Curriculum vitae

Ayça Fulya Üstüntanır Dede, Ph.D.

ORCID: 0000-0002-3132-8266

Affiliation

Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS), Centre Algatech, Novohradská 237 - Opatovický mlýn, 379 81 Třeboň, CZ

Appointment

Postdoctoral fellow

Overview of education and employment

• 2022 - present, Postdoctoral Researcher, Jan Janouškovec´s group, Laboratory of Photosynthesis, Centre Algatech, Institute of Microbiology CAS
• 2021 - 2022, Lecturer, Faculty of Science, Eskisehir Technical University,Turkey 
• 2021 - 2022, Postdoctoral Researcher, Molecular Biology Department at Eskisehir Technical University, Turkey    
• 2014  -2021, PhD, Molecular Biology Department at Eskisehir Technical University, Turkey    
• 2010 - 2013, MSc, Biotechnology Department at Anadolu University, Turkey           
• 2005 - 2010, Bachelor, Biology Department at Anadolu University, Turkey  

Research interest

My research focuses on the molecular biology and biotechnology studies on Tetrahymena thermophila, a model organism in the eukaryotic host. Due to its nuclear dimorphism and complex genomic architecture, this unicellular ciliate offers unique opportunities to explore fundamental biological mechanisms. Specifically, I am interested in exploring the potential uses of T. thermophila for therapeutic protein production and generating tools and strains for this purpose. In the meantime, I am trying to discover the cellular roles of hormones in T. thermophila and investigate their usability as a novel drug in biotechnology fields.

Top 5 publications

1. Üstüntanır Dede, A. F. & Arslanyolu, M., 2023, “Recombinant production of hormonally active human insulin from pre-proinsulin by Tetrahymena thermophila”, Enzyme and Microbial Technology, 170, 110303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enzmictec.2023.110303
2. Üstüntanır Dede, A. F., Çalıseki, M., & Arslanyolu, M., 2021, “Characterization and use of Tetrahymena thermophila artificial chromosome 2 (TtAC2) constructed by biomimetic of macronuclear rDNA minichromosome”, Microbiological Research, 248, 126764. doi: 10.1016/j.micres.2021.126764
3. Üstüntanır Dede, A. F. & Arslanyolu, M., 2021, “The in vivo Tetrahymena thermophila extracellular glucose drop assay for characterization of mammalian insulin activity”, European Journal of Protistology, 79, 125803, doi: 10.1016/j.ejop.2021.125803
4. Üstüntanır Dede, A. F. & Arslanyolu, M., 2020, “Construction and dynamic characterization of a Tetrahymena thermophila macronuclear artificial chromosome”, Gene, 144697. 10.1016/j.gene.2020.144697
5. Üstüntanır Dede, A. F. & Arslanyolu, M., 2019, “Genome-wide analysis of the Tetrahymena thermophila glutathione S-transferase gene superfamily”, Genomics, 111(4), 534-548. doi: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2018.11.034