Bedir Lab

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Prof. Dr. Erdal Bedir
Group Leader

About Prof. Bedir

Erdal Bedir received his BSc degree in pharmacy at Hacettepe University, Ankara 1992. He obtained his MSc (Feb-1995) and PhD (Aug-1998) in pharmacognosy. He was appointed a research scientist in 1993 (Dept. of Pharmacognosy, Hacettepe University). He was a post-doctoral fellow at the National Center for Natural Products Research, University of Mississippi, between March-1999 and Aug-2003. In Aug-2003, he joined the Bioengineering Dept., Faculty of Engineering, Ege University as an associate professor. He was promoted to a full professor position in October 2007. He did move to the Dept. of Bioengineering, Izmir Institute of Technology, in May 2016. Prof. Bedir acted as department chair between 2018-2019 and director of the Biotechnology Center between 2018-2021. Research areas of Dr. Bedir are the isolation of active components from natural sources, possessing antimicrobial, antitumor, immunomodulator and antiaging properties, as well as their modifications via biotransformation and semi-synthesis studies. Moreover, he focuses on optimizing large-scale extraction and isolation of high-value-added natural products. He has over 160 publications in bioactive natural products. The h-index factor of Dr. Bedir is 39 (Web of Science). He reviews articles for numerous prestigious journals. Dr. Bedir has supervised 40 graduate theses (10 PhD, 30 MS). As principal investigator (PI) or Co-PI, he is part of several national and international projects. He was honored with prestigious awards in the last ten years due to his outstanding contributions to the natural product chemistry field (Distinguished Young Scientist Award- Turkish Academy of Sciences; Incentive Award-Turkish Pharmacist' Association; Incentive Award-The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey; Distinguished Scientist Award-Turkish Pharmacist' Association). Dr. Bedir is one of the eminent researchers who has successfully transferred his knowledge to industry. He is co-founder of Bionorm Natural Products (see www.bio-norm.com), a spin-off company aiming to provide high-purity natural products for pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and healthcare industries under GMP. The company's main objective as a supplier is to utilize plant-originated raw materials from Turkey and the Middle East to obtain high-value-added extracts and pure bioactive compounds. Indeed, a few plant-derived secondary metabolites provided by Bionorm are still the most valuable chemicals exported from Turkey.

Post Doctoral Researchers Melis Küçüksolak

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Melis Küçüksolak, PhD
Post Doctoral Researcher & Research Assistant

About Melis I completed my undergraduate degree at Ege University, majoring in Bioengineering, in 2014. Following that, I embarked on an integrated doctorate program in Bioengineering at İzmir Institute of Technology. For my doctoral thesis, I delved into the potential use of endophytic fungi and their enzymes in producing bioactive metabolites. Successfully defending my doctoral thesis, I was awarded my PhD in 2022. Currently, my work revolves around the discovery of novel bioactive compounds from plant and microbial extracts. I'm also engaged in the derivatization of natural products through biotransformation and semi-synthesis methodologies.

Göklem Üner
Post Doctoral Researcher & Research Assistant

About Göklem I received my undergraduate degree from the Bioengineering Department at Ege University in June 2016. I then completed my M.Sc. program in the Biotechnology Department at İzmir Institute of Technology in 2019, under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Erdal Bedir and co-advised by Prof. Dr. Petek Ballar Kırmızıbayrak. Following my master’s degree, I pursued my Ph.D. studies in the Bioengineering Department at İzmir Institute of Technology, continuing my mentorship with Dr. Bedir and Dr. Ballar. My doctoral research focused on exploring the potential of specific sapogenin derivatives to form supramolecular structures for application in anti-tumor immunotherapy. I successfully graduated in 2025 with a thesis titled “Development of Saponin-Based Therapeutic Agents.” I am currently a postdoctoral researcher.

