Adjunct Assistant Professor
As a Biochemist from the P. Universidad Católica de Chile (2001) and PhD in Biological Sciences specializing in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the same university (2007), I bring a rich academic background to my current role. My research journey took me to the laboratory of a distinguished mentor, Dr. Margaret Fuller, at Stanford School of Medicine, USA, where I pursued my postdoctoral training from 2010 to 2015. Supported by scholarships from the Pew Foundation and the American Heart Association (AHA), I investigated the role of alternative processing of 3'UTRs in the differentiation process of the Drosophila melanogaster germline.
Subsequently, I started another postdoctoral journey from 2016 to 2020 under the guidance of Dr. Patricio Olguín at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile. During this period, I explored the impact of genetic variation on Drosophila's response to adverse nutritional conditions early in life and its subsequent effects on sleep and locomotor behavior. Furthermore, I investigated understanding the repercussions of genetic variation on sleep patterns in a Drosophila model of Parkinson's disease.
Currently, I lead the "Laboratory of Genetics of Complex Behaviors and Diseases," where we are committed to unraveling various phenomena' intricate genetic and molecular underpinnings. Our research spans across the spectrum of complex behaviors, focusing on the genetic and molecular bases of the circadian cycle, sleep, locomotion, and sociability. We also dedicate significant efforts to understanding neurodegenerative diseases, with a special emphasis on Parkinson's disease, as well as the complex process of aging.
Our investigations employ the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) as a powerful model organism. We use molecular and cellular biology techniques alongside advanced bioinformatics tools to dissect the consequences of alternative mRNA processing and genetic variation on sleep behavior, locomotion, sociability, and even cancer. Through our interdisciplinary approach, we strive to shed light on fundamental biological processes to contribute to advancements in basic science and clinical applications.
PUBLICATIONS
Gallicchio L, Olivares GH*, Berry CW, Fuller MT. (2023) Regulation and function of alternative polyadenylation in development and differentiation. RNA Biology 20(1):908-925. (https://doi.org/10.1080/15476286.2023.2275109).
Candia N, Ibacache A, Medina-Yáñez I, Olivares GH, Ramírez M, Vega-Macaya F, Couve A, Sierralta J, Olguín P. (2023) Identification of atlastin genetic modifiers in a model of hereditary spastic paraplegia in Drosophila. Human Genetics 142, 1303–1315 (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00439-023-02577-7).
Zúñiga-Hernández JM, Olivares GH, Olguín P, Glavic A. (2023) Low-nutrient diet in Drosophila larvae stage causes enhancement in dopamine modulation in adult brain due epigenetic imprinting. Open Biology 13(5):230049 (https://doi.org/10.1098/rsob.230049).
Olivares GH*, Núñez F*, Candia N, Oróstica K, Vega-Macaya F, Zúñiga N, Molina C, Mackay TFC Verdugo R, Olguín P. (2023) Early-life nutrition interacts with developmental genes to shape the brain and sleep behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. Sleep 46(4):zsad016 (https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsad016). (*contributed equally to this work)
Berry CW*, Olivares GH*, Gallicchio L, Ramaswami G, Glavic A, Olguín P, Li JB, Fuller MT. (2022) Developmentally regulated alternate 3' end cleavage of nascent transcripts controls dynamic changes in protein expression in an adult stem cell lineage. Genes and Development 36(15-16):916-935 (https://doi.org/10.1101/gad.349689.122). (*contributed equally to this work)
Medina-Yáñez I, Olivares GH, Vega-Macaya F, Mlodzik M, Olguín P. (2021) Phosphatidic acid increases Notch signalling by affecting Sanpodo trafficking during Drosophila sensory organ development. Sci. Rep. 10(1):21731 (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78831-z)
Olivares GH, Olguín P, Klein AD. (2019) Modeling Parkinson's Disease Heterogeneity to Accelerate Precision Medicine. Trends Mol Med. 25(12):1052-1055 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmed.2019.09.004)
Angulo B, Srinivasan S, Bolival BJ, Olivares GH, Spence AC, Fuller MT. (2019) DREF Genetically Counteracts Mi-2 and Caf1 to Regulate Adult Stem Cell Maintenance. PLoS Genet. 15(6):e1008187 (https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1008187).
Manieu C*, Olivares GH*, Vega-Macaya F, Valdivia M, Olguín P. (2018) Jitterbug/Filamin and Myosin-II form a complex in tendon cells required to maintain epithelial shape and polarity during musculoskeletal system development. Mech. Dev. 154:309-314 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mod.2018.09.002) (*contributed equally to this work)
RESEARCH LINES
Alternative polyadenylation role in circadian rhythm
The role of Alternative polyadenylation in Pancreatic cancer
Genetic variability consequences on sleep and locomotor behavior in a Parkinson’s disease model
PROJECTS
Active
N/A
Completed
2022 Fondo de Desarrollo para la Publicación (FDP), Universidad Mayor “Life-course stress in Drosophila”, FDP_2021_42 (Co-Principal Investigator)
2018 Strategic Project BNI “Uncovering the genetic basis of glioblastoma response to therapeutic UPR inhibition” (Principal Investigator)
2014-2016 NIH R21 GRANT11607307 “Alternative polyadenylation and the regulation of male germ cell differentiation” (Co-Principal Investigator)
TEAM
Elías Leiva, Dentistry Intern, Universidad Mayor.
Former Lab Member
Franco Núñez, Biochemistry Thesis, University of Chile. Research Assistant, now DJ.
Sergio Canales, Biotechnology Intern, Universidad Mayor, now Undergraduate Thesis at the Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics (CGB), Universidad Mayor
Felipe Órdenes, Biotechnology Intern, Universidad Mayor, now 5th year student of Biotechnology.
NETWORK
National
Dr. Patricio Olguín, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Chile
Dr. Andrés Klein, Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Genética y Genómica, Universidad del Desarrollo, Chile
Dr. Carlos Oliva, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, P. Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile
Dra. Jimena Sierralta, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Chile
Dr. Álvaro Glavic, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Chile
International
Dra. Margaret Fuller, School of Medicine, Stanford University, USA
Dr. Ariel Bazzini, Stowers Institute for Medical Research, USA
Dra. Trudy Mackay, Clemson University's Center for Human Genetics, USA