Nikola Bjelos

262 5th Avenue, Apt 1R, Brooklyn, NY 11215▪ 630.917.2138▪

EDUCATION
Plymouth State University Plymouth, NH
Masters of Business Administration August 2009-in progress
with emphasis on Healthcare Administration

American University of Antigua/KMC Antigua, West Indies

Doctor of Medicine degree in progress January 2008 – April 2010
Current GPA 3.67/4.0
Honors in Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Family medicine, Cardiology,
Pathology, Radiology, Psychiatry Sub Internship and Emergency Psychiatry Clerkships
Neuroscience Laboratory TA, Behavioral Sciences Clinical Encounter Moderator

Ross University, School of Medicine Dominica, West Indies

Student Leadership Award for Commitment to Community Health January 2006 – January, 2008

Ripon College Ripon, WI

Bachelor of Arts, Biology September 2001 – May 2005
Graduated with cum laude
Honors Thesis: Thioester function conservation in SpC3

PUBLICATIONS
Cas Moelling, Ross Oberschlacke, Price Ward, John Karijolich, Ksenia Borisova, September 2007
Nikola Bjelos and Lori Bergeron. “Metal-dependent repression of siderophore
and biofilm formation in Actinomyces naeslundii”. FEMS Microbiology Letters.
Sep. 2007. Vol 275, Issue 2, Pages 214 – 220

RESEARCH PROJECTS
Commonwealth of Dominica-Ministry of Health, Health Education Unit Dominica, West Indies
Research Coordinator January 2006 – January 2008
• Established national model for sexual health education and promoted initiative to teachers and church leaders
• Generated Sexual Health Survey assessing practices and understanding of sexual health for epidemiological study
• Administered survey at local weekly markets, regular health fairs, and at the Carib Reserve of the indigenous population
• Authored proposal to bring HIV rapid testing to capitol and ensure greater confidentiality assurance
• Lead interactive, educational games and skits at schools in rural areas and regular weekly seminars for at-risk teens

George Washington University/Ripon College Ripon, WI

Research Assistant May, 2004 – May, 2005
• Studied thioester function conservation in SpC3, the sea urchin homologue of the complement component C3
• Showing that SpC3 can bind to target cell surfaces, constituting indirect evidence that it can covalently bind to pathogen
surfaces and function as an opsonin in vivo
• Assisted in editing peer-reviewed journal articles, conducted literature reviews and updated references using Endnote
• Updated draft for future grants
Ripon College Ripon, WI
Research Assistant May 2003 – May 2007
• Studied iron requirements for survival of Actinomyces naeslundii and if iron availability regulates virulence gene expression.
• The A. naeslundii genome was searched for a gene encoding a metal dependent repressor
• Identification of Actinomyces metal-dependent repressor or amdR, and the AmdR protein was examined for its ability to bind
to the promoter sequence of a gene encoding the siderophore uptake (sid gene).
• PCR, Cloning, restriction enzymes usage, library formation, gel-electrophoreses, SDS-Page, Southern and Western blots.
PRESENTATIONS
Argonne National Laboratory Hinsdale, IL
• Actinomyces naeslundii Pathogenesis November, 2004

American Society of Microbiology Madison, WI

• Actinomyces naeslundii Pathogenesis November, 2004

VOLUNTEER WORK
Silver Cross Hospital Joliet, IL
Intimate Partner Violence and Rape Crisis Counselor August 2002-September 2005
• Serve as overnight, on-call advocate for survivors of assault presenting in ED and make provisions for children
• Guide survivors through medical and legal process and foster longer term support through center services
Certifications: ACLS/BCLS
Professional Affiliations: American Psychiatric Assn., AMSA