Doctorate Students and Candidates Mustafa Ünver Kurt

Mustafa Ünver Kurt
PhD Candidate & Research Assistant

About Ünver I am a research scientist specializing in drug discovery from natural sources. I graduated from the Bioengineering Department at Ege University in 2017 and went on to earn a Master’s degree in the Bioengineering Master's Program at IZTECH in 2020. My master's thesis focused on 'Method Development for Pilot Production of Astragaloside VII,' which was supervised by Prof. Dr. Erdal BEDIR and supported by TUBITAK under project number PN:116Z958.

Since 2020, I have been pursuing my PhD in the Bioengineering Doctoral Program at IZTECH. My doctoral research primarily aims to identify new antimicrobial and cytotoxic compounds against drug-resistant organisms. These compounds are sourced from actinobacteria isolated from various coastal ecosystems. This research is also supervised by Prof. Dr. Erdal BEDIR and supported by TUBITAK (Project Number: 122R077).

I have authored a research paper published under DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2021.113038, and I have presented my work orally and through three poster presentations. Alongside my academic pursuits, I have served as a research assistant in the Bioengineering Department at IZTECH since 2018. While my academic focus revolves around natural product chemistry, drug interactions with macromolecules, and environmental biotechnology, I also find enjoyment in hobbies like museum and art exhibition tours, exploring human history, and participating in sports. According to feedback from my colleagues, I am often seen as an individual with a well-adjusted, proactive attitude possessing strong social skills.

Özge Can
PHD Student & Research Assistant

About Özge I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics from Konya Food and Agriculture University in June 2021, where I also completed a minor in Food Engineering. I received my Master’s degree in Bioengineering from İzmir Institute of Technology (IZTECH) in June 2024, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Erdal Bedir. My thesis was titled “Secondary Metabolites from Marine-Derived Actinobacteria and Their Bioactivities.” I am a recipient of the TÜBİTAK 2211-A National Graduate Scholarship and am currently pursuing my Ph.D. studies in the NPC Lab. In addition, I am actively involved as a researcher in a TÜBİTAK 1001-funded project. Since February 2022, I have been working as a Research Assistant in the Department of Bioengineering at the Faculty of Engineering, IZTECH. My research focuses on antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities, natural product research, and antimicrobial resistance. Research Areas: Antimicrobial, Actinobacteria, Secondary metabolite, Drug discovery studies.

Master Students Burçin Karakuzu

Burçin Karakuzu
Master's Student

About Burçin I am a master's student in Bioengineering at the Izmir Institute of Technology, where I earned my undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics. Currently, I am conducting research within the scope of a TÜBİTAK 1002A project titled "Phytochemical studies on the leaves of Astragalus tmoleus var. bounacanthus (Boiss.) D.F. Chamb and investigation of the effects of isolated metabolites on cellular senescence." As a nature lover, I have a keen interest in nature photography. While it may not be a professional pursuit yet, I hope to further develop it in the future.

Kaan Kuleci
Master's Student

About Kaan I am a Bioengineer who acts with passion and curiosity in biotechnological and therapeutic applications while continuously improving my technical knowledge and skills. As I pursue my master's degree in Bioengineering, which I began (2024) at Izmir Institute of Technology, from where I graduated, I aim to contribute meaningfully to the projects I have participated in and will participate in by blending my academic and practical experiences effectively. With a collaborative mindset and exceptional communication skills, I thrive in multidisciplinary teams, driving innovation and delivering impactful solutions. My ability to adapt quickly and integrate seamlessly into research teams ensures that I contribute effectively at every stage of the project, all while maintaining a solution-oriented and results-driven approach. I am eager to apply these strengths to advance biotechnology projects and support the development of innovative therapeutic applications.

Aleyna Apul
Master's Student

About Aleyna I obtained my bachelor's degree in Bioengineering Department from Izmir Institute of Technology (IZTECH) in June 2024. I am continuing my thesis master's program at Natural Product Chemistry LAB. under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Erdal BEDİR. I am interested in every branch of visual and handcrafted arts, I take photographs, I write in the free field, I read books whenever and wherever I have the opportunity.

