Oleksiy Shevchenko




Oleksiy Shevchenko

POSITION
Associate Professor

WORK EXPERIENCE

2019 – Present time
Associate Professor, PhD,
ESC ‘Institute of Biology and Medicine’,
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, (Ukraine) 

2007–Present
Head of the Research Laboratory, PhD, Senior Research Fellow 
ESC ‘Institute of Biology’ 
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, (Ukraine) 

2004–2007

Research Fellow, PhD.
Virology Department, Biology Faculty
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, (Ukraine)

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

2013

Certificate of Senior Research Fellow

2011

Training in Clinical Trials, Kyiv, UKRAINE

2009

Training in Biosafety, Kyiv, UKRAINE

2008 – 2012

Reader in ‘Virology’ and ‘Virology of microorganisms’, Open International University of Human Development ‘Ukraine’, Kyiv, UKRAINE

2004 – 2005

Training at Molecular Phytopathology Lab, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of Edinburgh, UNITED KINGDOM

2004

PhD Diploma

2001 – 2004

PhD studentship, Virology, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, UKRAINE

1996 – 2001

MS degree with highest distinction, Microbiology and Virology, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, UKRAINE

Awards and certificates

Certificate of Senior Research Fellow, 2013

Grant of the President of Ukraine, 2011

GMP certificate in Clinical Trials, 2011

Diploma of the Rector of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv for advances in educational, pedagogical and scientific work, 2010

Award of the Parliament of Ukraine for the most gifted young scientists in fundamental and applied research, 2009

Chevening Technology Enterprise Scholarship (CTES Award), United Kingdom, 2004 – 2005

PhD Diploma, 2004



Virus ecology, epidemiology and diagnostics

Research Fields:
Environment/Ecology
Biotechnology

Previous and Current Research

  1. Biodiversity of plant viruses in Ukraine
  2. Diagnostics of plant viruses of important crops
  3. Development and spread of viral infections in transformed environment
  4. Cellular aspects of virus infections in stressed plants
  5. Physiology and adaptive potential of plants subjected to biotic and abiotic stress factors
  6. Molecular typing and mechanisms of evolutionary adaptation of viruses of cultural and wild flora in Ukraine

 The objects under epidemiological and evolutional study are viruses infecting cereal, oil, vegetable, melon, fruit and decorative cultures, technical and medicinal plants, wild-growing plants, etc. Apart from epidemiological issues, we pay great attention to the study of environmental stress factors’ impact (primarily, chronic influence of radioactive irradiation and heavy metals’ contamination) on the development of plant virus infections at tissue and plant level, and on their spread in the ecosystems. We have achieved several principally novel blocks of fundamental data on the peculiarities of visual symptoms’ appearance and cytopathology of virus infections, systemic transport of viruses in the conditions of anthropogenically modified ecosystems.

  For the first time in Ukraine we have detected the following plant viruses inducing significant crop losses:

  • Wheat dwarf virus
  • Barley mild mosaic bymovirus
  • Wheat spindle streak mosaic bymovirus
  • Cereal soil-borne mosaic furovirus
  • Zucchini yellow mosaic virus
  • Watermelon mosaic virus 2
  • Pepino mosaic virus
  • Pepper mild mottle virus
  • Turnip mosaic virus

  Phylogenetic analysis became a major direction of the research of our group. We have studied phylogenetic relationships of novel and known viruses isolated in Ukraine to compare them with published sequences.  

  We also study viral infections of medicinal plants (Panax ginseng, Echinacea purpurea, Valeriana officinalis, Mentha piperita, Plantago major, Lophantus adans, etc.), virus impact on physiology of infected plants (content of carbohydrates, photosynthetic pigments, and biologically active compounds) and adaptive potential of plants subjected to biotic and abiotic stress factors.

  Another direction of our efforts is focused on biological protection of plants against bacterial diseases using viruses of bacteria. We have 20 years of experience of dealing with viruses (phages) of plant bacteria infecting many important crops, collected a wide panel of active virus isolates, and have developed pilot virus preparations active against certain strains of Erwinia and Pseudomonas endangering commercial production in agri-, horti- and floriculture. The developed technology may also be adopted for generating virus-based preparations virtually against any bacterial disease of plants. The benefits include high activity and specificity, ecologically friendly technology, and biological safety.


Figure 1. Screening of symptomatic crops for viruses: ELISA and PCR



Figure 2. The logic behind designing ELISA- and PCR-based kits for virus diagnostics



Figure 3. Plant viruses easily spread (top) and accumulate (bottom) in plants subjected to radioactive/heavy metal stress




Figure 4. Heavy metal stress induce malformation of cytoplasmic viral inclusions (top right) and greater accumulation of viral particles in cell organelles (bottom right). Top left and bottom left pictures show healthy variants




Figure 5. Virus infections described for commercial plantings of Valeriana officinalis (top row) and Echinacea purpurea (bottom row)




Figure 6. UPGMA phylogenetic tree showing fully sequenced Ukrainian isolates (green circles) and the relationships among known isolates of Wheat dwarf virus




Figure 7. The logic behind phage therapy: pathogenic bacteria are killed by specific phage(s)

Future Projects and Goals

  1. Screening for most economically important plant viruses in cultivated and wild-growing plants for biosafety and biosecurity
  2. Design of diagnostic kits for plant viruses
  3. Introduction of virus research and diagnostics into agricultural practices in Ukraine for sustainable production

Methodological and Technical Expertise

  • Common field/lab techniques in virology
  • Laboratory animal handling, antiserum generation
  • Light/fluorescent/electron microscopy
  • Molecular and biotech techniques (PCR/RT-PCR, ELISA, gel electrophoresis, gene cloning, plant transformation, etc.)
  • Plant virus control and risk assessment
  • Reader in ‘Virology’, ‘Virology of microorganisms’

Selected Publications

Shevchenko O.V., Budzanivska I.G., Patyka V.P., Boyko A.L., Polischuk V.P., 2003, “Influence of heavy metals on the development of plant virus infections. Textbook, Kyiv, Phytosociocenter, 224 p.

