doc. RNDr. Soňa Čierniková, PhD., MPH
senior scientist
Assoc. Prof. Soňa Čierniková earned her university degree in Chemistry with a specialization in Biochemistry and defended both her master's and doctoral theses in Biology, specializing in Genetics, at the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava. Since her university studies, her professional career in oncology research has been closely associated with the Cancer Research Institute of the Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (BMC SAS). Her scientific work is primarily focused on translational biomedical research with the potential to integrate scientific discoveries into clinical practice. She contributed to the establishment of methodologies for identifying families at increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer in Slovakia. In recent years, her research has focused on the role of the microbiome in cancer development and treatment. As a principal investigator, she has led several research projects, completed international laboratory training programs, and received multiple scientific awards.
She works closely with the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic to support the implementation of the National Oncology Programme. At the international level, she is actively involved in initiatives of the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). She is a member of EU expert groups, including the SPC HORIZON Mission on Cancer and the Sub-group on Cancer within the Public Health Expert Group. Currently, her work focuses on addressing inequalities in research, innovation, and access to quality cancer care in Central and Eastern Europe, and she actively contributes to projects supporting the implementation of the objectives of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.
In Slovakia, she coordinates or co-coordinates several European projects, including CraNE, EUnetCCC (European Network of Comprehensive Cancer Centres), CCI4EU, aimed at developing a comprehensive cancer care infrastructure, and EChoS, which establishes a network of national centers of the EU Mission on Cancer. She is also actively involved in the establishment of the Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CCC) and the nationwide Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructure (CCI). Within the EUNetCCC-JA, she serves as a member of the Steering Committee and the Policy Board, and co-leads the working group on collaboration in cancer research.
She is an external member of doctoral examination committees in the Study programs Oncology and Medical Biology and Clinical Genetics at the Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, and has long served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Cancer Research Foundation. She is strongly committed to disseminating the results of oncology research not only among professionals but also to patients and the general public. Cancer prevention is a particularly important theme of her work; for many years, she has been actively in science and education workshops at secondary schools and grammar schools, as well as public lectures and outreach activities aimed at increasing awareness of cancer among young people. She currently works closely with patient organizations and places strong emphasis on the active involvement of patients in oncology research and care.
She works closely with the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic to support the implementation of the National Oncology Programme. At the international level, she is actively involved in initiatives of the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). She is a member of EU expert groups, including the SPC HORIZON Mission on Cancer and the Sub-group on Cancer within the Public Health Expert Group. Currently, her work focuses on addressing inequalities in research, innovation, and access to quality cancer care in Central and Eastern Europe, and she actively contributes to projects supporting the implementation of the objectives of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.
In Slovakia, she coordinates or co-coordinates several European projects, including CraNE, EUnetCCC (European Network of Comprehensive Cancer Centres), CCI4EU, aimed at developing a comprehensive cancer care infrastructure, and EChoS, which establishes a network of national centers of the EU Mission on Cancer. She is also actively involved in the establishment of the Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CCC) and the nationwide Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructure (CCI). Within the EUNetCCC-JA, she serves as a member of the Steering Committee and the Policy Board, and co-leads the working group on collaboration in cancer research.
She is an external member of doctoral examination committees in the Study programs Oncology and Medical Biology and Clinical Genetics at the Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, and has long served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Cancer Research Foundation. She is strongly committed to disseminating the results of oncology research not only among professionals but also to patients and the general public. Cancer prevention is a particularly important theme of her work; for many years, she has been actively in science and education workshops at secondary schools and grammar schools, as well as public lectures and outreach activities aimed at increasing awareness of cancer among young people. She currently works closely with patient organizations and places strong emphasis on the active involvement of patients in oncology research and care.