Jonathan Stecyk, Ph.D.

Dr. Jonathan Stecyk
Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
CPSB 201L
(907) 786-4791
jstecyk@alaska.edu

Education

  • 2007 Ph.D. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Thesis title: Control of cardiovascular function during prolonged anoxia in the freshwater turtle (Trachemys scripta)
  • 2002 M.Sc. Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
  • 1999 B.Sc. (with distinction) Augustana University College, Camrose, Alberta, Canada

Teaching Responsibilities

  • BIOL A108 Principles and Methods in Biology
  • BIOL A242 Fundamentals of Cell Biology
  • BIOL A415 Comparative Animal Physiology
  • BIOL A490 Essential Skills in Research
  • BIOL A498 Individual Research (Please contact me to discuss possibilities)
  • BIOL A615 Advanced Comparative Animal Physiology

Research Interests

I am a comparative physiologist and my research aims to understand how the cardiovascular system of anoxia-tolerant vertebrates functions during times of oxygen deprivation. Most vertebrates die within minutes of oxygen deprivation because the heart and brain requires a continuous supply of oxygen. For example, heart attacks and strokes are one of the most common causes of death in the Western world. However, some fish and turtle species can survive and recover successfully from weeks to months without oxygen. My research employs a wide range of techniques and spans from the level of the whole animal to the gene to better understand how these animals can live without oxygen, whereas others cannot.

Publications

Galli, G., Shiels, H. A., White, E., Couturier, C. S. and Stecyk, J. A. W. (2023). The air-breathing Alaska blackfish (Dallia pectoralis) suppresses neuronal mitochondrial reactive oxygen species to survive cold hypoxic winters. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A. 276, 111355.

Garner, M. and Stecyk, J. A. W. (2022). Does the ventricle limit cardiac contraction rate in the anoxic turtle (Trachemys scripta)? I. Comparison of the intrinsic contractile responses of cardiac chambers to the extracellular changes that accompany prolonged anoxia exposure. Curr. Res. Physiol. 5, 312-326.
 
Garner, M., Barber, R. G., Cussins, J., Hall, D., Reisinger, J. and Stecyk, J. A. W. (2022). Does the ventricle limit cardiac contraction rate in the anoxic turtle (Trachemys scripta)? II. In vivo and in vitro assessment of the prevalence of cardiac arrythmia and atrioventricular block. Curr. Res. Physiol. 5, 292-301.

Sparks, K., Couturier, C. S., Buskirk, J., Flores, A., Hoeferle, A., Hoffman, J. and Stecyk, J. A. W. (2022). Gene expression of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), HIF regulators, and putative HIF targets in ventricle and telencephalon of Trachemys scripta acclimated to 21 °C or 5 °C and exposed to normoxia, anoxia or reoxygenation. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A. 267, 111167.    


Shiels, H.A., White, E., Couturier, C.S., Hall, D., Royal, S., Galli, G.L.J., and Stecyk, J.A.W. (2022). The air-breathing Alaska blackfish (Dallia pectoralis) remodels ventricular Ca2+ cycling with chronic hypoxic submergence to maintain ventricular contractility. Curr. Res.  Physiol. 5, 25-35.

Stecyk, J. A. W., Barber, R. G., Cussins, J. and Hall, D. (2021). Indirect evidence that anoxia exposure and cold acclimation alter transarcolemmal Ca2+ flux in the cardiac pacemaker, right atrium and ventricle of the red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A. 261, 111043. 

Stecyk, J. A. W., Couturier, C. S., Abramochkin, D. V., Hall, D., Arrant-Howell, A., Kubly, K. L., Lockmann, S., Logue, K., Trueblood, L., Swalling, C., Pinard, J. and Vogt, A. (2020). Cardiophysiological responses of the air-breathing Alaska blackfish to cold acclimation and chronic hypoxic submergence at 5°C. J. Exp. Biol. jeb.225730.

