With regards to my academic background, I have had the opportunity to become deeply immersed within Molecular Biology and Genetics at Paris-Saclay University. Given my passion for research in the name of scientific development, I have had the valuable opportunity to work as a laboratory technician for 2 years in Turkey, where I grew up and completed my high-school degree.
For my Masters thesis, I completed an internship at the Chromatin Dynamics Unit within San Raffaele Hospital, Milan whilst I was studying at University of Milan (Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics). Here I was able to hone my research skills whilst also gaining experience as a Teaching Assistant in Data interpretation and Omics analysis. During my thesis, I recently identified a histone gene expressed specifically in the brain to have a role during early development. I tagged the gene by using the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technique, which led me to apply to the RETORNA Program.
I am excited to become an independent researcher in the future by contributing to novel research projects based on genome engineering. I strongly believe that my passion in research and science, once combined with RETORNA network and interactions with collaborators will be an amazing opportunity to make a difference in translational research. As part of this respected ecosystem, I wish to fully benefit from and contribute to the diversity of presences and ideas which coexist within this environment.
As RNA therapy is getting more powerful day by day and contributing to translational research continously, I am very excited to be a part of RETORNA PhD Program to develop a new therapeutic approach for retinal hereditary dystrophy. I believe that using RNA therapy based on newly developed genome engineering tools will make a huge difference to the lives of people living with these complex diseases.