Alumni

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Maaz Khurram
Alumni

About Maaz He earned his undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics from Bilkent University in 2020. He completed his M.S. with thesis in 2023 at the Bedir Lab, where he engaged in interdisciplinary research with a strong emphasis on the development of microfluidic technologies. His thesis, titled “Development of Microfluidic Devices Investigating Small Molecule-Induced Chemotaxis of Dendritic Cells,” reflects his interest in integrating biology and engineering to address complex biomedical challenges. He is currently a Ph.D. student and Graduate Research Assistant at Purdue University, within the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. Outside of academics, he enjoys exploring a wide range of music genres—particularly rock, pop, and electronic—and has a passion for dancing, photography, squash, and fishing.

Gülten Kuru
Alumni

About Gülten She is a bioengineer with a Master’s degree in Biotechnology and completed her Ph.D. in 2023 at İzmir Institute of Technology, in collaboration with Dokuz Eylul University Institute of Health Sciences, with a focus in the Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering. Her doctoral research centered on the effects of newly synthesized telomerase activator molecules—produced through biotransformation—on stem cells and monoclonal antibody-producing cell lines. The primary objective of her work was to explore the potential applications of these molecules in regenerative medicine and industrial bioproduction. Her Ph.D. thesis was titled “Effects of Telomerase Activators on Monoclonal Antibody-Producing Cell Lines and Stem Cells, and Their Utilization in Industrial Productions.” She is currently continuing her research as a postdoctoral fellow at the İzmir Biomedicine and Genome Center.

Nilgün Yakuboğulları
Alumni

About Nilgün She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Bioengineering from Ege University in 2015, followed by a Master’s degree in Biotechnology from İzmir Institute of Technology in 2018. Her master’s thesis focused on vaccine adjuvants and their immunomodulatory mechanisms of action. She was a research fellow at the University of Michigan, where she studied in vivo cancer models to support the preclinical evaluation of nanovaccine platforms. She recently completed her Ph.D. in 2024, with a dissertation titled “Preparation of Vaccine Formulations for Melanoma Using the Potent Adjuvant Candidate Astragaloside VII and Investigation of Their Anti-Tumor Activities in Mouse Cancer Models.” As a bioengineer with a strong passion for immunology, her research centers on the development of immunoengineered cancer vaccines and novel immunomodulators. Outside the lab, she enjoys hiking, swimming, acrylic painting, and caring for her cats.

Gamze Doğan
Alumni

About Gamze She obtained her undergraduate degree in Bioengineering from Ege University in June 2017. She pursued her doctoral studies in the Department of Bioengineering at İzmir Institute of Technology through an integrated Ph.D. program, which she successfully completed in 2025. Her doctoral research, titled “Synthesis of a Targetable Oleandrin-Carrier Cyclodextrin-Based Nanostructure and Investigation of Its Cytotoxic Effects,” focused on the development of targeted drug delivery systems. Since May 2018, she has been serving as a Research Assistant in the same department. Her research interests include targeted drug delivery strategies, nanobiotechnology, and in vitro cell culture studies.

Collaborator Researchers Sinem Yılmaz

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Sinem Yılmaz
Collabrator Researcher
Research Assistant

About Sinem She graduated with her bachelor’s degree from the Department of Bioengineering at Ege University in 2011. She then completed her master’s degree in the same department under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Erdal Bedir. Following her MSc, she began her Ph.D. studies at Ege University’s Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, specializing in the Department of Biotechnology. Her doctoral research was conducted under the joint supervision of Prof. Dr. Petek Ballar Kırmızıbayrak and Prof. Dr. Erdal Bedir. Her thesis focused on investigating the effects of novel telomerase activator compounds on aging-related pathologies and molecular pathways, aiming to advance the understanding of healthy aging and contribute to the development of therapeutic strategies. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Bayreuth in Germany.

People of the Lab