Scholars@Duke
Nikolai Petrovich Skiba

Nikolai Petrovich Skiba

Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology
Box 3802 Med Ctr, Durham, NC 27710
Wadsworth Bldg, Durham, NC 27710

Overview

My research focuses on applying mass spectrometry based proteomics to study proteins in eye tissues, cells and sub-cellular compartments to understand mechanisms of vision. An important aspect of my research is to identify proteins in different compartments of retinal photoreceptor cells, their amount and modification status at different cell states defined by the light conditions, genotype, disease etc. This information can be valuable in understanding molecular mechanisms of vision and biology of the photoreceptor cell. Another important aspect of my research is to assist basic scientist and clinicians in our department in their proteomic needs which include identification of proteins and other biomolecules in a given biological sample, detection of protein post-translational modifications and sequence variations, elucidation of protein-protein interactions and also characterization of changes in the protein concentration and composition in a biological sample at different conditions.

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Associate Professor of Ophthalmology · 2021 - Present Ophthalmology, Clinical Science Departments

Recent Publications

Neuronal compartmentalization results in "impoverished" axonal mitochondria.

Journal Article bioRxiv · October 29, 2025 Mitochondria differ depending on their location within a neuron. Morphological heterogeneity between somatic, dendritic, and axonal mitochondria is well established. Emerging evidence suggests that further specialization is needed to meet the unique demand ... Full text Link to item Cite

Liver X Receptor-Growth Differentiation Factor 15 Activation Drives Profibrotic Changes in the Aqueous Outflow Tract of Uveitic Glaucoma.

Journal Article Am J Pathol · May 2025 Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-induced anterior uveitis is linked to increased intraocular pressure, suggesting profibrotic changes in the eye's drainage system. Previous studies on the aqueous humor (AH) of patients with CMV uveitic glaucoma (UG) highlighted the a ... Full text Link to item Cite

Physiological activation of liver X receptor provides protection against ocular inflammation in uveitic glaucoma.

Journal Article Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis · January 2025 Virus-induced trabeculitis is considered a significant cause of uveitic glaucoma, being marked by a sudden increase in intraocular pressure and relatively mild inflammation in the anterior chamber of the eye. In previous proteome analyses of aqueous humor ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants

Mechanism of photoreceptor cell degeneration in animal models of retinal diseases

ResearchFacility Mgr. · Awarded by University of Houston · 2025 - 2030

Identification of proteins localized to photoreceptor connecting cilium

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2026

Identification of novel contributors to retinitis pigmentosa using metabolic and proteomic approaches

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2021 - 2024

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Education, Training & Certifications

Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry (Russia) · 1986 Ph.D.
Lomonosov Moscow State Universty (Russia) · 1978 B.S.