Since 2020 Iana has been working as a postdoctoral research fellow at the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology studying the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans. Iana's project utilises mammalian cell culture infection models to study host-pathogen interactions. She has also successfully established a microfluidics-based approach to analyse adhesion of C. albicans under conditions of physiological flow. This is important because this fungus is thought to colonise indwelling catheters of patients from the circulation.
During a previous postdoctoral position at the Department of Microsystem Engineering, University of Freiburg, Germany, Iana used spheroid technology to develop a method of clarification of spheroids on microfluidic chip (CLARITY assay). Spheroids are rounded compacted cell aggregates that mimic human tissues. To achieve greater transparency for microscopy, spheroids may need clarification, which includes embedding in hydrogel and removing lipid content. Iana now plans to combine her unique skill set to develop a novel model to study Candida infection in 3D microenvironment.
Iana works on developing biofilm imaging methods with refractive index adjustment. Her recent image of Goliath biofilm was included in an art exhibition at the University of Exeter.