Ezgi Simge Ergül

EDUCATION

College / University

Boğaziçi University

Highest Degree

Bachelor of Science

Major Subjects

Molecular Biology and Genetics

Country

Turkey

Lab Experience

Mammalian cell culture, high-resolution mitochondrial respirometry (Oroboros O2k), protein extraction and quantification (BCA and DC assays), SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, DNA and RNA isolation and quantification, cDNA synthesis, PCR, agarose gel electrophoresis, bacterial transformation and culture, molecular cloning, mouse handling and behavioral assays

Projects / Research

  • 2025 – 2026: Research Intern, investigating mitochondrial function in TRAIL-resistant glioblastoma cells; Doğan Lab, Beykoz Institute of Life Sciences and Biotechnology
  • 2024: Student Intern, introductory exposure to computational approaches through protein structure prediction and visualization of the myocilin olfactomedin (mOLF) domain; Timuçin Lab, Acıbadem University
  • 2023: Research Intern, "Investigation of the Roles of ATP-Dependent Chromatin Remodeling Complexes During Nucleotide Excision Repair", focusing on the identification of proteins involved in nucleotide excision repair in Arabidopsis thaliana, Öztaş Lab, Koç University

Scholarships / Awards

2026 – 2027: Stipend by the International Max Planck Research School
2026: Graduated with High Honors from the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Boğaziçi University
2023: Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK), 2247-C STAR Intern Researcher Scholarship Programme (a competitive national scholarship for undergraduate students conducting research internships within TÜBİTAK-funded projects)
2022 – 2026: Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK), 2205 Undergraduate Scholarship Program (a national merit-based scholarship awarded for academic performance in basic sciences)

SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS AND GOALS

I am curious about how living systems establish and maintain organization and complexity under constant physical and energetic constraints. In particular, I am interested in the molecular mechanisms that allow cells to remain organized, adapt to changing conditions, and coordinate their different functions. Mitochondria are particularly interesting to me in this context, as their acquisition is closely associated with the emergence of eukaryotic cellular complexity, while their dynamic organization into interconnected networks offers a useful way to think about coordination and adaptation within the cell. While mitochondrial biology currently provides one perspective on these problems for me ultimately, I would like to understand the general principles that govern the emergence, maintenance, and evolution of cellular organization and biological complexity.