MEELIS KADAJA

Phone: +372 51 848 72

E-mail: meelis.kadaja@gmail.com

Education
2013 – 2015 University of Tartu, MBA (cum laude). Entrepreneurship and
Technology management, Internationalization
2002 – 2009 University of Tartu, Ph.D. Virology
2001 – 2002 University of Tartu, M.Sc. Virology
2001 summer Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Undergraduate Research Program,
Virology
1997 – 2001 University of Tartu, B.S. Molecular Biology and Genetics. Graduated
cum laude.

Professional and Research Experience

2014-present Director of Business Development, Icosagen Cell Factory (Estonia).
Commercialization of technologies for biological therapeutics, entry
into the foreign markets, developing customer relationships.
Negotiating with partners. Leading team of 5 people.
2012 Visiting Assistant Professor in the Bard-Rockefeller Semester in
Science (BRSS) Program. Served as a “Functional Genomics” course
instructor for an advanced science undergraduates.
2009-2013 Postdoctoral studies with Prof. Elaine Fuchs, The Rockefeller
University (USA). Studying the mechanisms governing adult tissue
specific stem cell maintenance in skin.
2002 – 2009 Ph.D. thesis with Prof. Mart Ustav, University of Tartu (Estonia).
Studying the ability of human papillomavirus replication machinery to
induce genomic instability in its host cell.
2001 – 2002 M.Sc. thesis with Prof. Mart Ustav, University of Tartu(Estonia).
Studied the effect of p53 to the replication of bovine papillomavirus
type 1 in vitro.
2001 summer Undergraduate research with Arne Stenlund, Cold Spring Harbor
Laboratory (USA). Setup of the replication system in vitro for bovine
papillomavirus type 1.
1998 – 2001 Undergraduate research with Dr. Ivar Ilves, University of Tartu
(Estonia). Studied the different replication modes of bovine
papillomavirus type 1.
 Meelis Kadaja

Mentoring, teaching and other work

2004 – 2009 Volunteer science teacher, Students' Research Society in Estonia.
Developed lectures and taught basic molecular biology theory and
lab techniques to high school students.
2002 – 2009 Mentor of graduate students in the lab of Prof. Mart Ustav.
2006 – 2008 Consultant, developed lectures and taught young African scientists
how to participate in the EU´s 7th Framework Programme for
Research and Technological Development.
2004 – 2006 Estonian delegate and National Contact Point in Life Sciences,
EU´s 6th Framework Programme for Research and Technological
Development.
2002 – 2005 Tutor, practical courses in Virology, University of Tartu.

Honors and Awards

2010 HFSPO Postdoctoral Fellowship
2010 Fellowship from New York Stem Cell Foundation
2008 1st prize research publication, Centre of Excellence for Gene and
Environment Technology, Estonia
2007 Celecure Scholarship
2007 3rd prize in Health Sciences, Estonian Students Contest of Research, PhD
level
2004, 2006 Kristjan Jaak Scholarship
2003 Estonian World Council Scholarship
1999, 2002 Estonian Students Foundation Scholarship
2002 Artur Lind’s Scholarship
2001 Shakespeare Foundation scholarship, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
1999 Tartu University Foundation Scholarship

Publications
1. Adam RC, Yang H, Rockowitz S, Larsen SB, Nikolova M, Oristian DS, Polak L,
Kadaja M, Asare A, Zheng D, Fuchs E. (2015) Pioneer factors govern super-
enhancer dynamics in stem cell plasticity and lineage choice. Nature, 21, 366-70.
2. Kadaja M., Keyes B.E., Lin M., Pasolli H.A., Genander M., Polak L., Stokes N.,
Zheng D., Fuchs E. (2014) SOX9: a stem cell transcriptional regulator of secreted
niche signaling factors. Genes & Development, 28, 328-41.
3. Reinson T., Toots M., Kadaja M., Pipitch R., Allik M., Ustav E., Ustav M. (2013)
Engagement of the ATR-dependent DNA damage response at the HPV18

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replication centers during the initial amplification. Journal of Virolology 87,

951-64.
4. Kadaja M., Isok-Paas H., Laos T., Ustav E., Ustav M. (2009) Mechanism of
Genomic Instability in Cells Infected with the High Risk Human
Papillomaviruses. PLoS Pathogens 2009 Apr;5(4): e1000397.
5. Kadaja M., Silla T., Ustav E., Ustav M. (2009) Papillomavirus DNA replication –
From initiation to genomic instability. Virology, 384, 360–8.
6. Kadaja M., Sumerina A., Verst T., Ojarand M., Ustav E., Ustav M. (2007)
Genomic instability of the host cell induced by the human papillomavirus
replication machinery. EMBO Journal, 26, 2180–91.
7. Ilves I., Kadaja M., Ustav M. (2003) Two separate replication modes of the
bovine papillomavirus BPV1 origin of replication that have different sensitivity to
p53. Virus Research, 96, 75–84.

Supervised three master’s theses:

Tormi Reinson, M.Sc (2009). Thesis: “Nonspecific DNA melting activity of HPV-18 E1
activates CHK2 kinase”, University of Tartu.
Anri Kivil, M.Sc (2004). Thesis: “The effect of the tumor suppressor protein p53 to the
replication of bovine papillomavirus type 1 in vitro”, University of Tartu.
Helena Faust, M.Sc (2005). Thesis: “The arginine-finger in E1 protein of bovine
papillomavirus 1”, University of Tartu.

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ANNEX I