Meet Our Team

Marharyta “Rita” Semenikhina, Ph.D.

Staff Scientist
Division of Nephrology
semenikh@musc.edu

Dr. Semenikhina earned a Ph.D. in 2020 from the Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology in Ukraine, focusing on GPCR signaling in disease development. Joining Dr. Palygin's lab at MUSC in 2021, Rita has since led research on redox signaling in podocyte pathophysiology and its role in glomerular diseases, particularly in diabetes. Dr. Semenikhina has published 17 peer-reviewed papers and received multiple awards, including recognition for work on nitric oxide signaling in podocytes from the American Physiological Society, American Heart Association, and Women in Nephrology. She is focused on molecular mechanisms of renal filtration barrier dysfunction and aims to translate her findings into innovative therapeutic strategies for kidney diseases in the US.

Awards:

• Poster Award from American Heart Association (2024 Hypertension Scientific Sessions)
• Excellence in Research Award from AJP Renal (2023 International Podocyte Meeting)
• Woman in Nephrology (WIN) Presentation Award (2022 WIN Leadership Conference)
• Renal Section Research Recognition Award (2022 American Physiological Society)
• Woman in Nephrology Leadership Conference Travel Award (2022)

Full list of published work 

Mykhailo Fedoriuk, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow
Division of Nephrology
fedoriuk@musc.edu

Dr. Mykhailo Fedoriuk earned his Ph.D. in 2021 from the Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology in Ukraine, where his research focused on proton-gated ASIC channels. During his undergraduate training, Dr. Fedoriuk contributed to the development of novel techniques, including vibrodissociation for isolating nephron segments and high-resolution scanning ion conductance microscopy for renal imaging, in the laboratories of Drs. Palygin and Staruschenko. In 2022, Dr. Fedoriuk joined Dr. Palygin's lab at MUSC, where he mastered his expertise in single-channel recordings of TRPC, KIR, and EnaC channels in kidney cells. His current research focuses on unraveling the mechanisms underlying tubular and glomerular pathology in hypertension and exploring the role of redox signaling in PKD pathology. To date, Dr. Fedoriuk has authored 18 publications in high-impact journals. His research aims to elucidate the mechanisms of salt-sensitive hypertension and develop strategies to protect kidneys from damage.

Awards:

• Renal Section Research Recognition Award (2023 American Physiological Society)
• Hollings Cancer Center Scholarship (2023, MUSC)

Full list of published work

Mariia Stefanenko, M.S.

Research Scholar
Division of Nephrology
stefanen@musc.edu

Mariia Stefanenko is a visiting graduate student and a Ph.D. candidate at the Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology in Ukraine. She has expertise in electrophysiology, imaging, and renal pathophysiology. Her research focuses on GPCR and ion channel interactions, as well as redox mechanisms in kidney diseases such as diabetic kidney disease and lupus nephritis. Mariia possesses exceptional skills in cultivating primary human cell cultures, performing functional confocal imaging, and studying the molecular mechanisms linking ceramides to endoplasmic reticulum stress. Mariia’s work has been recognized with awards from the American Society of Nephrology and the American Physiological Society. Mariia aims to pursue a career in academia, advancing therapies for renal diseases through innovative molecular research.

Awards:

• ASN Kidney STARS (2024 American Society of Nephrology)

• ASN Kidney TREKS (2024 American Society of Nephrology)

• Renal Section Research Recognition Award (2024 American Physiological Society)

• Finalist of the Renal Section Predoctoral Excellence in Renal Research Award (2023 American Physiological Society)

• Graduate Student Research Symposium Travel Award (2022, University of Mississippi Medical Center Cardio-Renal Research Center (CRRC)

Full list of published work