Tetyana Duka
Dr. Duka is a neuroscientist with a special interest in nervous system functioning at the molecular level. She is affiliated with GW's Laboratory for Evolutionary Neuroanatomy.
Dr. Duka's primary research interests are in neuroscience and the use of comparative-phylogenetic approach to develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between brain structure, function, and evolution. Also, to explore the overlap between molecular changes observed in disorders of human cognitive abilities and evolutionary changes observed on the human lineage, in order to understand regulatory mechanisms that may be therapeutically modulated in neurological and psychiatric illnesses.
However, her research interests also include:
- the physiopathology of debilitating and dementing neurodegenerative diseases;
- signal transduction pathways involved in neuropsychiatric disorders such schizophrenia and depression;
- age-related differences in synaptic plasticity.
Ongoing Projects
- Functional profiling of the of the primate synaptic [neuro]proteome
- Exploring the metabolic and genotypic changes that accompany the evolution of encephalization across different mammalian groups
- Examining the correlation between behavioral lateralization, gross anatomical asymmetries, and organization of synapses in the primary motor cortex of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)
Research only.
Last updated March 31, 2017
Selected Articles and Book Chapters
2014 Duka, T., Z. Collins, S. Anderson, M.A. Raghanti, J.J. Ely, P.R. Hof, D.E. Wildman, L.I. Grossman, and C.C. Sherwood. "Synaptosomal lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme composition is shifted toward aerobic forms in primate brain evolution," Brain, Behavior and Evolution 83(3):216-30. doi: 10.1159/000358581.
2012 Sherwood, C.C., and T. Duka. "Now that we've got the map, where are we going? Moving from gene candidate lists to function in studies of brain evolution," Brain, Behavior and Evolution 80(3): 167-169.
2012 Miller, D.J., T. Duka, C.D. Stimpson, S.J. Schapiro, W.B. Baze, M.J. McArthur, A.J. Fobbs, A.M. Sousa, N. Sestan, D.E. Wildman, L. Lipovich, C.W. Kuzawa, P.R. Hof, and C.C. Sherwood. "Prolonged myelination in human neocortical evolution," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences U S A. 109(41): 16480-16485.
2010 Sherwood, C.C., T. Duka, C.D. Stimpson, N.M. Schenker, A.R. Garrison, S.J. Schapior, W.B. Baze, M.J. McArthur, J.M. Erwin, P.R. Hof, and W.D. Hopkins. "Neocortical synaptophysin asymmetry and behavioral lateralization in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)," European Journal of Neuroscience 31(8): 1456-1464.
2009 Duka, T., V. Duka, J.N. Joyce, and A. Sidhu. "alpha-Synuclein contributes to GSK-3 beta-catalyzed Tau phosphorylation in Parkinson's disease models," FASEB Journal 23(9): 2820-2830. Doi: 10.1096/fj.08-120410.
2006 Duka, T., M. Rusnak, R.E. Drolet, V. Duka, C. Wersinger, J.L. Goudreau, and A. Sidhu. "Alpha-Synuclein induces hyperphosphorylation of Tau in the MPTP model of Parkinsonism," FASEB Journal 20(13): 2302-12. Doi: 10.1096/fj.08-120410.
Ph.D. 2003 (Biochemistry), National Taras Shevchenko University (Ukraine)
M.Sc. 1995 (Biophysics and Biochemistry), Dnepropetrovsk National University (Ukraine)