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ASSISTANT PROFESSOR BAHAR DEĞİRMENCİ UZUN Faculty Member |
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| Office: SB-241 Phone: +90 312 290 2154 Lab website: bdlab.bilkent.edu.tr E-mail: bahar.degirmenci@bilkent.edu.tr |
• LinkedIn profile • PubMed entries • Twitter address |
Biography
Dr. Değirmenci Uzun graduated from Middle East Technical University in 2010. She then received her MSc degree from Koc University in 2012. She obtained her PhD degree at University of Zurich in 2018. During her PhD thesis, she identified the essential Wnt–secreting stem cell niche in the intestine and characterized its roles during homeostasis, regeneration and cancer. She could achieve first author publications in the journals Cell Reports and Nature. She aims to identify the role of stem cell niche in pathological situations.
Research
The lab is at the forefront of pioneering research, with a specific focus on organoids and animal models. Our central mission is to develop and study these miniature, three-dimensional organ-like structures, which hold incredible promise for biomedical applications. We are dedicated to perfecting organoid culture techniques, exploring their potential in disease modeling, drug testing, and personalized medicine, and unraveling the mysteries of organ development and function at a cellular level, particularly under various physiological conditions and in the context of diseases. With a strong emphasis on organoids and animal models, our lab endeavors to lead the way in revolutionizing healthcare, advancing our understanding of human biology, and improving our ability to simulate and study disease processes.
Key Publications
Degirmenci, B., Dincer, C., Demirel, H. C., Berkova, L., Moor, A. E., Kahraman, A., Hausmann, G., Aguet, M., Tuncbag, N., Valenta, T., & Basler, K. (2021). Epithelial Wnt secretion drives the progression of inflammation-induced colon carcinoma in murine model. iScience, 24(12), 103369.
Degirmenci, B., Valenta, T., Dimitrieva, S., Hausmann, G., & Basler, K. (2018). GLI1-expressing mesenchymal cells form the essential Wnt-secreting niche for colon stem cells. Nature, 558(7710), 449–453.
Degirmenci, B., Hausmann, G., Valenta, T., & Basler, K. (2018). Wnt Ligands as a Part of the Stem Cell Niche in the Intestine and the Liver. Progress in molecular biology and translational science, 153, 1–19.
Unsal, E., Degirmenci, B., Harmanda, B., Erman, B., & Ozlu, N. (2016). A small molecule identified through an in silico screen inhibits Aurora B-INCENP interaction. Chemical biology & drug design, 88(6), 783–794.