Dr. Merita Kucuku | Western Balkans University

Dr. Merita Kucuku

Lecturer
Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences and Imaging
Faculty of Technical Medical Sciences
Bio
Education
Publications
With 15 years of experience in the field of safety and efficacy & regulatory issues of vaccines in the National Agency for Medicines & Medical Devices (NAMMD). Also, experience in environmental issues as an expert or drafter of projects. Experience in control laboratory issues.

  • 2006- 2012   Head of the National Regulatory Authority of Vaccines & Immunobiological Products in Albania. 
  • 1997-2002  Chairwoman of “ARBERIA” Women Association in Albania
  • 2018- 2021 Head of Control Laboratory, National Agency for Medicines & Medical Devices

  • Trained from WHO for Safety and Adverse Events Following Immunization of Vaccines, Sweden, Morocco, Tunisia
  • Trained on:” Good Manufacturing Practices” course, arranged by WHO, KFDA, Seoul- South Korea
  • Trained for Vaccine Quality Control Technology BIKEN Institute Japan.
  • Trained for Quality Assurance/Quality Control measures pesticide residue analytical laboratories”, Siebersdorf, Vienna Austria
  • Trained for Instrumental Analysis HPLC-MS & GC, GC- MS Helsinki University Finland & Delft University Netherlands.
  • Different trainings for Environmental issues: SEA, EIA from Sida Sweden, Croatia, Ukraine.

2017- 2020 Drafter of the project: “Strengthening sound chemicals and pharmaceutical waste management in Albania” which was implemented by the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and National Agency for Medicines & Medical Devices, financed from UNO
·         Temporary Expert of WHO
·         External expert for the safety of vaccines in pregnancy women Maryland USA
·         National expert on the identification of populations at risks and gender dimensions under MIA project, UNDP, Feb. 1- May 30, 
2018 
·         Expert in the project:” Strengthening of capacities for chemical management in Albania”, arranged from UNITAR 2011-2013
·         Lecturer part-time at University “Aleksander Moisiu”, Durres, currently lecturer at University “Aleksander Xhuvani” Elbasan 
·         Mentor for scientific research of master students, Camerino University Italy
·         Member of the international working group for the safety of vaccines with GAIA WG, Brighton Collaboration, CDC, FDA., AIFA Italy.
·         Different experiences for presentation at National & International conferences, author and co-author for articles published in national and international journals.
·         Academic editor and member of the editorial board in international journals.
 
  • 2003- 2006 Study Master Degree 
  • 2007- 2010 Study PhD
·         Quality Control of Medicines and the role of quality control Laboratory EC Clinical and Medical Case Reports
·         Adjuvants, their role and safety profile in vaccines, EC Clinical and Medical Case Reports, Volume 6 Issue 5-2023
·         Vaccines against Rotavirus, Data Based on a Study for Safety and Efficacy, EC Clinical and Medical Case Reports, Volume 6 Issue 1, 51-64, January 2023. 
·         Neonatal seizures: Case Definition& Guidelines for Data Collection, Analysis, and Presentation of Immunization Safety Data,  2019 Dec 10;37(52):7596-7609. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.05.031.
·         Regulatory System: Safety and Efficacy of Vaccines, J Vaccines Vaccine 2017, Vol 9(1): 380 DOI: 10.4172/2157-7560.1000380
·         The safety of yellow fever vaccines, international experience for different cases, Adv. Tech. in Biol. and Med. 2017, 5:1 doi:10.4172/2379-1764.1000204
·         Spontaneous abortion and ectopic pregnancy: Case Definition & Guidelines for data collection, analysis, and presentation of maternal immunization safety data, Vaccine Volume 35, Issue 48, Part A, 4 Dec. 2017, Pg 6563-6574
·         Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Case definition and guidelines for data collection, analysis and presentation of immunization safety data
·         Kawasaki disease and immunization: Standardised case definition & guidelines for data collection, analysis, Vaccine, 2016 Dec 12; 34(51):6582-6596. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.09.025. Epub 2016 Nov 15. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27863715
·         Spontaneous reports of vasculitis as an adverse event following immunization: A descriptive analysis across three international databases , Vaccine 2015 Sep 18. pii: S0264-410X(15)01293-1. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.09.027. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26392009
·         Vasculitis as an adverse event following immunization-Systematic literature review, Vaccine 2015 Sep 19. pii: S0264-410X(15)01292-X. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.09.026. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26398442 
·         A Review of flaviviruses and flavivirus vaccines, Journal of Natural &   Technical Sciences, Vol.XIX (2), 37-45, 2014 Albanian Academy of Science, Tirana Albania)
·         The Role of pharmacovigilance on control of vaccines, JRM 7(1), 42-45, 2012
·         Analysis of Mercurial Preservatives in Different Vaccines by Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry, Journal of Analytical Science And Technology, Vol. 3(1), page 121-127, March 2012
·         Safety of Tetanus Toxoid Vaccine for Pregnant Women, JRM, Vol. 5, N0 1, page 92-93, June 2010.
·          Investigation of the robustness of determination method of thimerosal in DTP  vaccine, Medical Bulletin of Medical Faculty Tirana Albania No 12008, page 95-98.
·         Dependence of absorbance of thimerosal preservative in DTP vaccine with Calibration curve method and additives standards method by  Spectrophotometer; Journal of Science Academy of Azerbaijan, ”Power Engineering Problems”, No.1, 2008, page 111-118, Azerbaijan.
·          Composition of meningococcal and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines; Medical Journal of Institute of Public Health of Albania, Tirana Albania No 1, 2008, page 77-89.
·         Vaccine for treatment of Melanoma, Medical Journal of Institute of Public Health Tirana, Albania, No.1, 2008, page 99-109.
·          Dependence of thiomersal’s absorbance vs time in DTP vaccine, Journal, Macedonia, Medicus No 1, 2009, page 14-18).