Biography:

Taras Oleksyk studies genetics, epidemiology and genomics as a Scientist II in the Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, and, at the same time, teaches Phylogenetics and Comparative Genomics as the Adjunct Professor, Johns Hopkins University, Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Advanced Academic Programs, Rockville, MD.  He as joined the Lbaratory on Postdoctoral Fellowship from the National Institutes of Health after Obtaining his Ph.D. in Toxicology from the Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA in 2001.  His doctoral research was in the population genetics of vertebrate populations exposed to environmental radioactivity in Chernobyl .  He received his MS in Biology from Bowling Green State University , Bowling Green , OH , and his Undegraduate Diploma from the Uzhgorod National University , Uzhgorod , Ukraine in 1992.

Research:

My main research interests are population genetics and genomics, and can be directly applied to the field of conservational biology.  I received my doctoral training at the University of Georgia 's Institute of Ecology and combined it with the strong molecular genetics background developed in genetic epidemiology and genomics at the NCI.  My research strengths are a combination of strong organizational skills both in the field and the lab, combined with computational and statistics background (mainly in SAS).

Recently, I developed a computational algorithm to screen genomes on a segmental chromosomal basis to identify genomic sites involved in adaptation by comparing allele frequencies and population divergence.  The attractiveness of our approach is that regions of selection can be identified without building expensive databases like HAPMAP, rather it can rely on relatively cheap genotyping technologies that are becoming available at this time (such as Affymetrix chips).  This algorithm allows studies of selection where dense genotyping not be available on the scale currently applied for the populations included in the HapMap. 

Concurrently, I am involved in research comparing human genomes with the genomes of chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans to identify insertions and deletions that contribute most to disease sensitivity in our species ( Volfovsky et al., 2006 in preparation ). We are also looking for genomic regions associated with disease occurrence or progression based on the extent of the local admixture in the patients using a technique called mapping by admixture linkage disequilibrium (MALD)( Oleksyk et al., 2006 in preparation) . 

I also participate in several conservation genetics projects including the study of cattails and yellow-neck mice in the radioactively contaminated areas around the Chernobyl reactor (Oleksyk et al. 2002, 2004; Tsuysko et al. 2006), and while-tailed deer across the American continent (Purdue et al. 2006).  My former teacher, Michael H. Smith and I are in the process of publishing a book on spatial and temporal heterogeneity of deer populations.  I have also been reviewing articles for several journals including Journal of Mammalogy, Journal of Environmental Radioactivity and Journal of Heredity.

My training is foremost in genetics and genomics, and if given the opportunity, I would like to develop a program focusing identification of genes involved in adaptation by studying populations of organisms that have been exposed to selective pressures by their environments.  Identifying such genes would provide an exciting opportunity for studying evolutionary histories of these species, as well as for design of population-specific conservation strategies. I would be applying the technology, methods, knowledge and scientific collaboration networks that I developed while working at the National Cancer Institute, NIH.  I would be very happy to receive this kind of opportunity because it fits very closely both my scientific background and my interests.

Publications:

Purdue, J. R., T. K. Oleksyk , and Michael H. Smith.   Independent occurrences of multiple repeats in the control region of mitochondrial DNA of white-tailed deer.  Journal of Heredity, 97(3): 235-243, 2006

Tsyusko, O.V., Michael H. Smith, T. K. Oleksyk, Julia Goryanaya, and Travis C. Glenn.  Radiation effects of the Chornobyl accident on the genetics of cattails.  Molecular Ecology, 15(9): 2611-2625, 2006

Shrestha, S., S.A Strathdee, N. Galai, T.K. Oleksyk, D. Fallin, D. Schaid, D. Vlahov, D. Thomas, S. J. O'Brien, and M.W. Smith . Behavioral Risk Exposure and Host Genetics of Susceptibility to HIV-1 Infection. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 193:16-26, 2006

Oleksyk, T. K, C. L. Thio, A.L. Truelove, J.J. Goedert, S.M. Donfield, G.D. Kirk, D.L. Thomas, S.J. O'Brien, and M.W. Smith. Single nucleotide polymorphisms and haplotypes in the IL10 region associated with HCV clearance.  Genes and Immunity, 6(4):347-57, 2005

Oleksyk, T.K ., L.G.  Goldfarb, S. Shrestha, S.J. O'Brien, and M.W. Smith. Associations of the inflammatory gene polymorphisms and the Viliuisk Encephalomyelitis syndrome. European Journal of Immunogenetics, 31:121-128, 2004

Oleksyk, T.K ., M.H. Smith, J.M. Novak, J.R. Purdue, and S.P. Gashchak. High levels of fluctuating asymmetry in populations of Apodemus flavicollis from the most contaminated areas in Chornobyl. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 73:1-20, 2004

Oleksyk, T.K., F.B. Golley, O.S. Sydor, R. Kish, M.H. Smith and S. Shevera. Eugene Odum: Nature has answers to the questions we ask [In Ukrainian]. Visnyk Nacionalnoi Akademii Nauk Ukrainy (Herald of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences), 6: 61-65, 2003

Smith, M.H., T. K. Oleksyk , and O. Tsyusko-Omeltchenko.  Effect of trophic level on the radiocesium frequency distribution in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems at Chornobyl and nuclear sites in the United States .  In: Proceedings of the International Symposium: Transfer of Radionuclides in Biospere - Prediction and Assessment.  Mito Japan December 18-19, 2002.  Japanese Atomic Energy Research Institute.  Amano, H. and S. Uchida (eds.). pp. 37-48, 2003

Oleksyk, T.K., M.H. Smith, T.G. Glenn, J.R. Purdue, C.H. Jagoe, and M.W. Smith. Radioactivity and genetic diversity in populations of Apodemus flavicollis from Chornobyl , Ukraine . In: International Conference on Radioactivity in the Environment. Eds. P. Borretzen, T. Jolle and P. Strand. Monaco: The International Union of Radioecology (IUR), in association with the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA), and the Journal of Environmental Radioactivity (JER), and in co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), pp. 167-171, 2002

Oleksyk, T.K ., S.P. Gaschak, T.C. Glenn, C.H. Jagoe, J.D. Peles, J.R. Purdue, O.V. Tsyusko, O.O. Zalissky, and M.H. Smith . Frequency distributions of 137 Cs in fish and mammal populations. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 61:55-74, 2002.

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