Melleby, A. O., Sandvik, G. K., Couturier, C. S., Nilsson, G. E. and Stecyk, J. A. W. (2020). H2S-producing enzymes in anoxia-tolerant vertebrates: Effects of cold acclimation, anoxia exposure and reoxygenation on gene and protein expression. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. B. 243-244, 110430.

Kubly, K. L. and Stecyk, J. A. W. (2019). Contractile performance of the Alaska blackfish (Dallia pectoralis) ventricle: Assessment of the effects of temperature, pacing frequency, the role of the sarcoplasmic reticulum in contraction and adrenergic stimulation. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A. 238, 110564.

Couturier, C. S., Stecyk, J. A. W., Ellefsen, S., Prentice, H. M., Milton, S. L., Fagernes, C. E., Stensløkken, K.-O., Sandvick, G. K. and Nilsson, G. E (2019). The expression of genes involved in excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission in turtle (Trachemys scripta) brain during anoxic submergence at 21°C and 5°C reveals the importance of cold as a preparatory cue for anoxia survival. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. D. 30, 55-70.

Lefevre, S., Stecyk, J. A. W., Torp, M.-K., Lovold, L. Y., Sørensen, C., Johansen, I. B., Stensløkken, K.-O., Couturier, C. S., Sloman, K. and Nilsson, G. E. (2017). Re-oxygenation after anoxia induces cell death and memory loss in the anoxia-tolerant crucian carp. J. Exp. Biol. 220, 3883-3895.

Stecyk, J. A. W., Farrell, A. P. and Vornanen. M. (2017). Na+/K+-ATPase activity in the anoxic turtle (Trachemys scripta) brain at different acclimation temperature. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A. 206, 11-16.

Kubly, K.L. and Stecyk, J.A.W. (2015). Temperature-dependence of L-type Ca2+ current in ventricular cardiomyocytes of the Alaska blackfish (Dallia pectoralis). J. Comp. Physiol. B. 185: 845-858.

Wilkie, M.P., Stecyk, J.A.W., Couturier, C.S., Sidhu, S., Sandvik, G.K., and Nilsson, G.E. (2015). Reversible brain swelling in crucian carp (Carassius carassius) and goldfish (Carassius auratus) in response to high external ammonia and anoxia. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A. 184, 65-75.

Lefevre, S., Damsgaard, C., Pascale, D.R., Nilsson, G.E., and Stecyk, J.A.W. (2014). Air breathing in the Arctic: influence of temperature, hypoxia, activity and restricted air access on respiratory physiology of Alaska blackfish (Dallia pectoralis). J. Exp. Biol., 217, 4387-4398. 

Bowden, A. J. Gardiner, N. M., Couturier, C. S., Stecyk, J. A. W., Nilsson, G. E., Munday, P. L. and Rummer, J. L. (2014). Alterations in gill structure in tropical reef fishes as a result of elevated temperatures. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A. 175, 64-71.

Rummer, J. L., Couturier, C. S., Stecyk, J. A. W., Gardiner, N. M., Kinch, J. P., Nilsson, G. E., and Munday, P. L. (2014). Life on the edge: Thermal optima for aerobic scope of equatorial reef fishes are close to current day temperatures. Global Change Biology. 20, 1055-1066.

Wilson, C. M., Stecyk, J. A. W., Couturier, C. S., Nilsson, G. E. and Farrell, A. P. (2013). Phylogeny and effects of anoxia on hyperpolarization-activated, cyclic nucleotide-gated channel gene expression in the heart of a primitive chordate, the Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stouttii). J. Exp. Biol. Biol. 216, 4462-4472.

Rummer, J., Stecyk, J. A. W., Couturier, C. S., Watson, S.-A., Nilsson, G. E. and Mudnay, P. L. (2013). Elevated CO2 enhances aerobic scope of a coral reef fish. Conversation Physiology. 1, cot023.

