Agricultural Research Service
National Center for Cool & Cold Water Aquaculture
11861 Leetown Road
Kearneysville, WV 25430
Voice: (304) 724-8340 x2141
EDUCATION
1997 National Institutes of Health, NIAAA, Bethesda, MD Fellow Population & Statistical Genetics
1993 North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC Ph.D. Plant Breeding & Genetics
1983 Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Peru M.S. Plant Breeding & Statistics
1981 Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Peru B.S. Agronomy
ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS
2005- U.S. Department of Agriculture, ARS, NCCCWA Computational Biologist & Geneticist
2000-2004 Penn State University, State College, PA Assist. Prof. Genomics & Bioinformatics
1997-2000 National Institutes of Health, NIAAA, Bethesda, MD Senior Res. Fellow Statistical Genetics
1995-1997 U.S. Department of Agriculture, ARS, ADOL Research Geneticist
1993-1994 University of Florida, IFAS, GCREC, Bradenton, FL Postdoctoral Fellow
1990-1993 North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC Research Assistant
1983-1990 International Potato Center, Lima, Peru Associate Geneticist
HONORS AND AWARDS
2010 Award for Outstanding Performance, USDA-ARS, NCCCWA
2010 Service Award for Reviews, ADSA Board of Directors and Editors, Journal of Dairy Science
2009 Award for Outstanding Performance, USDA-ARS, NCCCWA
2008 Service award for statistical genetics & functional genomics data analysis, USDA-ARS, NCCCWA
2007 Award for Outstanding Performance, USDA-ARS, NCCCWA
2006 Service award for statistical genetics & functional genomics data analysis, USDA-ARS, NCCCWA
2005 Service award for statistical genetics & functional genomics data analysis, USDA-ARS, NCCCWA
1996 Award for Outstanding Research QTL mapping for Marek's disease, USDA-ARS, ADOL, East Lansing, MI
1993 Excellence in Doctoral Research, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
1991 Honor Society Pi Alpha XI, Iota Chapter, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
1980 First Class Honors, B.S. Agronomy, Universidad Nacional Agraria, Lima, Peru
RESEARCH INTERESTS
•• Design and implementation of genome-enabled selection and marker/gene-assisted selection
•• Design and implementation of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for complex traits
•• Design and implementation of genome-wide QTL scans for complex traits in rainbow trout
•• Bayesian methods of complex segregation analysis of complex traits in rainbow trout
•• Genetic diversity, divergence, population structure, admixture, phylogenomics and LD extent-distribution in rainbow trout
•• Transcriptome profiling using microarray and RNA-seq data and statistical analysis of gene expression data
•• Statistical genetics & functional genomics data analysis for a rainbow trout molecular breeding program. National Center for Cool & Cold Water Aquaculture, ARS, USDA. Kearneysville, WV, 2005- to present.
•• Genetic basis of susceptibility to clinical mastitis in dairy cattle. Genomics & Bioinformatics Laboratory, Dept. Dairy & Animal Science, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 2000-2004.
•• Genetic basis of vulnerability to alcoholism and related psychiatric disorders in human populations, Section on Population Genetics & Linkage, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, NIAAA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 1997-2000.
•• Genetic mapping of QTL affecting susceptibility to Marek's disease in chickens, Avian Disease & Oncology Laboratory, ARS, USDA, East Lansing, MI, 1995-1997.
•• Associate Editor: BMC Genetics; Genetics Selection Evolution
•• Editorial Board Member: Frontiers in Genetics; Journal of Dairy Science
•• Ad Hoc Reviewer: Genetics; Animal Genetics; Journal of Animal Breeding & Genetics; Journal of Animal Science; Marine Biotechnology; Israeli Journal of Aquaculture
•• Grant Panel Reviewer: USDA-NRICGP; USDA-NIFA-AFRI
•• Ad hoc Grant Reviewer: NSF;Israel Science Foundation;US-IsraelBinational Agric. Res. & Develop.
