Mirjana Popadić

From a young age, I was fascinated by the complexity of the human body and inspired by the ability of medicine to transform suffering into healing. This combination of intellectual curiosity and a commitment to helping others led me to pursue a career in medicine, where I strive to bridge scientific discovery with patient care every day.

Mirjana Popadić, MD, MSc, is a Dermatovenereologist-Oncologist at the healthcare system Medigroup

Dr Mirjana Popadić is a Dermatovenereologist-Oncologist and researcher specializing in Dermato-Oncology. She completed her undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade. She specialized in Dermatovenerology at the Institute of Dermatovenerology, University Clinical Center of Serbia in Belgrade. She completed her subspecialization in the field of Oncology at the Institute of Oncology and Radiology of Serbia in Belgrade.

Dr Mirjana Popadić worked at the Dermatovenerology Clinic of the University Clinical Centre of Serbia in Belgrade for more than two decades. Alongside her clinical and research activities, Dr. Popadić was actively involved in teaching as assistant Professor, within the Dermatovenerology program at the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, and supervises student theses. She is now working at Medigroup, the largest health care system in the region, where she continues to do research in the field of Dermato-Oncology.

For her success in research work, in 2013 the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia awarded her the title of Primarius, and in 2014 she was the winner of The Eastern European Dermatology Research Award. In 2015, the Serbian Medical Association awarded her a Certificate of Appreciation for her success in working with patients and in medical research.
Dr. Popadić is an active member of numerous professional associations, and she published more than 60 scientific papers in national and international journals and congresses. 

Advancing skin cancer diagnosis: The potential of vertical ex vivo dermoscopy

Dr. Mirjana Popadić's research focuses on vertical ex vivo dermoscopy, aiming to enhance the diagnosis of skin malignancies in clinical practice. Vertical ex vivo dermoscopy, is a technique that applies dermoscopy to a vertical section of excised tissue to identify new structures that could help diagnose skin malignancies more accurate. The study aims to define, describe, and assess the importance of these dermoscopic structures in diagnosing malignant skin lesions and in evaluating tumor margins. 

Vertical ex vivo dermoscopy is a fast and affordable method that can offer an initial assessment of the type and extent of skin tumors, potentially improving diagnosis accuracy. Allowing visualization of tumor margins, this technique could reduce recurrence rates in patients with skin malignancies. 

In the future, applying this method to fresh tissue, would further aiding surgeons by providing quicker estimates of resection margins, resembling a provisional dermoscopic version of the Mohs technique. This research, conducted at two University centers, could be a breakthrough in making skin cancer diagnoses more efficient and effective in everyday clinical settings.

Balancing medicine, research and personal life

For Dr Popadić, balancing a demanding career with her personal life is essential and she finds strength in spending quality time with her family and friends. These relationships serve as a vital source of support and inspiration for her work, grounding her and fueling her drive to tackle complex medical challenges. 

In her free time, she enjoys shopping, traveling and exploring nature through walks, which help clear her mind, as well as unwinding with an interesting TV show and a warm cup of coffee. These moments of relaxation and reflection are key to maintaining her energy and passion for both her clinical duties and research endeavors. Dr. Popadić’s decision to pursue medicine was driven by a deep desire to make a meaningful impact on people's lives. Fascinated by the human body and inspired by the transformative power of medicine, she strives to bridge scientific discovery with patient care every day.