“Modeling intellectual disability in flies”
Prof. Dr. Arzu Celik Fuss
Bogazici University, Dept. of Molecular Biology and Genetics
Short Bio
Arzu Çelik Fuss has received her BS and MSc degrees at Bogazici University and her PhD degree at University of Cologne, Institute of Genetics working on axon guidance mechanisms and the development of the olfactory system in zebrafish. During her post-doc she worked at New York University, Department of Biology on cell type specification in the visual system of the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster. After her return to Turkey in 2007 she continued to work on cell-type specification and axon guidance mechanisms in the visual and olfactory system of Drosophila. Currently, her work focuses on the development of Drosophila models for various neurodevelopmental and neurological disorders.
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders and in particular intellectual disability—are severe neurological conditions affecting up to 3% of the general population. The patient population is genetically and phenotypically heterogenous. As a result of recent advances in next generation sequencing, great strides have been made in our understanding of the genetic etiologies of intellectual diasability and more than 600 causative genes have been identified to date. However, knowledge about the molecular mechanisms and networks disrupted by these genetic aberrations is lagging behind and no treatment is currently clinically available to patients suffering from intellectual disability. The fruit fly Drosophila has emerged as a powerful model organism to close this knowledge gap. I will present research in our lab towards uncovering the function of some of the genes that have been linked to intellectual disability.
Date-Time:Wednesday, Dec 15, 2021 15:30
***This is an online event. To obtain Zoom link and password, please contact to the department.
All interested are cordially invited.