About

Greetings! As a neurobiologist, I am captivated by the enigma of sleep. Despite its ubiquitous presence across the animal kingdom, from jellyfish to humans, sleep's exact function and regulation remain a mystery. Why do animals require extended periods of inactivity, sacrificing opportunities to mate, feed, and defend themselves? How do they keep track of the delicate balance between the amount of sleep they need and the amount they get? And, most intriguingly, what happens at the molecular, cellular, and circuit levels during sleep that makes it so crucial for survival?

To shed light on these questions, I am using Drosophila, the vinegar fly, as a model organism. By studying the behavioral and physiological impact of sleep on the daily lives of flies, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind this fundamental aspect of animal biology.

My journey started in Ankara, Turkey where I went to study Molecular Biology and Genetics at Bilkent University. I then moved to UCLA and did my PhD work in Neuroscience, focusing on how complex visual scenes are encoded in cells and circuits of Drosophila visual system. I am currently a K99/R00 Postdoctoral Researcher in Wu Lab at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. When I am not in the lab, you can find me indulging my love of cinema, taking photos with my film camera, and playing the drums.