Curriculum Vitae
Petar M. Pajic

University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260
716-392-6074 petarpaj@buffalo.edu

SUMMARY

Dr. Petar Pajić is a postdoctoral researcher at the University at Buffalo, specializing in evolutionary genetics. He is broadly curious how structural variation, commonly found in genomes, contribute to evolution, function, and disease susceptibility. Dr. Pajić earned his doctorate in January 2025 in Dr. Omer Gokcumen’s labratory, where his dissertation, “Mucins provide insights into mechanisms of functional evolution,” examined the evolutionary forces shaping the variation and function of mucus-producing genes. He has experience in bioinformatics, genome sequencing, genetic analysis, and glycoproteomics. By integrating genomics, proteomics and functional biology, his interdisciplinary work aims to use basic science approaches to advance personalized medicine by uncovering key genetic mechanisms that shape human health.

EDUCATION

InstitutionDegreeYearsDepartmentAdvisor
University at BuffaloB.S.2011-2015Biological SciencesDr. G. Koudelka
University at BuffaloM.S.2015-2017Biological SciencesDr. O. Gokcumen
University at Buffalo
University at Buffalo
Ph.D.
Postdoc.
2020-2025
2025-
Biological Sciences
Biological Sciences
Dr. O. Gokcumen
Dr. O. Gokcumen

APPOINTMENTS & DEVELOPMENT

2025- Postdoctoral Fellow. Gokcumen Laboratory, University at Buffalo 
2023-2024 Graduate Student Ambassador. Graduate Enrollment Team, University at Buffalo
2022-2024 Treasurer, Biological Sciences Graduate Student Association Board, University at Buffalo
2021-2025 Research Assistant. Evolutionary Genetics. Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo -Dr. Omer Gokcumen
2020-2021 Teaching Assistant. Evolutionary Biology. Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo
2017-2020 Laboratory Associate. Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University at Buffalo -Dr. Stefan Ruhl
2013-2014 Observership (Clinical). Roswell Park Cancer Institute
2014 Observership (Surgical). Johns Hopkins Hospital
2014 Observership (Clinical/Surgical). R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, University of Maryland -Dr. Branko Bojovic
2013 Undergraduate Researcher. Department of Chemistry, University at Buffalo -Dr. Sarbajit Banerjee
2012-2013 Observership (Clinical/Surgical). Western New York: Ear, Nose, and Throat- Dr. Mark Hoeplinger

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

2023 SMBE Young Investigator Travel Award, SMBE23 Ferrara, Italy

2023 Celebration of Student Academic Excellence Student Showcase, University at Buffalo

2022 Best Talk Award,  GLAM-Evogen

2020 Radovan and Theresa Bratic Memorial Scholarship, Serbian National Federation

2020-2022 Departmental Fellowship, Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo

2017 Best Poster. AAPA Conference 

2015 Cum Laude. Bachelor of Science. University at Buffalo

2014-2015 Dean’s List. University at Buffalo

2014 TORCH Leadership Award. University at Buffalo

2011-2015 NYS Scholarship for Academic Excellence 

GRANT SUPPORT

2023 Mark Diamond Research Foundation (Graduate Student Association State University of New York, University at Buffalo). PI. $2780. Elucidating the evolution and biomedical impact of mucins. 

PUBLICATIONS

6 publications, >243 citations as of January 2025 (Google Scholar), h-index=5, i10-index=5. 

Research articles published while at the University at Buffalo

M.Sc. 

1. Pajic P.*, Lin Y-L.*, Xu D., Gokcumen, O. (2016). The psoriasis-associated deletion of late cornified envelope genes LCE3B and LCE3C has been maintained under balancing selection since Human Denisovan divergence. BMC Ecology and Evolution 16 (1), 265 [First Author, IF:3.26].

Ph.D. 

2. Pajic, P., Pavlidis, P., Dean, K., Neznanova, L., Daugherity, E., Romano R-A., Garneau, D., Globig, A., Ruhl, S., Gokcumen, O. (2019). Independent amylase gene copy number bursts correlate with dietary preferences in mammals. eLife. 8:e44628 [First Author, Highlighted by an editorial, IF:8.7].

