Gizem Takir

PhD thesis title: The Role of Plakoglobin for Regulation of Endothelial Junctions -Identified novel post-translational modifications on a catenin protein involved in leukocyte diapedesis. -Developed adenoviral constructs to monitor protein mobility at cell junctions using the FRAP technique. -Generated a polyclonal antibody to improve detection sensitivity. -Optimized in vitro protocols to enhance the consistency and reproducibility of in vivo experimental data.

-Initiated interdisciplinary scientific and social interactions to reconnect departments after the COVID lockdown. -Coordinated 12+ institute-wide events, including scientific events and social gatherings. -Acted as a representative for PhD students, advocating for better conditions.

-Optimized the generation of cancer cell spheroids to analyze the effect of inflammation using U937-derived macrophage-conditioned medium, verified by ELISA for TNFα, IL-6, and IL-1β. -Mentored and trained students in laboratory methods and their research projects.

-Performed confocal microscopy to study the interplay between lipid droplet formation and nuclear deformation in cancer cells. -Developed automated image analysis macros (ImageJ) to standardize image quantification. -Mentored a junior researcher.

Investigated the role of a novel protein in cell cycle regulation across various cancer cell lines.