Nermin Kahraman, B.S., has joined the HMRI/Nanomedicine as Ozpolat Lab supervisor. She obtained her B.S. degree in Biology from the Ege University, Izmir, Turkey. She joined Ozpolat Lab in the Department of Experimental Therapeutics at MD Anderson Cancer Center, in 2012. Her research interests include the investigation of eEF2K role in breast, pancreatic and brain cancers
Sayra Dilmac, Ph.D., has joined HMRI/Nanomedicine as Postdoctoral Fellow in the Ozpolat Lab. She received her Ph.D. in Embryology at the Akdeniz University, School of Medicine, Konyaalti/Antalya, Turkey. She pursued her postdoctoral studies at Penn State University College of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Hershey, PA, USA. She is currently investigating the molecular mechanism causing resistance to PARP inhibitors and therapeutic potential of novel eEF2K inhibitors in metastatic breast cancer.
Goknur Kara, Ph.D., has joined HMRI/Nanomedicine as Postdoctoral Fellow in the Ozpolat Lab. She gained her Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry from Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. She joined Dr. Ozpolat’ s group as a postdoctoral fellow at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Her current work focuses on kinases targeting via miRNA nanotherapeutics in breast cancer and the development of novel nanocarriers for tumor targeted delivery of oligonucleotides siRNA and miRNA-based therapeutics.
Rumeysa Ozyurt, Ph.D., has joined HMRI/Nanomedicine as Postdoctoral Fellow in the Ozpolat Lab. She received her B.S. degree in Biology from the Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey. She pursued her Ph.D. training in Human Physiology/Molecular Biology, from the Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey. In 2021, Dr. Rumeysa Ozyurt joined Dr. Ozpolat’ s group at MD Anderson Cancer Center as a postdoctoral fellow and further expanded her studies on breast cancer. Her current research interests include understanding molecular mechanisms of drug resistance in anti-estrogen therapies and the role of oncogenic pathways in breast cancer progression.
Pinar Atalay, Ph.D., has joined HMRI/Nanomedicine as Postdoctoral Fellow in the Ozpolat Lab. She received her Ph.D. degree in Medical Biology from the Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey. She joined Dr. Ozpolat’s group in MD Anderson Cancer Center as a postdoctoral fellow. Her current research focuses on understanding the role of PIM kinases in breast cancer metastasis and progression and evaluating the therapeutic potential of novel KRAS inhibitors in pancreatic and lung cancers.
Ogun Ali Gul, B.S., has joined the HMRI/Nanomedicine as Research Assistant II. He received his B.S. degree in Biology from the Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey. His current work focuses on performing small molecule inhibitors screening for oncogenic kinases and proteins and validating target inhibition and testing in vivo efficacy of potential inhibitors using animal models.
Eda Yaldirak MD. Visting Graduate (PhD) Student
Ezgi Biltekin MD, Visiting Graduate (PhD) Student
Past Mentees:
Isabel Zorilla-Calancha, MD
Postdoctoral fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center,
Department of Experimental Therapeutics
2004-2007
Oncologist, Consultant, Houston
Ugur Akar, MD, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center,
Department of Experimental Therapeutics
2007-2010
Senior Research Scientist, Baylor Collage of Medicine, Houston
Ibrahim Tekedereli, MD
Postdoctoral fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Department of Experimental Therapeutics
2008-2011
Professor, Turgut Ozal Medical Center, Malatya, Turkey
Neslihan Karabulut MD, MS
Postdoctoral fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Experimental Therapeutics Department
2010-2013
Hatice Yildirim, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Experimental Therapeutics Department
2013-2014
Assistant Professor, Balikesir University, Turkey
Ahmet Bircan, MD
Postdoctoral fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Experimental Therapeutics Department
9/2013-8/2015
Professor, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
Nilgun Gurbuz, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Experimental Therapeutics Department
2014-2016
Professor, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
Didem Karkas PhD
Predoctoral fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Experimental Therapeutics Department
2014-2016
Assistant Professor, Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey
Elif Asik PhD
Predoctoral fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center,
Department of Experimental Therapeutics
2007-2010
Senior Research Scientist, Baylor Collage of Medicine, Houston
Seyda Baydogan, MD
Postdoctoral fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Experimental Therapeutics Department
2018-2019
Research Scientist, Clinical Cancer Prevention, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
Rumeysa Ozyurt, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center,
Experimental Therapeutics Department
Postdoctoral fellow , Clinical Cancer Prevention, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
