OU College of Medicine Appoints Julia Busik Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Physiology

The University of Oklahoma College of Medicine is pleased to announce the appointment of Julia Busik, Ph.D., as chair of the newly combined Department of Biochemistry and Physiology. Busik will also hold the prestigious Ed Miller Endowed Chair in Molecular Biology.

A distinguished scholar with an impressive academic background, Busik received her combined bachelor of science and master of science degrees from Novosibirsk State University in Russia, specializing in physiology and endocrinology. Afterward, she earned a scholarship from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and pursued her doctorate at the Graduate University for Advanced Studies at the National Institute for Physiological Sciences in Yokohama, Japan.

As a researcher, Busik has authored more than 80 papers in high-profile journals, establishing herself as a leading expert on the role of dyslipidemia in diabetic complications. Her ground-breaking work is supported by prominent awards from the National Institutes of Health, National Eye Institute, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and the American Diabetes Association.

In addition to her research contributions, Busik is actively involved in the scientific community, serving as an associate editor for Diabetologia, a peer-review journal for the European Association for the Study of Diabetes; Experimental Eye Research, a journal for the International Society for Eye Research; and Adler's Physiology of the Eye, 12th edition. She is a Fellow of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology  and has held leadership roles within the American Diabetes Association and the Annual Meeting Program Committee for ARVO.

“I am honored to lead the Department of Biochemistry and Physiology at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine,” said Busik. “I look forward to collaborating with colleagues, students and the broader scientific community to make meaningful strides in building on our strength to advance understanding of biochemistry and molecular biology underpinning of normal physiology and pathophysiological processes. Together, we aim to foster innovation and excellence in both education and research.”

Busik’s outstanding achievements have been recognized with various awards, including the Junior Faculty Mentoring Award, Research Excellence Award and Distinguished Faculty Award from Michigan State University. She has also received the Distinguished Speaker Award from Gavin Herbert Eye Institute at the University of California, Irvine and The State University of New York at Buffalo, as well as the Reviewer of the Year Award for Diabetes Journal.

As chair, Busik has the added responsibility of leading the newly combined Department of Biochemistry and Physiology at the College of Medicine. Combining the two departments into one reflects a strategic and forward-thinking approach to scientific inquiry. Its formation will amplify the strength of existing programs and present an opportunity for tremendous growth for the department as a whole and each program individually.

Faculty in the new department are members of the Center for Gerosciences & Healthy Brain Aging, OU Health Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, Dean McGee Eye Institute and OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center. Current areas of strength in geroscience and aging research, vision and ophthalmology, diabetes and diabetic complication, cancer and structural biology have extensive synergies that will multiply combined strengths when brought into one unit. By integrating these areas of strength, the College of Medicine aims to create a collaborative environment that transcends traditional boundaries through the inherent interconnectedness of biochemistry and physiology.

“Our commitment to excellence remains unwavering as we embark on this integrated journey,” said Busik. “By uniting these departments, we strive to create a powerhouse of knowledge that will transform the existing areas of strength into cutting-edge research of tomorrow. I am confident that this strategic decision will lead to new discoveries, interdisciplinary breakthroughs and further development of the areas of emerging synergistic strengths across all research directions in the department.

“The areas of energy, mitochondria and lipid metabolism are gaining attention in each of the fields individually,” she added. “Combined in a strong new program, it will secure the department’s position as tomorrow’s leader in metabolic pathophysiology.” 

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About the OU College of Medicine
Founded in 1910, the OU College of Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences trains the next generation of health care professionals. The OU Health Sciences is the academic partner of OU Health, the state’s only comprehensive academic health system of hospitals, clinics and centers of excellence. With campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, the College of Medicine offers the state’s only Doctor of Medicine degree program and a nationally competitive Physician Assistant program. For more information, visit medicine.ouhsc.edu.

The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences
The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences is one of the nation’s few academic health centers with all health professions colleges — Allied Health, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health, Graduate Studies and School of Community Medicine. OU Health Sciences serves approximately 4,000 students in more than 70 undergraduate and graduate degree programs on campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa and is the academic and research partner of OU Health, the state’s only comprehensive academic health care system. The OU Health Sciences is ranked 108 out of over 2,900 institutions in funding received from the National Institutes of Health, according to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research. For more information, visit ouhsc.edu.