Couturier, C. S., Stecyk, J. A. W., Rummer, J. L., Munday, P. L. and Nilsson, G. E. (2013). Species-specific effects of near-future CO2 on the repiratory performance of two tropical prey fish and their predator. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A. 166, 482-48

Lardon, I., Nilsson, G.E., Stecyk, J. A. W., Vu, T., Laukens, K., De Boeck, G. and Dommisse, R. (2013). ¹H-NMR study of the metabolome of an exceptionally anoxia tolerant vertebrate, the crucian carp (Carassius carassius). Metabolomics. 9, 311-323.

Nilsson, G.E., Dymowska, A.K., and Stecyk, J. A. W. (2012). New insights into the plasticity of gill structure. Resp. Physiol. & Neurobiol.  184, 214-222.

Stecyk, J. A. W., Couturier, C. S., Fagernes, C. E., Ellefsen, S. and Nilsson, G. E. (2012). Quantification of heat shock protein mRNA expression in warm and cold anoxic turtles (Trachemys scripta) using an external RNA control for normalization. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. D. 7, 59-72.

Stecyk, J. A. W., Larsen, B. C. and Nilsson, G. E. (2011). Intrinsic performance of the crucian carp (Carassius carassius) heart during anoxic and acidotic stress.  Am J Physiol. 301, R1332-1442.  

Utne-Palm, A. C., Salvanes , A.G. V., Currie, B., Kaartvedt, S., Nilsson, G. E., Braithwaite, V., Stecyk, J. A. W., Hundt, M., Flynn, B., Peard, K. R. Lunde, I., Sandvik, G. K., Klevjer, T. A. Strandbø, R. A. U. and Gibbons, M. (2010) Trophic structure and community stability in an overfished ecosystem. Science 329, 333-336.

Stecyk, J. A. W., Skovgaard, N., Nilsson, G. E. and Wang, T. (2010). Vasoactivity of hydrogen sulfide in normoxic and anoxic turtles (Trachemys scripta). Am. J. Physiol. 298, R1225-1239.

Stecyk, J. A. W., Bock, C., Overgaard, J., Wang, T., Farrell, A. P. and Pörtner, H.-O. (2009). Correlation of cardiac performance with cellular energetic components in the oxygen-deprived turtle heart. Am. J. Physiol. 297, R756-768.

Stensløkken, K.-O., Ellefsen, S., Stecyk, J. A. W., Dahl, M. B, Nilsson and G. E, Vaage, J. (2008). Differential regulation of AMP-activated kinase and AKT kinase in response to oxygen availability in crucian carp (Carassius carassius). Am. J. Physiol. 295, R1803-1814.

Stecyk, J. A. W., Galli, G. L., Shiels, H. A. and Farrell, A. P. (2008). Cardiac survival in anoxia-tolerant vertebrates: An electrophysiological perspective. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. C. 148, 339-354.

Stensløkken, K.-O., Milton, S. L., Lutz, P. L., Sundin, L., Renshaw, G. M. C., Stecyk, J. A. W. and Nilsson, G. E. (2008). Effect of anoxia on the electroretinogram of three anoxia-tolerant vertebrates. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A. 150, 393-403.

Stecyk, J. A. W., Paajanen, V., Farrell, A. P. and Vornanen, M. (2007). Effect of temperature and prolonged anoxia exposure on electrophysiological properties of the turtle (Trachemys scripta) heart. Am. J. Physiol. 293, R421-437.

Stecyk, J. A. W., Stensløkken, K.-O., Nilsson, G. E. and Farrell, A. P. (2007). Adenosine does not save the heart of anoxia-tolerant vertebrates during oxygen deprivation. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A. 147, 961-973.

Farrell, A. P. and Stecyk, J. A. W. (2007). The heart as a working model to explore themes and strategies for anoxic survival in ectothermic vertebrates. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A. 147, 300-312.

Stecyk, J. A. W. and Farrell, A. P. (2007). Effects of extracellular factors on spontaneous heart rate of normoxia- and anoxia-acclimated turtles (Trachemys scripta). J. Exp. Biol. 210, 421-431.