•• Adjunct Professor, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Depart. of Aquaculture & Fisheries, Lima, Peru (2009- )
•• Faculty Member Penn State University (2000-2004): Center for Genome Studies; Inter-College Graduate Degree Program in Genetics; Graduate Degree Program in Animal Science
PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS (Last 5 years)
Vallejo, RL, Y Palti, S Liu, DP Marancik and GD Wiens. 2014. Validation of linked QTL for bacterial cold water disease resistance and spleen size on rainbow trout chromosome Omy19. Aquaculture 432: 139-143
Vallejo, RL, Y Palti, S Liu, JP Evenhuis, G Gao, CE Rexroad III and GD Wiens. 2014. Detection of QTL in Rainbow Trout Affecting SurvivalWhen Challenged with Flavobacterium psychrophilum. Marine Biotechnology16: 349-360
Palti, Y, G Gao, MR Miller, RL Vallejo, PA Wheeler, E Quillet, J Yao, GH Thorgaard, M Salem and CE Rexroad III. 2014. A resource of single-nucleotide polymorphisms for rainbow trout generated by restriction-site associated DNA sequencing of doubled haploids. Molec Ecology Resources 14: 588-596
Rexroad III, CE, RL Vallejo, S Liu, YPalti and GM Weber. 2013.Quantitative Trait Loci Affecting Response to CrowdingStress in an F2 Generation of Rainbow Trout ProducedThrough Phenotypic Selection. Marine Biotechnology 15: 613-627
Wiens, GD, RL Vallejo, TD Leeds, Y Palti, S Hadidi, S Liu, JP Evenhuis, TJ Welch and CE Rexroad III. 2013. Assessment of Genetic Correlation between Bacterial Cold Water Disease Resistance and Spleen Index in a Domesticated Population of Rainbow Trout: Identification of QTL on Chromosome Omy19. PLoS ONE 8(10): e75749
Wolters, WR, GS Burr, Y Palti and RL Vallejo. 2013. Phenotypic and Genetic Variation in Two North American ArcticCharr, Salvelinus alpinus, Stocks Cultured in a RecirculatingAquaculture System. JWorld Aquaculture Society44: 473-485
Rexroad III, CE, RL Vallejo, S Liu, Y Palti and GM Weber. 2012. QTL affecting stress response to crowding in arainbow trout broodstock population. BMC Genetics13: 97
Salem, M, RL Vallejo, TD Leeds, Y Palti, S Liu, A Sabbagh, CE Rexroad III and J Yao. 2012. RNA-Seq Identifies SNP Markers for Growth Traits in Rainbow Trout. PLoS ONE 7(5): e36264
Overturf, K, RL Vallejo, Y Palti, FT Barrows, JE Parsons. 2012. Microarray analysis of differential utilization of plant-based diets by rainbow trout. Aquacult. Int. 20: 213-232
Palti, Y, C Genet, MC Luo, A Charlet, G Gao, Y Hu, C Casta?o-S?nchez, K Tabet-Canale, F Krieg, J Yao, RL Vallejo and CE Rexroad III. 2011. A first generation integrated map of the rainbow trout genome. BMC Genomics 12: 180
Vallejo, RL, GD Wiens, CE Rexroad III, TJ Welch,JP Evenhuis, TD Leeds, LLG Janss, and Y Palti. 2010. Evidence of major genes affecting resistance to bacterial cold water disease in rainbow trout using Bayesian methods of segregation analysis. J. Animal Sci. 88: 3814-3832
Wiens, GD and RL Vallejo. 2010. Temporal and pathogen-load dependent changes in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) immune response traits following challenge with biotype 2 Yersinia ruckeri. Fish & Shellfish Immunology 29: 639-647
Leeds, TD, JT Silverstein, GM Weber, RL Vallejo, Y Palti, CE Rexroad III, J Evenhuis, S Hadidi, TJ Welch, and GD Wiens. 2010. Response to selection for bacterial cold water disease resistance in rainbow trout. J. Animal Sci. 88: 1936-1946
Vallejo, RL, CE Rexroad III, JT Silverstein, LLG Janss and GM Weber. 2009. Evidence of major genes affecting stress response in rainbow trout using Bayesian methods of complex segregation analysis. J. Animal Sci. 87: 3490-3505
Rexroad III, CE and RL Vallejo. 2009. Estimates of Linkage Disequilibrium and Effective Population Size in Rainbow Trout. BMC Genetics 10: 83
Sanchez, CC, TPL Smith, RT Wiedmann, RL Vallejo, M Salem, J Yao and CE Rexroad III. 2009. Single Nucleotide Polymorphism discovery in Rainbow Trout by deep sequencing of a reduced representation library. BMC Genomics 10: 559
Palti, Y, MC Luo, Y Hu, C Genet, FM You, RL Vallejo, GH Thorgaard, PA Wheeler and CE Rexroad III. 2009. A first generation BAC-based physical map of the rainbow trout genome. BMC Genomics 10: 462
Rexroad III, C E, Y Palti, SA Gahr and RL Vallejo. 2008. A second generation genetic map for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). BMC Genetics 9: 74
American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1997 -
Genetics Society of America, 1995 -