Elif Beyza Dolu

EDUCATION

College / University

Bilkent University

Highest Degree

Bachelor of Science

Major Subjects

Molecular Biology and Genetics

Country

Turkey

Lab Experience

Bacterial cell culture, yeast cell culture, mammalian cell culture, plant tissue culture, DNA/RNA extraction, agarose gel electrophoresis, SDS-PAGE and Western blotting, yeast and bacterial transformation, plant cell transfection, protein expression and purification (BCA and FPLC), PCR and RT-qPCR, IF-FISH and native-FISH assays, light and fluorescence microscopy, virus expression and purification from yeast, MitoTracker assay, crystal violet assay.

Projects / Research

2024 – 2025: Senior project student, "Optimized production of mutant Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus reverse transcriptase in Escherichia coli.", Seker Lab, UNAM National Nanotechnology Research Center, Bilkent University
2024: Erasmus+ Summer Intern, "Developing a cost-effective method for high-yield AAV virus production in yeast by transforming diverse yeast strains with plasmids from multiple AAV serotypes and assessing transfection efficiency in cultured cancer cells to advance gene therapy applications", Knop Lab, Center for Molecular Biology/ZMBH, Heidelberg University
2023: Erasmus+ Summer Intern, "Investigated the potential involvement of oxidative stress in the mechanism of ALT (Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres) by analyzing the effect of oxidative stress changes on ALT markers and gene expression", Decottignies Lab, de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain
2022: Summer Intern, "Employed the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technique alongside Agrobacterium-mediated transfection to obtain genetically edited Capsicum annuum L. (bell peppers), specifically targeting the knockout of a capsaicin-producing gene", Doganlar/Frary Lab, Izmir Institute of Technology (IZTECH)

Scholarships / Awards

2025 – 2026:	Stipend by the International Max Planck Research School
2024:	Erasmus+ Scholarship for mobility at Heidelberg University (European Union)
2024:	Bilkent University Merit Scholarship
2023:	Erasmus+ Scholarship for mobility at Université Catholique de Louvain (European Union)
2020 – 2024:	Undergraduate Scholarship awarded by TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey)

SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS AND GOALS

My journey in molecular biology began with a curiosity about how life emerges from non-living molecules and gradually evolved into a specific interest in the protein-protein interactions that drive cellular processes, such as complex signaling pathways and interactions between different cell components like the nucleus and mitochondria. Studying these intra- and intercellular dynamics can lead to new advances in the treatment of diseases like cancer, which often develop when these processes are disrupted. I am also intrigued in exploring different types of model organisms, as I believe that working with a variety of organisms and becoming familiar with diverse cellular systems and structures can broaden perspectives and enhance approaches in scientific research.