Stecyk, J. A. W. and Farrell, A. P. (2006). Regulation of the cardiorespiratory system of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) during severe hypoxia at three seasonal acclimation temperatures. Physiol. Biochem. Zool. 79, 614-627.

Stecyk, J. A. W., Stensløkken, K.-O., Farrell, A. P. and Nilsson, G. E. (2004). Maintained cardiac pumping in anoxic crucian carp. Science 305, 77.

Overgaard, J., Stecyk, J. A. W., Gesser, H., Wang, T., Gamperl, K. and Farrell, A. P. (2004). Preconditioning stimuli does not benefit the heart of anoxia-tolerant rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). J. Comp. Physiol. B. 174, 329-340.

Overgaard, J., Stecyk, J. A. W., Gesser, H., Wang, T., Gamperl, K. and Farrell, A. P. (2004). Effects of temperature and anoxia upon the performance of in situ perfused trout hearts. J. Exp. Biol. 207, 655-665.

Stecyk, J. A. W., Overgaard, J., Wang, T. and Farrell, A. P. (2004). ?-Adrenergic regulation of systemic peripheral resistance and blood flow distribution in the turtle  (Trachemys scripta) during anoxic submergence at 5 ° C and 21 ° C. J. Exp. Biol. 207, 269-283.

Overgaard, J., Stecyk, J. A. W., Farrell, A. P. and Wang, T. (2002). Adrenergic control of the cardiovascular system in the turtle Trachemys scripta. J. Exp. Biol. 205, 3335-3345.

Stecyk, J. A. W. and Farrell, A. P. (2002). Cardiorespiratory responses of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) to severe hypoxia at three acclimation temperatures. J. Exp. Biol. 205, 759-768.

Book Chapters

Eliason, E. J. and Stecyk, J. A. W. (2020) The Cardiovascular System. In: The Physiology of Fishes, 5th Edition. Currie, S. (Ed.), Evans, D. (Ed.). CRC Press. pp. 47-61. 

Stecyk, J. A. W. (2017). Cardiovascular responses to limiting oxygen levels. In: The Cardiovascular System: Development, Plasticity and Physiological Responses, Volume 36B of Fish Physiology series. Academic Press.  pp. 299-371.

Vornanen, M., Stecyk, J. A. W., and Nilsson, G. E. (2009). The anoxia-tolerant crucian carp (Carassius carassius L.). In: Hypoxia, Volume 27 of Fish Physiology series. Academic Press. pp. 397 – 441.

Editorial Commentaries

  • Stecyk, J. A. W. (2008). Myonuclei are not lost during muscle atrophy. J. Exp. Biol. 211, (19), iii.
  • Stecyk, J. A. W. (2008). The secret of shunting. J. Exp. Biol. 211, (13), vii.
  • Stecyk, J. A. W. (2008). What a gas! J. Exp. Biol. 211, (7), iv.
  • Stecyk, J. A. W. (2008). Stopping the clock. J. Exp. Biol. 211, (1), iv.
  • Stecyk, J. A. W. (2007). Beating the cold. J. Exp. Biol. 210, (19), vi.
  • Stecyk, J. A. W. (2007). Sensational shells. J. Exp. Biol. 210, (13), vii.
  • Stecyk, J. A. W. (2007). Ugly dad? Invest in Eggs. J. Exp. Biol. 210, (5), vi.
  • Stecyk, J. A. W. (2006). Busted benefit of bradycardia? J. Exp. Biol. 209, (23), v.
  • Stecyk, J. A. W. (2006). Beneficial blueberries.  J. Exp. Biol. 209 (17), v.
  • Stecyk, J. A. W. (2006). Chew on this. J. Exp. Biol. 209 (11), v.
  • Stecyk, J. A. W. (2006). The heat associated with eating meat. J. Exp. Biol. 209 (5), vi.
  • Stecyk, J. A. W. (2005). Excitotoxic cell death denied. J. Exp. Biol. 208 (23), vi.
  • Stecyk, J. A. W. (2005). Python's hearty meal. J. Exp. Biol. 208 (17), vi.
  • Stecyk, J. A. W. (2005). Jamaican lizards' balancing act. J. Exp. Biol. 208 (11), vi.
  • Stecyk, J. A. W. (2005). No arrest needed to prevent cardiac arrest. J. Exp. Biol. 208(5), vii.
  • Stecyk, J. A. W. (2004). Lactate limits life. J. Exp. Biol. 207 (25), vi.