Polischuk V.P., Shevchenko T.P., Budzanivska I.G., Shevchenko A.V., Demyanenko F.P., Boyko A.L. Effects of Radioactive and Chemical Pollution on Plant Virus Frequency Distribution, pp. 87-92. In: Brechignac F. and Desmet G. (eds.) Equidosimetry (NATO Security through Science Series, Environmental Security, Vol.2.). –Springer, 2005.

Shevchenko O., Kamzel O., Budzanivska I., Shevchenko T., Spaar D., Polischuk V. Heavy metal soil contamination delays the appearance of virus-induced symptoms on potato but favours virus accumulation // Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection, -2006, 40:6, 406 - 413.

Polischuk V.P., Shevchenko O.V., Budzanivska I.G., Shevchenko T.P. Abiotic environmental factors: effects on epidemiology of plant virus infections, pp.121-132. In: Cooper J.I. et al. (eds.) Virus Diseases and Crop Biosecurity (NATO Security through Science Series). –Springer, 2006.

Vlugt van der R., Verbeek M., Polischuk V., Shevchenko O., Semchuk L. Bacteriophages: therapeuticals and alternative applications. COGEM Report, Netherlands, 2008, -75 P.

Dmitriev A., Shevchenko O., Polischuk V., and Guscha N. Effects of low dose chronic radiation and heavy metals on plants and their fungal and virus infections // Data Science Journal. –V.8. -2009. –pp.49-66.

Tobias I., Shevchenko O., Kiss B., Bysov A., Snihur H., Polischuk V., Salanki K., Palkovics L. Comparison of the Nucleotide Sequences of Wheat Dwarf Virus (WDV) isolates from Hungary and Ukraine // Polish Journal of Microbiology. -2011. -V.60, No.2. -pp.125-131.

Dmitriev A.P., Shevchenko O.V., Polischuk V.P., Guscha N.I. Chapter XVII: Effects of low dose chronic radiation and heavy metals on plant-pathogen interactions, pp.229-243. In: Burlakova E.B., Naydich V.I. (eds.) The lessons of Chernobyl: 25 years later. –Nova Science Publishers, 2012.

Shevchenko T.P., Tymchyshyn O.V., AlDalain E., Bysov A.S., Budzanivska I.G., Shevchenko O.V., Polishchuk V.P. The first evidence of subgroup IB isolates of Cucumber mosaic virus in Ukraine // Biopolymers and Cell. – 2015. – V.31, N.1. – P.57-62.

Shihur H., Petrenko S., Kot T., Shevchenko O., Polischuk V. (2018) Widespread viral diseases endangering cereal crops in Ukraine. Microbiol J 80(3):103–114

Shevchenko T.P., Tymchyshyn O.V., Kosenko I.A., Budzanivska I.G., Shevchenko O.V., Polishchuk V.P. (2018) Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of Ukrainian isolates of Cucumber mosaic virus based on the partial sequences of three genes. Âiopolymers and Cell 34(1): 32-40.

Tymchyshyn O., Kosenko I., Shevchenko T., Shevchenko O., Budzanivska I. (2018) Phylogenetic analysis of see-transmitted isolate of Zucchini yellow mosaic virus. Bulletin of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv-Biology 74(2): 46-50.

Shevchenko O., Yasaka R., Tymchyshyn O., Shevchenko T., Ohshima K. (2018) First evidence of the occurrence of Turnip mosaic virus in Ukraine and molecular characterization of its isolate. Journal of Phytopathology 166 (6): 429-437.

Snihur H., Shevchenko T., Sherevera K., Budzanivska I., Shevchenko O. (2019) First report of onion yellow dwarf virus in Ukraine. Journal of Plant Pathology 101(4): 1283–1283.

Snihur H., Pozhylov I., Budzanivska I., Shevchenko O. (2019) First report of onion yellow dwarf virus in Ukraine. Journal of Plant Pathology https://doi.org/10.1007/s42161-019-00435-y

Pozhylov I., Rudnieva T., Shevchenko T., Shevchenko O., Tsvigun V. (2019) Phylogenetic analysis of coat protein gene of tomato mosaic virus isolates circulating in Ukraine. Bulletin of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv-Biology 77(1): 44-50.

Contacts

Homepage: http://biology.univ.kiev.ua/naukovo-doslidna-baza/department-of-experimental-biology/ndl-virusologiji/shtat-ndl-virusologiji/816-shevchenko-oleksij-volodimirovich.html


Address: Department of Virology, ESC ‘Institute of Biology and Medicine’, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, building 12, 2 Glushkova av., Kyiv, Ukraine, 03187

Tel.: (+380 44) 5213502 (working hours)

ResearchGate profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Oleksiy_Shevchenko?ev=hdr_xprf&_sg=fBo6vMgafsFcPV9XEWBeShQRubmhiKv08l4yRfvqqlFXj27_WrxdCovWIsK--mrR896c89A9UlwQ950JPhx8nJa2

alexshevchenko@ukr.net