Burcu Sümer
Bogazici University Molecular Biology & Genetics / Chemistry Departments
Istanbul, TURKEY

E-mail burcu [dot] sumer [at] boun [dot] edu [dot] tr
burcusumer [at] gmail [dot] com
Date of Birth 06.08.1982
Place of Birth Istanbul/ TURKEY
Gender Female

Educational info:

2006- Bogazici University, Istanbul Graduate student in Molecular Biology & Genetics Department
2002-2006 Bogazici University, Istanbul Bachelor’s degrees from Molecular Biology & Genetics Department (3rd place) Chemistry Department (4th place)
2001-2002 Bogazici University, Istanbul School of Foreign Languages English Preparatory Class (advanced)
1993-2001 Istanbul Erkek High School (1993-1995 German Preparatory Class)

Research Experience:

4-27 January 2008 Trainee in Cancer Biology Division of Wistar Institute in the Laboratory of Prof. Meenhard Herlyn.Here I mastered the primary human skin cell isolation techniques. Besides I worked on skin constructs,melanoma and embryonic human stem cell sphere formation and treatment with anti cancer drugs, andimaging via confocal microscopy.(Supervisor: Prof. Meenhard Herlyn , Dr. Jessie Villanueva jvillanueva [at] wistar [dot] org; Wistar Institute)
September 2006- Member of Apoptosis and Cancer Immunology Laboratory (EMBO member) supervised by AssistantProf. Nesrin Ozoren. I am working on my master thesis that is concentrated on the role of the apoptoticadaptor protein ASC (TMS1/PYCARD) on the development of skin cancer.(Supervisor: AssistanProf. Nesrin Ozoren; Bogazici University Department of MBG nesrin [dot] ozoren [at] boun [dot] edu [dot] tr)
March 2005-February 2006 Member of Prof Nese Bilgin’s Biochemistry Lab concentrated on ribosomes and protein translation.In my first project, together with 2 other students I was carrying out basic experiments for identification of agroup of novel thermophilic bacteria such as Anatolia subtilis (characteristic enzymatic assays, determinationof optimal growth conditions etc.).Next, in my second project, I determined the differential tRNA abundance of thermophilic bacteria using 2Ddenaturing PAGE.(Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Nes’e Bilgin; Bogazici University Department of MBG bilginne [at] boun [dot] edu [dot]tr)
September- December 2004 Member of Prof. Asli Tolun’s Genetic Laboratory. Here, together with a graduate student we weretrying to identify novel disease genes using PCR and SSCP analysis.(Prof. Dr. Asli Tolun; Bogazici University Department of MBG tolun [at] boun [dot] edu [dot] tr)
June- September 2004 Trainee in METU- Biotechnology Research Unit working on tissue engineering of bone, cartilageand cornea; controlled drug delivery; liposomes. I took part mainly in the project, in that we were stampingFITC labeled fibrinogen onto the biodegradable polymer scaffolds (micro contact printing).(Prof. Dr. Vasif Hasirci vhasirci [at] metu [dot] edu [dot] tr)

Laboratory Skills:

  • Molecular & Cell Biology: Cell culture techniques (primary cells: human melanocytes, keratinocytes,fibroblasts, human embryonic stem cells; cell lines), immunoblotting, ELISA, soft agar colony formationassay
  • Microbiology: Bacterial culture, plasmid isolation and cloning techniques, growth curve determination;
  • Viral Techniques: Lentiviral transfection, Infection of human primary cells and cell lines
  • Bioinformatics: shRNA design, primer design, BLAST, Dizzy
  • Genetic: Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques (PCR, RT-PCR); SSCP
  • Biotechnology: Preparation of polymeric films for cell seeding- PLLA, PHBV, pHEMA, Cytotoxicity tests
  • Gel electrophoresis: agarose, SDS-PAGE, 2D PAGE
  • Microscopy: Fluorescence , Bright field, Confocal
  • Chemistry: Nearly all kinds of spectroscopic techniques :IR, vis-UV spectroscopy, H&C-NMR
  • Chromatography: Gel permeation, Paper, Thin Layer
  • Analytic: Buffers (lab course taken)
  • Inorganic: Complex salt reactions (lab course taken)
  • Organic: Synthesis and identification of compounds(lab course taken)
  • Physical chemistry (lab course taken)

 

Conferences and Workshops:
Conference: BIOMED 2004- 11th International Biomedical Science and Technology Days
Workshop: Usage of research animals in biological experiments (16-17 February 2006 I.U. Cerrahpasa MedicalSchool)
Workshop: Teaching Workshop on Apoptosis (7-8 November 2006 Dokuz Eylul University)
Workshop: XIII. Flow Cytometry Training (11-15 June 2007 Istanbul University, DETEA)
Forum: EMBO Young Scientists Forum; First author poster presenter (20 – 22 February 2008, BogaziçiUniversity)

Teaching Experience:
Student Teaching Assistant in Cell Biology laboratory ( Bogazici University, 2006 Fall)
Student Teaching Assistant in Microbiology laboratory ( Bogazici University, 2007 Spring)
Substitute instructor in Cell Biology ( Bogazici University, 2007 Spring, 1 week covering signaling pathwaystopic, 2008 Fall, 1 week covering Apoptosis)

Scholarships:
TUBITAK (Turkish Scientific Research Council) Scholarship for Master of Science in Molecular Biology and Genetics (2 years 09.2006 – 09.2008)

Languages Spoken:
Turkish (native)
English (upper advanced)
German (advanced)
Japanese (beginner)