3. Barnard, K. N., Alford-Lawrence, B. K., Buchholz, D. W., Wasik, B. R., LaClair, J. R., Yu, H.,Honce, R., Ruhl, S., Pajic, P., Daugherity, E. K., Chen, X., Schultz-Cherry, S. L., Aguilar, H. C.,Varki, A., & Parrish, C. R. (2020). Modified Sialic Acids on Mucus and Erythrocytes Inhibit Influenza A Virus Hemagglutinin and Neuraminidase Functions. Journal of Virology, 94(9),e01567-19  [IF:6.2]

4. Pajic, P., Shen, S., Qu, J., May, A. J., Knox, S., Ruhl, S., & Gokcumen, O. (2022). A mechanism of gene evolution generating mucin function. Science Advances, 8(34), eabm8757. [First Author, IF:14.14]

5. Veilleux C.C.*, Garrett, E.C.*, Pajic, P.*, Saitou, M., Dominy, N.J., Perry, G.H., Gokcumen, O., Melin, A.D. (2023) Human subsistence and signatures of selection on chemosensory genes. Communications Biology, 6(683), [Co-First Author, IF: 6.5]

6. Yilmaz F.*, Karageorgiou C.*, Kim K.*, Pajic P., Kendra Scheer Torregrossa A-M., Lee C.**, Gokcumen O.** (2024) Reconstruction of the human amylase locus reveals ancient duplications seeding modern-day variation. Science, eadn0609. [IF: 47.7]

7. Pajic, P., Landau, L., Gokcumen, O., Ruhl, S. (2023). Emergence of saliva protein genes in the secretory calcium-binding phosphoprotein (SCPP) locus and accelerated evolution in primates [Manuscript under review]

Research Press Highlights

2019 Pajic et al. Amylase copy number analysis in several mammalian lineages reveals convergent adaptive bursts shaped by diet.  Press release: http://www.buffalo.edu/ubnow/stories/2019/05/amylase.html; Selected highlights in eLife Insights, Futurity, Inverse, and National Science Foundation 4 Awesome Discoveries You Probably Didn’t Hear About This Week

2022 Pajic et al. A mechanism of gene evolution generating mucin function.  Press release: https://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2022/08/023.html; Selected highlights in BBC Inside Science, NSF News From the Field, The Conversation, Inverse, Popular Science, New Scientist, Discover

PRESENTATIONS and POSTERS

Invited Talks

2022     Undergraduate Biology Association, University at Buffalo

2023     AADOCR, GenNext: The Future of Salivary Research, Portland. Oregon

2024     Biological Sciences Seminar Series, SUNY Geneseo, Geneseo, NY 

2024         17th Mucins in Health and Disease, Gothenburg, Sweden

Talks

2021 ESEB: Satellite Meeting on ‘Tandem Repeats: methods and roles in molecular evolution’. Abstract: Parallel evolution of mucins through repeat expansions

2021 Biological Sciences Symposium, University at Buffalo: Abstract: “A novel mechanism of gene evolution”

2022 Great Lakes Annual Meeting of Evolutionary Genomics: Abstract: “A novel mechanism of gene evolution”. Best Talk Award

2022 Department of Biological Sciences Research Showcase, University at Buffalo “A         novel mechanism of gene evolution”

Posters (presenter is underlined)

Yeng Lung-Lin, Muthukrishnan Eaaswarkhant, Petar Pajic, Duo Xu, Margarita Rzhetskaya, Geoffrey Hayes, Ran Blekhman, Nina Jablonski, and Omer Gokcumen. (2017). Complex adaptive forces shape skin barrier evolution in humans. American Association of Physical Anthropologists Annual Meeting.

Kirsten Dean, Petar Pajic, Stefan Ruhl, Omer Gokcumen. (2018). Independent bursts of amylase copy number. 

