Gizem Terzioglu

Thesis advisor: Tracy Young-Pearse

Rotations: Tracy Young-Pearse, Lisa Goodrich, Paola Arlotta

For me, home is: Istanbul, Turkey

Undergraduate degree(s): BS Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology

Research experience before PiN: I have worked as an undergraduate research assistant at the Hepler Lab at Emory University, where I have worked on the impacts of rare human variants and disease-linked mutations of an important protein in the hippocampus, RGS14, on the protein's interactions with its binding partners and the regulation of JNK signaling. After my sophomore year of college, I spent a summer at Zhigang He's lab at Boston Children's Hospital as a Harvard Stem Cell Institute Intern, where I worked on a CRISPR deletion screen for the regulators of axon regeneration and neuron survival in an optic nerve crush model. After my junior year of college, I worked virtually at the Onder Lab at Koc University in Turkey, where I wrote and published a review article on the epigenetic barriers to somatic cell reprogramming.

Current research interests: Brain organic or iPSC models of neurological diseases

Interests outside lab / favorite hangouts: Outside of lab, I enjoy doing yoga, going on hikes, runs and nature walks, knitting and baking. Although I have only spent a summer in Boston so far, some of my favorite hangouts are the Public Garden and the Charles River Esplanade. I am excited to explore the food and drink scene in Boston and the hikes around Boston further throughout graduate school as well!