Eren Can Kılıç

EDUCATION

College / University

Middle East Technical University (METU)

Highest Degree

Bachelor of Science & Bachelor of Arts

Major Subjects

Biology & Philosophy

Country

Turkey

Lab Experience

Rodent and parrot handling/training/colony maintenance, ear-tagging, anesthesia, injections (IP, Sub-Q, IV, IM), gavage, blood sampling, suturing, transcardial perfusion, necropsy, brain extraction, tissue sectioning, brain punches, DNA isolation from human blood samples, PCR, agarose gel electrophoresis, RFLP analysis, fear conditioning, conditioned context aversion, y-maze, elevated plus maze, light-dark box, open field, hedonic eating tests, forced swim test, complex behavioral experimentation in parrots, video recording & behavioral scoring, EthoVision, ImageJ, GraphPad Prism

Projects / Research

2025 – 2026: "Investigation of the relationship between antidepressant-induced weight gain and serotonin 2C receptor", Prof Tülin Yanık (supervisor), Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory, METU, Turkey
2025 – 2026: "The effects of pharmacological and behavioral interventions on fear memory after different retrieval methods used to reintegrate fear memory", Assoc Prof Sezen Kışlal (supervisor), Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, METU, Turkey
2025 – 2026: "Investigation of the omega supplementation on dopaminergic system and behavior in maternal obesity and high fat diet exposed mice", Assoc Prof Sezen Kışlal (supervisor), Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, METU, Turkey
2024: "Future planning based on anticipation of quality foraging outcomes of African Grey Parrots", Dr Auguste von Bayern & Dr Anastasia Krasheninnikova (supervisors)Comparative Cognition Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Spain
2023: "Impairing memory consolidation to prevent the formation of anticipatory nausea", Assoc Prof Sezen Kışlal (supervisor), Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, METU, Turkey

Scholarships / Awards

2026:	TUBITAK 2247-C Intern Researcher Scholarship (STAR)
2024:	Erasmus+ Traineeship Grant
2021 – 2026:	METU Alumni Association Honor Scholarship
2021 – 2025:	ENKA Foundation Scholarship

SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS AND GOALS

My interest in neuroscience is driven by a desire to understand how physical neural circuits generate complex, naturalistic behavior. Coming from a background in Biology and Philosophy, I am deeply fascinated by the causal, mechanistic underpinnings of learning, memory, and decision-making. While my undergraduate research spanned diverse methodologies, from molecular genetics in clinical samples to ethological studies in avian models, my primary scientific goal is to utilize in vivo systems neuroscience techniques. By integrating high-resolution neural recordings and causal circuit manipulations with ethologically relevant behavioral paradigms, I aim to uncover how internal states and environmental stimuli are computed at the network level to generate behavior. Ultimately, my goal is to contribute to bridging the gap between abstract cognitive theories and physical circuit dynamics.