Maria Bayliak
Fellow 2025/2026
Biology
Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian University
Volkswagen Stiftung
maria.bayliak@pnu.edu.ua
Bio
Maria Bayliak is a Professor of Biochemistry and Head of the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology at Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, a position she has held since 2022. She earned her PhD in Biochemistry in 2008 and later a D.Sc. degree in 2020 from Yurii Fed’kovych Chernivtsi National University. In 2021, she received the academic title of Professor. Over the years, she has advanced from Assistant to Associate Professor and then to Professor within the same department.
Her research focuses on oxidative stress, aging, neuroprotection, metabolic syndrome, and biochemical mechanisms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She leads several national research projects, including studies on phenylpropanoid intermediates as potential lifespan-extending substances (2020–2023) and biomarkers of PTSD based on oxidative stress and inflammation (2023–2025). She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Germany as part of a Volkswagenstiftung-funded project on cellular mechanisms of healthy brain aging under caloric restriction.
Professor Bayliak is committed to mentoring young researchers, with many of her students gaining national and international recognition. She has reviewed more than 100 scientific articles in international journals and was honored as a Laureate of the Ukrainian L'Oréal-UNESCO program “For Women in Science” in 2018.
Biochemical markers for PTSD diagnosis based on oxidative stress and inflammation indicators
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic mental disorder that can develop after serious traumatic events. Given the ongoing war in Ukraine, the prevalence of PTSD is expected to increase among both military personnel and civilians. In addition to its psychological consequences, PTSD increases the risk of developing comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative disorders. Current diagnostic approaches to PTSD are based primarily on subjective psychological assessments that are prone to error. This emphasizes the urgent need for objective laboratory diagnostic methods.
This project aims to identify biochemical markers for the diagnosis of PTSD by studying the interaction between inflammation and oxidative stress, key physiological processes involved in the pathogenesis of PTSD. Using mouse models of PTSD, the study will identify reliable markers of these processes in the brain, blood and other tissues. Behavioral tests will confirm that the models reproduce the symptoms of PTSD in humans. In addition, the project will investigate the tendency of people with PTSD to become obese by introducing a high-calorie diet in experimental mouse groups. Particular attention will be paid to enzymes such as paraoxonase, a marker of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant capacity, to determine its diagnostic utility.
The results will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of PTSD as a systemic disorder with both psychological and physiological dimensions. By integrating these biochemical markers with existing psychological tools, the project aims to improve diagnostic accuracy and guide therapeutic interventions. The results will also inform public health strategies to address the long-term consequences of PTSD in Ukraine, where the need for effective diagnostic and treatment tools is critical.