Pinar Atalay Dundar, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Experimental Therapeutics Department
Postdoctoral fellow , Clinical Cancer Prevention, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
Sayra Dilmac, PhD
Predoctoral fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Experimental Therapeutics Department
7/2018- 7/2019
Postdoctoral fellow, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX
Ferah Comert Onder, PhD
Predoctoral fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center,
Experimental Therapeutics Department
7/2019- 7/2020
Assistant Professor, Çanakkale University, Turkey
Nashwa Kabil, MD,MS,
PhD Student 2014-2018
MD Anderson Cancer Center, Experimental Therapeutics Department
Medical Head, Oncology at AstraZeneca
Alumni summary
| Advisory Committees for 7 PhD students | ||||||||||
| Supervisory Committees for 11 PhD students | ||||||||||
Examination Committee member for 3 GSBS and 1 UTMB PhD students
|
Advisory Committees
Betul Vildan Sahin, BS, UT-MDACC-GSBS- MS student 2009-2011
Ahmed Ashour, Al-Azhar University, Egypt, Visiting PhD student, 2012-2015
Alper Erdogan, VMD, MS, Ege University, Visiting PhD student 2012-2014
Hakan Soylu, Akdeniz University, Visiting PhD student, 2016-2018
Selda Karamil- Celal, Bayar University- Turkey, Visiting PhD student 2018-2019
Hamada Mokhlis, Al-Azhar University, Egypt, Visiting PhD student 2017-2018
Dong Ho Shin, UT-MDACC-GSBS PhD student 2019-2020
Supervisory Committees
Burak Ozkaya, MS, Visiting PhD student 2010-2011
Berke Bilgenur Kandemir, MS, Visiting PhD student 2011-2012
Burcu Aslan, MS, UT-MDACC-GSBS PhD student, 2014-2015
Mostafa Borahay, MD, UT-MB-PhD student 2013-2015
Bharat Chaganty, UT-MDACC-GSBS PhD student, 7/2017-2018
Ferah Comert,MS, International PhD student 2018-2019
Sayra Dilmac International PhD student 2018-2019
Goknur Kara MS –Visiting PhD student- Hacettepe MDCC Sister institute 2019-2020
Selda Karamil –Celel Bayar Univ-Visiting PhD student 2019-2020
Ummu Guven Ege University-Visiting PhD student 2018-2020
Dong Ho Shin UT-MDACC-GSBS PhD student 2019-present
Examining Committees
Burcu Aslan, UT-MDACC-GSBS 11/2013
Mostafa Borahay, MD, UT-MB-PhD examining committee, 5/2013
Elif Asik, Hacettepe Univ-MDACC-sister institutes, 2014
Lon Fong, UT-MDACC-GSBS PhD student 2019
Dong Ho Shin MDACC-GSBS PhD student 2019
Direct Supervision
Undergraduate and Allied Health Students
Mentor, Marian Acevado Alvarez, University of Puerto Rico, Biology, 2004 Summer student
Mentor, Marisela Riviera, University of Puerto Rico, Biology, 2006 Summer student
Mentor, Matthew Miller, Rice University, Bioengineering, 2007-2008
Mentor, Murat Kilinc, Istanbul University, Turkey 7/2009-10/2009 Summer student
Mentor, Baki Gezgen, Kultur University-Genetics, Istanbul, 2010- Summer student
Mentor, Yusuf Tamer, Technical University, 5/2011-7/2011- Summer student
Mentor, Ufuk Kirbas, Uludag University, 7/2014-9/2014
Mentor, Anna Kulina, University of Texas-Mc Allen, 7/2014-9/2014
Mentor, Joseph Barnes, University of Puerto Rico, 7/2015-9/2015 Summer student
Mentor- Mine Tanriover, Ulm University, Germany, 7-9/2018 Summer student
Medical Students
Mentor, Christel Chapel, University of Puerto Rico, PR, 2007 Summer student
Mentor, Gamze Gezgen, Hacettepe Medical School, Turkey, 2008 Summer student
Mentor, Ibrahim Sihan, Marmara University Medical School, Turkey, 2008 Summer student
Mentor, Kivanc Gorgulu, Celal Bayar Medical School, 2011 Summer student
Mentor, Hatice Coskun, Hacettepe Medical School,6/2013-8/2013 Summer student
Mentor, Osman Varol, Uludag Medical School,7/2013-8/2013 Summer student
Mentor-Ege Cubuk, Ege University Medical School 7-9/2017 Summer student
Graduate Students
Michael Steiner, Ben Gurion University-Israel, Visiting PhD student, 2004
Alper Erdogan, Adnan Menderes University, Turkey, Visiting PhD student 2012-2013
Ahmed Ashour, Cairo University, Egypt, PhD student 2013-2015
Sevide Sencan, PhD, PhD student 7/2013-2014
Nashwa Kabil, MD,MS, PhD Student 2014-2018
Elif Asik, PhD, PhD student 7/2014-8/2014
Recep Bayraktar, PhD student 8/2014-6/2016
Didem Karakas, Visiting PhD student 2017-2018
Sayra Dilmac MS, Visiting PhD student 2017-2019
Ummu Guven MS, Visiting PhD student 2017-2018
Goknur Kara MS, Visiting PhD student 2019-2020
Clinical Residents and Fellows
Research Co-mentor Maribel Tirado-Gomez, M.D. UT MD Anderson CC, 2005
Research Co-mentor Cesar De Las Casas, MD, UT MD Anderson CC 2005-2006
Research Mentor, Inan Olmez, MD, UT MD Anderson CC 2011-2012
Research Mentor- Darya Kizub MD, UT MD Anderson CC 2020-6/2022
Other Supervisory Teaching
Mentor, Sultan Karabulut, UT-SPH, Research Intern MDACC, 2/2009-8/2009
Research Mentor, Ali Burak Ozkaya, Research Intern, 11/2009-6/2010
Mentor, Erkan Yuca, MS, Research Assistant I, 2010-2013
Research Mentor, Berke Bilgenur Kandemir, Research Intern, 3/2010-8/2010
Mentor, Ozgur Ozkayar,MD, Hacettepe University, Visiting Resident, 5/2014-7/2014
Mentor, Nermin Kahraman BS, Research Assistant 1-3 2014- 2019
Mentor, Ali Emin Cinel, Observer, 7/2014-9/2014
Mentor, Joseph Barnes, GSBS- PhD Student Rotation, 9/2016
Mentor, Caitlyn Barrows GSBS- PhD Student Rotation 7-9-2018