U.S. Department of Agriculture

Agricultural Research Service

National Center for Cool & Cold Water Aquaculture

11861 Leetown Road

Kearneysville, WV 25430

Voice: (304) 724-8340 x2141

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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

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

••   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.

SCIENTIFIC AND ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

••   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

MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

International Society of Animal Genetics, 2006 -

American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1997 -

Genetics Society of America, 1995 -