Alena Shyla

The project within the framework of European Consortium Cardiorisk was focused on the analysis of time-dependent morphological and functional changes in mouse heart mitochondria after localized moderate and low dose X-ray exposure. Barjaktarovic Z, Schmaltz D, Shyla A, Azimzadeh A, Schulz S, Haagen J, Dörr W, Sarioglu H, Schäfer A, Atkinson MJ, Zischka H, Tapio S. Radiation–Induced Signaling Results in Mitochondrial Impairment in Mouse Heart at 4 Weeks after Exposure to X-Rays. PLoS ONE 2011; 6(12):1-15

Scientific topic: Analysis of genetic alterations in MENX-associated rat pheochromocytoma. Shyla A, Hölzlwimmer G, Calzada-Wack J, Bink K, Tischenko O, Guilly MN, Chevillard S, Samson E, Graw J, Atkinson MJ, and Pellegata NS. Allelic loss of chromosomes 8 and 19 in MENX-associated rat pheochromocytoma. Int J Cancer 2010;126(10):2362-72.

The study involved analysis of chromosomal alterations in radiation-induced osteosarcomas in mice using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis. Methods: metaphase FISH, interphase FISH on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) osteosarcoma samples. Software: Axiovision Rel.4.6, Zeiss LSM Image Browser and Isis FISH Imaging System. Supervision of Master of Science candidates.

The PhD project was focused on the elucidation of genetic alterations in adrenal medullary tumors (pheochromocytoma) in a rat model of multiple endocrine neoplasia (named MENX). A set of methods such as genome-wide screening for loss of heterozygosity (LOH) or allelic imbalance (AI), microsatellite fragment analysis, array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis, real-time quantitative RT-PCR (TaqMan), sequencing, analysis of genes of interest was used.

Research programm included analysis of immunoglobulin G (IgG) glycosylation in patients with acute pancreatitis. Column chromatography with different sorbents (concanavalin A, Helix, Ulex, LL-Sepharose) was used to distinguish between different carbohydrate residues of IgG. Other areas of work involved laboratory managment and tutorial actiity. I was responsible for student's practicum "Recombinant protein expression (bovine adrenodoxin) and purification in E.coli” associated with Molecular Medicine course.

Research was focused on the estimation of proliferative activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with preclinical and clinical hypothyroidism.