Population based on their Response to Human Growth Hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factor 1. Genes.

Blommel JH, Boccuto L, Ivankovic DS, Sarasua SM, Kipp BR, Karon BS. “SARS-CoV-2 emergency use authorization published sensitivity differences do not correlate with positivity rate in a hospital/reference laboratory setting.” Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2024 Feb;108(2):116157. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2023.116157. Sanders Z, Moffitt BA, Treaster M, Larkins A, Khulordava N, Benjock J, Spencer J, Henrie K, Wurst MJ, Broom A, Tamez N, DeRosa G, Campbell M, Keller E, Powell A, Weinbrenner D, Abenavoli L, Edenfield WJ, Chung K, Boccuto L, Ivankovic D. “Effects of Origanum majorana on Breast Cancer Cells: An Alternative to Chemotherapy?” Metabolites. 2023 Oct 16;13(10):1083. doi: 10.3390/metabo13101083. Moffitt BA, Oberman LM, Beamer L, Srikanth S, Jain L, Cascio L, Jones K, Pauly R, May M, Skinner C, Buchanan C, DuPont BR, Kaufmann WE, Valentine K, Ward LD, Ivankovic D, Rogers RC, Phelan K, Sarasua SM, Boccuto L. “Sleep disturbances in Phelan-McDermid syndrome: Clinical and metabolic profiling of 56 individuals.” Clin Genet. 2023;10.1111/cge.14361. doi:10.1111/cge.14361 Moffitt BA, Sarasua SM, Ivankovic D, Ward LD, Valentine K, Bennett WE Jr, Rogers C, Phelan K, Boccuto L. “Stratification of a Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Population Based on Their Response to Human Growth Hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factor.” Genes (Basel). 2023 Feb 15;14(2):490. doi: 10.3390/genes14020490.

2022 Allen, B., Sarasua, S., Ward, L., Ivankovic, D., Valentine, K., Rogers, R., Phelan, K., Boccuto, L. “Sleep and Phelan-McDermid Syndrome: Lessons from the International Registry and the Scientific Literature.” Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine, 2022. Aug 23:e2035. doi: 10.1002/mgg3.2035. Epub ahead of print. Blommel, J., Jenkinson, G., Boccuto, L., Binnicker, M., Karon, B., Kipp, B., Sarasua, S., Ivankovic, D. “Authorized SARS-CoV-2 molecular methods show wide variability in the limit of detection.” Diagnostic Microbiology & Infectious Disease, 2022. Dec 15;105(3):115880. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2022.115880. Online ahead of print. PMID: 36669396 Free PMC article. 2021 Ivankovic, D. S., Stringer, A. G., Carpenter, A. E., Stringer Roberts F.A., Cole S. C., Jacobsen, F. H. L., Edwards, A. C., Deweese, R. M., Hunter, R. M., Davey, W. C., Ivankovic L. E., Mitchell C. R. Cancer Mapping Pilot Study of Cancer Association Patients in Anderson County, SC. GSC Advanced Research and Reviews, 2021, 08(01), 128–139. Dewesee, R., Hunter, R., Davey,W.C., Stacy,C., Abramovitch, D., Ivankovic, D., Weinbrenner, D. Cytotoxic Effects of Trifolium pratense, Baptisia australis, and Rubus idaeus Extracts on CHO-K1 Cells. GSC Advanced Research and Reviews, 2021, 08(03), 054–063. 2020 Stevens, M., Daffron, I., Low, J., Wright, A., Dille, H., Dujmic, D., Weinbrenner, D., Abramovitch, D., Prager, D., Ivankovic, D. Modeling the Growth and Death of MCF-7 Breast Cancer While Simulating the Effects of Cancer Therapy Involving Optimal Levels of Phyto Extract. Cell and Cellular Life Sciences Journal, 2020. 2019 Principles of Cell Biology, textbook co-authored with Dr. George Plopper, 3rd edition, published (Jones and Bartlett Learning): https://books.google.com/books/about/Principles_of_Cell_Biology.html?id=pKDHDwAAQBAJ, 2019.

2018

Knapp MP1, Low JH, Siegwald JD, Weinbrenner DR, and Ivankovic DS. Effects of Indigo and Red Clover Extracts on MCF-7 Cancer Cells and MCF-12A Non-cancerous Cells. Cell and Cellular Life Sciences Journal, 2018.

2016

Daugherty, M.K., Abramovitch, D., Ivankovic, D. & Weinbrenner, D. Cytotoxic Effects of Amorpha fruticosa Leaf, Stem, and Root Extractions on PC-12 Adrenal Neural Cells from Male Rattus norvegicus. Advances in Cancer Prevention, 2016. Barrett, G., Weinbrenner, D., & Ivankovic, D. A comparison for MTS assay of PC12 cells cultured on collagen type IV and poly-lysine. Asian Journal of Physics Vol. 23, No 1 (2014) 783-788.

2014

Bova K, Bova S, Hill K, Dixon, M., Ivankovic, D., & Kisor, D. Introducing Pharmacogenetics and Personalized Medicine via a Weblog. Innovations in Pharmacy 2014;5(2): Article 151. https://pubs.lib.umn.edu/innovations/vol5/iss2/1.

2013

Deaton, B., Deaton, C., Ivankovic, D., & Norris, F. Creating Stop-Motion Videos with iPads to Support Students’ Understanding of Cell Processes: Because you have to know what you’re talking about to be able to do it. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 2013. Ivankovic, D., Weinbrenner,D., Harpe,G., Barret,G., Lewis,J. & Kardohely, A. Antiproliferative Activity of Raspberries on Two Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines. Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science, 2013. Ivankovic, D., Catoe,A., Ivankovic,S., & Martin,A. Obesity Study Case: Correlation Between Incidence of Breast Cancer and BMI in Women in Anderson County, South Carolina. Health Care. 2013, 1(1):1-4. Kisor, D., Hill, K., Dixon, M., Ivankovic, D., & Eggert, J. Personal Genome Evaluation: Health Professions Student Attitudes Towards Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing. Journal of Personalized Medicine.(in press), 2013

2010

Ivankovic, D., Davis,S., Holtel,R., & Hall,B. In Vivo and In Vitro Studies of Nanoparticles on Melanoma. Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science. LXXII. 2010. Springs A.E.B., Herold V.C., Ivankovic D., & Chen W.Y. In Vivo Evidence of Prolactin Receptor Antagonist, G129R, in Inhibition of HER2/neu Tumor. Proceedings of the Endocrine Society Annual Meeting, 91.

2009

Ivankovic, D., & Catoe, A. The Effects of Obesity on the Incidence of Breast Cancer. Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science. LXXI. 2009. 94. Gray, M., Kozel, T., & Ivankovic, D. Anthropogenic Impact on Coral Reefs in Boca Del Toro, Panama. Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science. LXXI. 2009. 103. Herold, V., & Ivankovic, D. A Step Forward: PHER2 Biomarker Discovered for the Prolactin Receptor Antagonist G129. Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science. LXXI. 2009. 107.