Olena Stasyk

Olena Stasyk studied at the Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Ivan Franko State University of Lviv, from 1992 to 1997.

In 2008, she defended her PhD dissertation entitled “Identification of Novel Genes Involved in Catabolite Regulation in the Methylotrophic Yeast Hansenula polymorpha” in the specialty 03.00.11 – Cytology, Cell Biology, and Histology.

Professional Experience

1998–2005 – Engineer, First-Class Engineer, and Leading Engineer at the Department of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Cell Biology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (ICB NAS of Ukraine);

Since 2006 – Leading Engineer at the Department of Cell Signaling Mechanisms, ICB NAS of Ukraine;

2008–2025 – Junior Researcher at the Department of Cell Signaling Mechanisms, ICB NAS of Ukraine;

2010–2025 – Associate Professor at the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv;

Since 2025 – Senior Researcher at the Microbial Culture Collection of  Antibiotic Producers and, concurrently, Associate Professor at the Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv.

Individual Grants

2006 – Grant of the President of Ukraine for Gifted Youth for the project “Development of Domestic Genetically Engineered Yeast Producers of Medical Proteins (Human Insulin and Hepatitis B Vaccine)”.

2006 – FEMS Research Fellowship 2006-1: “Evaluation of the Physiological Roles of Transporter-like Glucose Sensors in the Methylotrophic Yeast Hansenula polymorpha and Human Pathogen Candida albicans.”

Collaborative Research Projects

2015–2019 – Research team member of the project “Modeling Molecular Processes Characteristic of Parkinson’s Disease in Yeast Cells and Analysis of the Effects of Exogenous and Endogenous Factors on Aggregation and Degradation of Human α-Synuclein” within the targeted interdisciplinary research program of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine “Molecular and Cellular Biotechnologies for Medicine, Industry, and Agriculture”.

2017–2019 – Principal Investigator of the state-funded research project Bh-48F “Investigation of the Mechanisms of Small-Molecule-Induced Autophagic Degradation of Aberrant Forms of Human α-Synuclein in Model Biosystems.”

2020–2022 – Research team member of Grant No. 872146 – RESBIOS – H2020-SwafS-2018-2020/H2020-SwafS-2019-1 “RESponsible Research and Innovation Grounding Practices in BIOSciences” (Horizon 2020).

Research Interests

Her principal research interests include:

• Catabolite regulation of methylotrophic metabolism;
• Mechanisms of peroxisome biogenesis and degradation in non-conventional yeasts;
• Development of novel Parkinson’s disease models based on eukaryotic microorganisms and human neuronal cell lines.

Selected Publications

• Demash DV, Stasyk OG, Vaskiv OV, Shuvaieva HYu, Tupychak MA, Vovk OI, Hromyko OM, Prokopiv AI, Stasyk OV. Method for Obtaining an Extract of the Leguminous Plant Indigofera spicata with Antimicrobial and Antitumor Properties. Utility Model Patent No. 160018, Ukraine, 2025.
• Stasyk OG, Stasyk OV. Production of Recombinant Proteins in the Methylotrophic Yeasts. In: Biotechnology of Yeasts and Filamentous Fungi. Springer International Publishing, 2024; 1–25.
• Nagalievska MR, Sabadashka MV, Stasyk OG, Sybirna NO. Open Science and Public Engagement for the Dissemination of Achievements of Life Sciences: Lessons Learned from Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. Studia Biologica. 2022;16(4):69–86.
• Nishtuk YV, Stasyk OV, Stasyk OG. Spermidine Activates Autophagy but Does Not Rescue Human Neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y Cells from the Effects of Arginine Starvation. Studia Biologica. 2022;16(3):35–48.
• Hrushanyk NV, Stasyk OV, Stasyk OG. Oxidative Stress Regulation in the Yeast Ogataea polymorpha Producer of Human α-Synuclein. The Ukrainian Biochemical Journal. 2020;92(5):120–133.
• Stasyk OG, Stasyk OV. Glucose Sensing and Regulation in Yeasts. In: Non-conventional Yeasts: From Basic Research to Application. Springer International Publishing, 2019; 477–519.
• Stasyk OG et al. Glucose Regulation in the Methylotrophic Yeast Hansenula (Ogataea) polymorpha Is Mediated by a Putative Transceptor Gcr1. International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology. 2018;103:25–34.
• Farré JC et al. A New Yeast Peroxin, Pex36, a Functional Homolog of Mammalian PEX16, Functions in the ER-to-Peroxisome Traffic of Peroxisomal Membrane Proteins. Journal of Molecular Biology. 2017;429(23):3743–3762.
• Petryk N et al. Functional Study of the Hap4-like Genes Suggests that the Key Regulators of Carbon Metabolism HAP4 and Oxidative Stress Response YAP1 in Yeast Diverged from a Common Ancestor. PLoS ONE. 2014;9(12).
• Stasyk OG et al. Identification of Hexose Transporter-like Sensor HXS1 and Functional Hexose Transporter HXT1 in the Methylotrophic Yeast Hansenula polymorpha. Eukaryotic Cell. 2008;7(4):735–746.

Textbooks and Teaching Materials

• Protein Chemistry: Textbook approved by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. Edited by N.O. Sybirna. Lviv: Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, 2010. 393 p.
• Methodological Guidelines for Independent Study in Biochemistry, Bioorganic Chemistry, Radiobiology, and Molecular Biology. Lviv: Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, 2013. 116 p.
• Comprehensive Biochemistry Practicum: Construction and Analysis of Hansenula polymorpha Methylotrophic Yeast Strains Capable of Producing Heterologous Proteins. Educational and methodological manual. Lviv: Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, 2016. 104 p.
• Comprehensive Biochemistry Practicum: Enzymatic Methods of Analysis. Part I. Educational manual for laboratory classes. Lviv: Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, 2018. 72 p.
• Comprehensive Biochemistry Practicum: Enzymatic Methods of Analysis. Part II. Educational manual for laboratory classes. Lviv: Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, 2019. 84 p.