Career History/Work Experience

Honors/Awards
  • 2015 President's Medallist: Awarded by the Society for Experimental Biology Animal Section
  • Cameron Award: Best Canadian Zoology Thesis of 2007; Awarded by the Canadian Society of Zoologists
  • First Prize: Elsevier Young Investigator Award 2004; Awarded by the Society for Experimental Biology

Honors/Awards in the Lab

* denotes graduate student

  • *Alaska INBRE Graduate Research Assistantship (AY2022-2023), Harold Gridley
  • Estelle J. Spatz Undergraduate Research Award (AY2022-2023), Jordyn McNeil
  • Alaska INBRE Undergraduate Research Award (Summer 2022), Corbin Flaming
  • 29th Annual Murdock College Science Research Program Conference Poster Prize for Developmental Biology-physiology (Fall 2020), Jessica Reisinger
  • Alaska INBRE Research Retreat Best Undergraduate Presentation (Fall 2020), Jessica Reisinger
  • Alaska INBRE Undergraduate Research Award (Summer 2020), Jessica Reisinger
  • *Alaska INBRE Graduate Research Assistantship (AY2020-2021), Molly Garner
  • *Alaska Chapter of The Wildlife Society Annual Meeting 2020 Best Student Poster, Molly Garner
  • Alaska INBRE Research Retreat Best Undergraduate Presentation (Fall 2019), Caelen Walker
  • Alaska INBRE Undergraduate Research Award (Summer 2019), Caelen Walker
  • UAA Discovery Grant Research Award (Summer 2018), Diarmid Hall
  • UAA Discovery Grant Research Award (Summer 2018), Savannah Green
  • Alaska INBRE Undergraduate Research Award (Summer 2018), Diarmid Hall
  • Alaska INBRE Undergraduate Research Award (Summer 2018), Jessica Reisinger
  • Alaska INBRE Undergraduate Research Award (Summer 2017), Savannah Green
  • UAA Undergraduate Research Grant (Spring 2017), Amy Andresen
  • UAA Undergraduate Research Grant (Spring 2017), Diarmid Hall and Shannon Royal
  • UAA Undergraduate Research Grant (Spring 2017), Chris Drake
  • UAA 2015 Health Science Undergraduate Research Experience (Summer 2015), Jacob Buskirk
  • UAA Undergraduate Research Grant (Spring 2015), Alicia Flores
  • UAA Undergraduate Research Grant (Spring 2015), Jacob Buskirk
  • *LGL Graduate Student Research Award (Summer 2014), Kerry Kubly
  • UAA Discovery Grant Research Award (Spring 2014), Theresa Cho
  • UAA Undergraduate Research Grant (Spring 2014), Desirae Pascale
  • UAA Undergraduate Research Grant (Spring 2014), Rhiannon Pattison
  • UAA Undergraduate Research Grant (Spring 2014), Theresa Cho 
  • *Alaska INBRE Graduate Research Assistantship (AY2014-2015), Kerry Kubly
  • Alaska Heart Institute Fellowship (Fall 2013), Karen Carlson
  • *LGL Graduate Student Research Award (Summer 2013), Kerry Kubly
  • UAA Undergraduate Research Grant (Summer 2013), Gary Lose
  • UAA Undergraduate Research Grant (Spring 2013), Jack Ayres
  • UAA Undergraduate Research Grant (Spring 2013), Aurora Hoeferle

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