Petar Pajic, Shichen Shen, Jun Qu, Alison May, Sarah Knox, Stefan Ruhl, Omer Gokcumen. (2021) De novo mucins in mammals: How parallel evolution of exonic repeats leads to new function. American Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting. Virtual

Sophia Jacobs, Petar Pajic, Omer Gokcumen. (2022). ACOT Gene Family Copy Number Correlates With Metabolic Rates in Mammals. REU Biology. Buffalo, NY

Valerie Reyes Ortiz, Petar Pajic, Omer Gokcumen. (2022). Validation of amylase copy number variation predicted by optical mapping and long read sequencing. REU Chemistry. Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS). Anaheim, California. Poster Presentation Award 

Shika Jain, Shichen Shen, Jun Qu, Petar Pajic, Omer Gokcumen, Stefan Ruhl (2023). Comparative Analysis of Saliva Proteomes of Humans and Non-Human Primates. Gordon Research Conference: Salivary Glands and Exocrine Biology. Ventura, California

Petar Pajic, Shichen Shen, Jun Qu, Alison May, Sarah Knox, Stefan Ruhl, Omer Gokcumen. (2023). A mechanism of gene evolution generating mucin function. Gordon Research Conference: Salivary Glands and Exocrine Biology. Ventura, California

Petar Pajic, Shichen Shen, Jun Qu, Alison May, Sarah Knox, Stefan Ruhl, Omer Gokcumen. (2023). A mechanism of gene evolution generating mucin function. Gordon Research Conference: Society of Molecular Biology and Evolution. Ferrara, Italy 

Kamila D. Nixon, Emily Demieri, Kimberly F. James, Petar Pajic, Charles Lee, Omer Gokcumen, Ann-Marie Torregrossa (2024). Salivary amylase regulates blood glucose. Conference: Association for Chemoreception Sciences

Verenice Ascencio Gutierrez, Rachel D. Fan, Kamila D. Nixon, Emily Demieri, Kimberly F. James, Petar Pajic, Charles Lee, Omer Gokcumen, Ann-Marie Torregrossa (2024). Conference: Association for Chemoreception Sciences

Petar Pajic, Shichen Shen, Jun Qu, Alison May, Sarah Knox, Stefan Ruhl, Omer Gokcumen. (2023). A mechanism of gene evolution generating mucin function. Student Academic Excellence Student Showcase. University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY

Sarah Kassem, Petar Pajic, Luane Landau, Huishi Toh, Omer Gokcumen. (2024) Understanding the Amylase locus in Nile Rats within the context of diet-induced diabetes. Conference: REU Biology (UB)  & Great Lakes Annual Meeting of Evolutionary Genomics. Syracuse, NY

Lindsey Saio, Kendra Scheer, Petar Pajic, Omer Gokcumen. (2024) Unraveling global patterns of pepsinogen gene copy number variation provides insights into human dietary evolution. Conference: Great Lakes Annual Meeting of Evolutionary Genomics. Syracuse, NY

JOURNAL REVIEWERSHIP

2021 Scientific Reports (1)

2021 Czech Journal of Animal Science (1)

2021 BMC Ecology and Evolution (1)

2022 PLOS One (1)

2022-23 Clinical Oral Investigations (2)

2023 Nucleic Acids Research (1)

SERVICE & VOLUNTEER INVOLVEMENT 

2021 SerbFest General Chairman

2019-  Serbfest Chair of Advertisement And Music 

2019-2024 Parish Council Board Member

2014- Church Men’s Club

2014- Church Fundraisers: Bake Sale, Fish Fry 

2008- Church Choir (Bass and Tenor)

2022-24 UB Biological Sciences Open House

2022-24 UB Biological Sciences Annual Symposium Co-Organizer

2022-24 UB Biological Sciences Happy Hour Coordinator

2023 UB Biological Sciences Career Day Coordinator

2024 UB Biological Sciences Mini Symposium Co-Organizer

STUDENT MENTORSHIP

Hannah Calkins (2016-2017) Sophia Jacobs (2022)

Kirsten Dean (2017-2019) Achisha Saikia (2022-2023)

Umair Sayid (2018-2019) Valentina Allen (2022-2023)

John Kick (2018-2019) Lindsey Siao (2023- )

Madeleine Bartz (2020) Sarah Kassem (2023- )

Megan Dwyer (2020)

Ben Stein (2020-2022)

Valerie Reyes-Ortiz (2022)

Scroll to Top