Dr. Oleg Mirochnitchenko, biochemist and cell biologist, has extensive experience in characterization of properties of genetically modified animals with altered detoxification abilities and examining regulating signal transduction pathways leading to the pathological abnormalities. He is working on several projects:
 
1. Mechanism of transporters regulation by IRIP, eukaryotic member of Sua5/YrdC family
His laboratory discovered new protein IRIP capable of regulating activity of the several important cellular transporters including exogenous organic cation and anion transporters, monoamine transporters and ATP-binding transporters. The mechanism of this regulation and components of the signaling pathways mediating IRIP effects are under investigation.

2. To determine role of GSTM1 as a specific autism-related gene in mouse knockout model
The goal of this project is to test whether mice deficient in GSTM1 displays altered oxidative stress capacity and cell signaling, thereby making the animal more susceptible to toxicants. This susceptibility, in turn, results in developmental neurobehavioral deficits which dominate the clinical expression of autism. Several model systems are employed to evaluate detoxifying capabilities of knockout mice and characterize function of neuronal and glial signaling pathways mediating brain cells proliferation, differentiation and programmed cell death.

3. Gene Therapy for Prostate Cancer Using Bacterial Suicide Systems
Gene therapy represents a powerful new alternative for cancer treatment. In this project he is creating new tissue-specific cytotoxic recombinant adeno-associated viruses (AAVs), with which bacterial toxins, such as MazF (mRNA interferase that cleaves cellular mRNAs in a sequence-specific manner) can be delivered to prostate cancer cells to induce their death. Human cancer cell lines and mouse in vivo prostate cancer models are employed.

4. Role of oxidative stress and environmental toxicants-induced Parkinson’s disease
Another project he is currently working on in collaboration is Parkinson’s disease model induced by combination of environmental toxicants. Collaborative studies indicate that transgenic animals with antioxidant enzymes are protected against paraquat + maneb induced Parkinson’s disease. Among critical pathways of neurotoxicity, several key pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins were identified as well as upstream stress-induced cascades. He is currently investigating the mechanism of selective vulnerability of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra to paraquat+maneb neurotoxicity.