Education
Jun 2017 – Aug 2022
- Ph.D., University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
- GPA: 4.00/4.00
- Advisor: Dr. St. Patrick Reid
- Discipline in Immunology, Pathology, and Infectious Diseases
- Investigating host-virus interactions during Chikungunya virus infection
May 2016
- M.S. Biochemistry, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK
- GPA: 3.71/4.00
- Advisor: Dr. Robert Sheaff
- Thesis Title: Characterization of Bioactive Compounds obtained from Halophilic and Thermophilic Bacteria in the Oklahoma Salt Plains
May 2013
- B.S. Biomedical Chemistry, Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, OK
- GPA: 3.91/4.00
- Advisor: Dr. Scott Mahan
- Thesis Title: Comparison of Total Phosphorus in Lakes in Kalkaska County, Michigan and Relation to Trophic State
Policy experience
Nov 2022 – Present
- CCST Science and Technology Fellow, Sacramento, CA
- Placed in the Climate and Sustainability Branch at the California Department of Insurance
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
2017 – 2022
- Graduate Research Assistant, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
- Advisor: Dr. St. Patrick Reid
- Investigating Chikungunya virus infection bone pathology and host-virus interactions
2014 – 2016
- Graduate Researcher, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK
- Advisor: Dr. Robert J. Sheaff
- Investigated novel therapeutics from halophilic bacteria for cancer treatment
- Mentored undergraduate team members
2010 – 2013
- Undergraduate Research Assistant, Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, OK
- Advisor: Dr. Joel Gaikwad
- Elucidated the role of a metal chelator in inhibiting biofilm formation in S. epidermidis
Jun – Aug 2012
- Summer Research Intern, AuSable Institute of Environmental Studies, Mancelona, MI
- Advisor: Dr. Scott Mahan
- Investigated the correlation between physical properties of lakes and nutrient availability in lakes in Kalkaska County, MI
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2016 – 2017
- Instructor, Oral Roberts University, Tulsa OK
2015 – 2016
- Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Tulsa, Tulsa OK
Jan – May 2015
- Graduate Assistant, Center for Student Academic Success, University of Tulsa
- Mentored over 20 undergraduate students individually
- Prepared progress reports for each student
- Delivered time management presentations to students
2013 – 2014
- Teaching Assistant, Oral Roberts University, Tulsa OK
Awards and Honors
2010-2013
- Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, OK
- Summa Cum Laude
- Honors College Scholar
- President’s Honor Roll
- Winner, Undergraduate student paper, Oklahoma Academy of Science Technical Meeting
2016
- The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK
- Robert E. Howard Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award, The University of Tulsa
- Travel award to 251st American Chemical Society Meeting
PUBLICATIONS
- Marasini D., Cornell C., Oyewole O., Sheaff R., and Fakhr M. The Whole-Genome Sequence of Bacillus Velezensis Strain SB1216 Isolated from the Great Salt Plains of Oklahoma Reveals the Presence of a Novel Extracellular RNase With Antitumor Activity. Genome announcements 2017 5 (47), e01343-17
- Tessa M. Firestone, Opeoluwa O. Oyewole, St Patrick Reid, and Caroline L. Ng. ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science 2021 4 (2), 613-623. DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.0c00222
- Oyewole, O. O, Dunnavant, K., Bhattarai, S., Kharel, Y., Lynch, K. R., Santos, W. L., and Reid, S. P. A Novel Sphingosine Kinase Inhibitor Suppresses Chikungunya Virus Infection. Viruses, 2022, 14(6), 1123. DOI: 10.3390/v14061123
- Muralidharan, A., Bauer, C., Katafiasz, D. M., Pham, D., Oyewole, O. O., Morwitzer, M. J., Roy, E., Bailey, K. L., Reid, S. P., & Wyatt, T. A. (2023). Malondialdehyde acetaldehyde adduction of surfactant protein D attenuates SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding and virus neutralization. Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, 2023, 47(1), 95–103. DOI: 10.1111/acer.14974
PRESENTATIONS
- Oyewole, O., Jorksi A., Sheaff, R.J. Characterization of Bioactive compounds obtained from Halophilic bacteria in the Oklahoma Salt Plains. Paper presented at Oklahoma Academy of Science Regional Meeting; 2015 Nov 12-17; Oklahoma City, OK
- Oyewole, O., Jorksi A., Sheaff, R.J. Characterization of Bioactive compounds obtained from Halophilic bacteria in the Oklahoma Salt Plains. Poster session presented at 251st National Meeting of the American Chemical Society; 2016 Mar 16; San Diego, CA
- Oyewole, O., Reid, S.P. Elucidating the role of Sphingosine Kinase 2 during Chikungunya virus infection. Poster session presented at Midwest Student Biomedical Research Forum (MSBRF); 2019 Apr 7; Omaha, NE
- Oyewole, O., Duan, B., Reid, S.P. Developing A Novel Model of Chronic Chikungunya Virus Infection. Poster session presented at 19th Annual Symposium in Virology; 2019 Sep 6; Lincoln, NE
- Oyewole, O., Duan, B., Reid, S.P. Developing A Novel Model of Chronic Chikungunya Virus Infection. Poster session presented at 1st Midwest Virology Symposium; 2019 Oct 7; Columbus, OH
- Oyewole, O., Duan, B., Reid, S.P. Developing A Novel Model of Chikungunya Virus-Induced Bone Pathology. Oral Presentation at American Society for Virology Annual Conference. 2020 June 17; Virtual
- Oyewole, O., Reid, S.P. Differential Recruitment of Sphingosine Kinases by Old World and New World alphaviruses. Oral Presentation at 52nd Annual Midwest Student Biomedical Research Forum. 2021 February 27; Virtual
- Oyewole, O., Reid, S.P. Differential Recruitment of Sphingosine Kinases by Old World and New World alphaviruses. Oral Presentation at American Society for Virology Annual Conference. 2021 July 22; Virtual
- Oyewole, O., Dunnavant, K., Bhattarai, S., Kharel, Y., Lynch, K. R., Santos, W. L., and Reid, S.P. Targeting Chikungunya virus infections with Sphingosine Kinase inhibitors. Oral Presentation at American Society for Virology Annual Conference. 2022 Jul 18; Madison, WI
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
2021 – 2022
President – Graduates and Professionals Representing Achievement, Diversity, and Service (G.R.A.D.S.)
2018 – 2020
Board Member, Interdisciplinary Association of Minority Health Professionals of the Omaha Metropolitan Area (I-AM-HOME)
2018 – 2022
Member, Emerging Professionals Program (EPP)
2017 – 2021
Secretary – Graduates and Professionals Representing Achievement, Diversity, and Service (G.R.A.D.S.)
Other
2019 – 2021
Board Member, American Association of University Women, AAUW – Omaha
Sep. 2021 – Present
Advisory Board Member, I Be Black Girl
2015 – 2016
Vice President, Graduate Chemistry Student Association, The University of Tulsa
OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
Dec. 2018 – Present
Nov. 2019
Mar – Jul 2016
Dec. 2015
2015 – 2016
Mentor, Girls Inc., Omaha NE
Volunteer, Apples-A-Day, Omaha NE
Member, Kitchen66 Company Development Program, Tulsa OK
STEM Demonstration for High school students, Tulsa OK
Volunteer, Reading Partner, Tulsa OK