Function and Responsibilities:

I am a postdoctoral researcher in the ERC Synergy Grant DEEP PURPLE as part of the Interface Geochemistry at GFZ (Section 3.5).

My research focuses on sequencing and assembly of snow and ice algae genomes to reveal novel physiological mechanisms and/or biochemical pathways they use to adapt to cold environments. This information can also (i) allow a better characterization of snow and ice communities, (ii) shed light on the interactions of these microbial eukaryotes with their prokaryotic cohabitants, and (iii) understand their responses to climate change.

Career:

Since 15.10.2022: Postdoctoral Research Associate in Bioinformatics at the German Research Center for Geosciences GFZ Potsdam

2016 - 2018: Research Associate in Bioinformatics at the Evolutionary Genetics Laboratory, Ankara University, Turkey

Education:

2018 – 2022: Ph.D. in Environmental Biology

Leiden University, Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML)

Thesis: Disentangling bioindicator diatom species complexes using genomic approaches

Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Barbara Gravendeel, Prof. Dr. Peter van Bodegom

2013 - 2016: M.Sc. in Marine Biology and Fisheries

Middle East Technical University, Institute of Marine Sciences

Thesis: Biodiversity assessment of fishes and invertebrates in the Eastern Mediterranean using DNA barcoding

Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Arzu Karahan

2006 - 2013: B.Sc. in Molecular Biology and Genetics

Middle East Technical University