Prof. Ivica Grgurević, M.D., Ph.D.
Born in 1972, Split, Croatia where he completed his Elementary and High School. Prof. Grgurević graduated at University of Zagreb School of Medicine in 1997 with summa cum laude. He completed his Ph.D. study in 2001 at University of Zagreb School of Medicine, and successfuly defended his MSc and Ph.D. theses in 2007th and 2010th respectivelly, both in the field of clinical medicine - hepatology. He completed residency in Internal medicine in 2004. and Fellowship in Gastroenetrology and Hepatology in 2008th, both at University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb. He is bord certified consultant in Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology. He attended postgraduate education on several occasions in prestigious European Gastroenterology and Hepatology centers: Medical School Hannover, Germany (Hepatology and Ultrasound), University of Bologna, Italy (Endoscopic ultrasound) and Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, University College London, Royal Free Hospital, Sheila Sherlock liver Centre, London, UK (Hepatology). He works at Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Nutrition, University hospital Dubrava Zagreb from 2000 till now. From the year 2011 he has been appointed as the Head of Hepatology division within the department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical nutrition, and from the October 2016. he has been promoted to the Head of the Department.
Prof. Grgurević is experienced with all ultrasonographic methods, both diagnostic and interventional for digestive diseases. He performs upper and lower GI endoscopy with interventional procedures including endoscopic ultrasound (EUS+FNA and drainage procedures) except for ERCP. He performs transjugular liver biopsy and invasive measurement of portal pressure (HVPG) as well. He has introduced several novel methods in the field of gastroenterology and hepatology both in his hospital and Croatia: Quantitative real-time ultrasound elastography, from 2011th (1st in Croatia); Contrast-enchanced ultrasound in hepatology from 2014th (1st in Croatia) and invasive measurement of portal pressure from 2015th (HVPG; 1st in Croatia).
His principal scientific interests are in the field of Hepatology and ultrasound applications in clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. The main focuses in liver diseases are development and/or regression of liver fibrosis and evolution of cirrhosis. With his team and in cooperation with other institutions he investigates pathogenetic role of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) and related molecules, as well as potential therapeutic applicability of BMPs or BMP antibodies. They investigate the validity of non-invasive methods for assesment of severitiy of liver disease and portal hypertension with special emphasis on ultrasonographic methods such as quantitative elastography (SWE) and doppler assesment of hemodynamic changes in hepatoportal circulation during evolution of liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and portal hypertension. In this area they also investigate elastographic characteristics of different types of liver tumors. By EUS and transabdominal colour doppler ultrasound they have described different forms of portal cavernoma following portal vein thrombosis, their clinical presentation and impact on natural history in these patients.
He published 18 papers in Current Contents, 14 papers in other indexes, more than 80 congress abstracts, 4 chapters in University manuals and 4 chapters in other books. These publications have been cited 168 times in Web of Science database (H-index 6). He serves as the reviewer for several international and domestic medical journals. He gave more than 40 invited lectures at different international and domestic scientific meetings. He recieved Travel grant for the abstract presented at United European Gastroenterology Week in Stockholm 2011th, and was awarded the best poster in the cathegory of Liver imaging at United European Gastroenterology Week in Vienna 2016th. He organized several domestic and international scientific meetings in the field of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Prof. Grgurević is the member of several domestic and international professional and scientific associations in Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Ultrasound. He was Secretary general of the Croatian Society of Gastroenterology 2013 - 2016, and currently serves as the President of the Ultrasound section of the Croatian Society of Gastroenterology, and as the Vice-president of the Croatian Society for the Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology. From 2012 he has been promoted to Assistant Professor at University of Zagreb. He participates as the teacher at several undergraduate and postgraduate studies at University of Zagreb School of Medicine and Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry. He mentored 9 students at making their diploma theses.
