Eco-Evo-Devo Laboratory


​Overview:

The laboratory of Ecological Evolutionary Developmental Biology at the Beykoz Institute of Life Sciences and Biotechnology is a place where fundamental questions on the developmental basis of evolutionary change are explored. The lab in collaboration with the Abouheif lab at McGill University in Canada, has shown ground breaking findings on the interaction between developmental genes and cellular endosymbionts in ants. We use ants of the subfamily Formicinae and true bugs of the family Cicadellidae as our comparative systems. The use of these two distinct systems and the different lineages within these taxa allows us to study evolution at a wide range of evolutionary time scale. 

 Projects:

  1. The developmental genetics of obligate endosymbiosis and its effect on the evolution of insects.  
  2. Mechanism of segregation of endosymbiont between midgut epithelium and gonads. 
  3. Identification of gut microbiome of individuals who live in Turkey, pilot study. 
  4. Characterization of fungal endosymbionts of bumble bees (Bombus terrestris) and their relation with pathogens. 
  5. TUBITAK BIDEB 2247-A: The developmental genetics of obligate endosymbiosis and its effect on the evolution of insects.
  6. TUBITAK ARDEB 1001: Understanding the Emergence of Cells Housing Endosymbionts using Leafhoppers

 Concluded:

  1. Establishment of insect colonies for the study of obligate endosymbiosis in insects
  2. Experimental studies on the effect of antibiotics on the early development of Cicadellidae 
  3. Identification of microbiome of Turkish populations, pilot study
  4. Mechanism of segregation of endosymbiont between midgut epithelium and gonad
  5. Characterization of fungal endosymbionts of bumble bees (Bombus terrestris) and their relation with pathogens.
  6. BMP signaling in Camponotus floridanus and its alteretion in the presence of obligate endosymbionts

Teaching

  1. Molecular Developmental Biology – MSc/PhD course Bezmialem Vakıf Üniversitesi 
  2. Introduction to Evolutionary Biology - online open course 
  3. Developmental Evolution Biol569 McGill University (course 3 lectures) 

Graduate student supervision:

Continued 

  1. PhD, Nihan Sultan Milat, Bezmialem Vakıf University. 2022-Present. “The evolution of BMP signaling in Formicine ant lineages.” (Advisor)
  2. PhD, Sevim Nur Akyüz, Bezmialem Vakıf University. 2023-Present. “Anterior pole determination in presence of early embryonic endosymbionts in ants.” (Advisor)
  3. PhD, Yeşim Erol, İstanbul Technical University. 2023-Present. “The foundations and history of Ecological Evolutionary Developmental Biology.” (Co-advisor)
  4. PhD, Zelal Özgür Durmuş, Hacettepe University. 2022-Present. “The place of the endosymbiotic theory in evolutionary biology since modern synthesis.” (Co-advisor)
  5. Birgul Çolak-Al, ”The role of cellular endosymbionts in the evolution of Hox genes of the Bithorax complex in Camponotini ants.” (Advisor)

Concluded 

  1. PhD, Ümit Yaşar Kına, Bezmialem Vakıf University. 2022. “Use of Cytolysin Expressing Liver Stage Parasites as Innovative Live Attenuated Malaria Vaccine.” (Advisor)
  2. ​MSc, Nihan Sultan Milat, İstanbul University. 2022. “BMP signaling and its variation in the presence of obligate endosymbionts in Camponotus floridanus.” (Co-advisor)
  3. PhD, Fatma Zehra Çağıl, Marmara University. 2023. “Determination of early diagnostic biomarkers of acute renal failure post cardiopulmonary bypass; miR-21 and miR-10a mediated postoperative inflammation.” (Co-advisor)
  4. Msc, Birgül Çolak Al, İstanbul Medeniyet University. 2023. “Uncovering dysregulated miRNA-mRNA networks in Alzheimer's disease through integrated bioinformatics and their potential as blood-based biomarkers.” (Co-advisor)


Lab Research Team:

  • Ab. Matteen Rafiqi, PhD: Principal Investigator
  • Mauricia Alarcon: Post-Doctoral Fellow
  • Priscila Gomez Polo: Post-Doctoral Fellow
  • Cansu Çetin: Visiting Post-Doctoral Fellow
  • Nihan Sultan Milat: Research Assistant/PhD Fellow
  • Birgül Çolak Al: Research Assistant/ Msc
  • Zelal Durmuş: Graduate Student/PhD Fellow
  • Yeşim Erol: Graduate Student/PhD Fellow
  • Sevim Nur Akyüz: Technician/ PhD Fellow
  • Elif Kurt: Animal care personel​

Lab Alumni: 

  • Hilal Şentürk (Istinye Üniversitesi)
  • Esra Taylan (Dora Vocational High School of Health)
  • Koray Kasan (The University of Chicago)
  • Fatma Zehra Çağıl (Syracuse University)​