Asst' Prof' M' Burcu IRMAK YAZICIOGLU Fatih University

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Asst. Prof. M. Burcu IRMAK YAZICIOGLUFatih
University
Fatih University

• RESEARCH INTERESTS

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EDUCATION

• Ph.D. Molecular Biology and Genetics, Bilkent
  University, Ankara, Turkey, September 2003.
• Thesis Title Acquired tolerance of
  hepatocellular carcinoma cells to
  selenium-deficiency a selective survival
  mechanism?
• Supervisor Dr. Rengül Çetin-Atalay

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EDUCATION

• M.S. Molecular Biology and Genetics, Bilkent
  University, Ankara, Turkey, July, 1998.
• Thesis Title Genetic Analysis of Smad4 Gene In
  TGF-? Signalling Pathway In Human Liver Cancer.
• Supervisor Dr. Cengiz Yakicier
• B.S. Molecular Biology and Genetics, Bogaziçi
  University, Istanbul, Turkey, 1996

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ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

• Sabanci University Asst Prof., 2004
• Fatih University Asst Prof., 2005-

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LABORATORY SKILLS

• DNA based techniques
• Polymerase chain reaction, agarose gel
  electrophoresis, single stranded conformation
  polymorphism analysis, hepteroduplex analysis,
  polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis,
  autoradiography, restriction enzyme digestion,
  DNA sequencing, cloning.
• RNA based techniques
• RNA isolation from mammalian cell lines, cDNA
  synthesis, reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain
  reaction (RT-PCR).
• Protein and Mammalian Tissue Culture based
  techniques
• Western blotting, immunofluorescence,
  immunohistochemistry, mammalian cell plating,
  cell counting, cell splitting, cell freezing,
  cell thawing, transfection, apoptosis detection
  assays (Annexin V, TUNEL, Comet assays),
  proliferation assay (BrdU incorporation),
  oxidative stress detection assay in tissue
  culture, in vitro growth assay by Giemsa
  staining, nuclear stainig with Hoechst 33258.
• Bacterial Culture based techniques
• Growth of the bacterial cells in LB medium, on
  agar plates, preparation of competent cells,
  transformation of the competent cells, cloning.

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RESEARCH 1

• TGF beta signaling pathway
• TGF beta is an antiproliferative agent for
  hepatocytes.
• The signal is mediated through Smad proteins.
• Unresponsiveness to TGF beta is observed in
  hepatocellular carcinoma, in the presence of TGF
  beta.
• There might be a defect in the pathway, which
  blocks hepatocytes from responding to TGF beta.
• Smad gene mutations in various cancers have been
  observed but not in hepatocellular carcinoma

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TGF beta signal transduction pathway
Yakicier, M. C., Irmak, M. B., Romano, A., Kew,
M., and Öztürk, M. (1999) Smad2 and Smad4 gene
mutations in hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncogene,
18, 4879-4883
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RESEARCH 2

• Effect of selenium-deficiency on the generation
  of hepatocellular carcinoma
• Selenium-deficiency causes liver necrosis.
  Selenium is protective against viral hepatitis
  and hepatocellular carcinoma
• Underlying molecular mechanisms of selenium
  effects are ill-known
• Malignant cells have acquired a selective
  survival advantage under selenium-deficient and
  oxidative stress conditions
• Irmak, M. B., Ince, G., Öztürk, M., and
  Çetin-Atalay, R. (2003). Acquired tolerance of
  hepatocellular carcinoma cells to selenium
  deficiency a selective survival mechanism?
  Cancer Res, 63(20), 6707-6715 (published on 15th
  of October).

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Antioxidant Defence Mechanisms
O2
Respiration (Mitochondria)
.
H2O
R-CH2-
CAT
SOD
Gpx
H2O
H2O
.
2GSH
GSSG
.
R-CH-
Glu-Reductase
NADPH
NADP
OH
O2
.
H2O
ROO
GSSG
ROH
2GSH
R-CH-
.
Gpx
ROOH
R-C-
GSH
GST
RSG
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RESEARCH 3

• p33 protein status in parafin-embedded liver
  cancer tissues using p33 monoclonal antibodies
  expression and subcellular localization
• Analyzing the expression pattern of Frizzled 3
  protein in the same paraffin embedded primary HCC
  tissues using polyclonal antibodies against
  Frizzled 3

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CURRENT RESEARCH 4

• Noncoding genes of H. pylori RNasep gene of H.
  pylori will be
• Analysis of molecular pathways in gastric
  carcinoma
• Studies directed to MMP analysis in tumor
  invasion and metastases have taken the attention
  of scientists
• These proteins have capability to degrade all the
  components of connective tissue, which is an
  acquired characteristic for a tumor cell.
• Though, the specific biochemical mechanisms that
  facilitate these invasive behaviors remain
  elusive.
• Mutation and polymorphism analysis, mRNA and
  protein expression studies of several MMPs
  strongly support the role of MMPs in tumor
  invasion and metastasis in cancers
• Analysis of presence of H. pylori genomes in gall
  bladder tissues of patients with cholecystitis
  and cholelithiasis

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PLANNED RESEARH

• Cancer is a multistage process.
• Gastric malignancies have been closely linked to
  infection of the gastric mucosa with Helicobacter
  pylori (H. pylori), but the individual factors
  involved in the multistage process of tumor
  development are still poorly understood
• H. pylori evades the host defense system and
  causes persistent infection and chronic
  inflammation. Immune activation leads to DNA
  damage by the release of oxygen and nitrogen
  radicals which cause oxidative stress. Ongoing
  tissue repair mechanisms and the secretion of
  cytokines, growth factors, as well as bacterial
  effector molecules, cause disturbances in the
  balance between epithelial cell proliferation and
  apoptosis, promote the accumulation of potential
  oncogenic mutations, and support
  neovascularization , tumor growth, tumor
  invasion, and metastasis.

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SEMINARS AND EVENTS

• 31st FEBS Kongress, THE EFFECT OF MMP-26 GENE
  EXPRESSION IN TUMORIGENESIS AND INVASIVENESS OF
  GASTRIC CARCINOMA with M.B. Irmak Yazicioglu
  with T. Karabiyik, G. Dogusoy, M. Paksoy, A.K.
  Belli, F. Aydogan,,273 ,1, 348, FEBS Journal Org.
  ,The FEBS Journal ,Istanbul-Turkey, 26-29/062006
• Proje Yönetimi Çalistayi, Kurs/Sertifika
  Programi Düzenleme, Proje Yönetimi Çalistayi,
  04/06/2006
• Acquired tolerance of hepatocellular cells to
  selenium deficiency", M. Burcu Irmak, TÜBITAK,
  Istanbul-Turkey, 28/04/2005-29/04/2005
• Uluslararasi Hidrojen Enerjisi Kongre ve
  Sergisi, Kurs/Sertifika Programina Katilma,
  TUSSIDE- Turkey 13/07/2005

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SEMINARS AND EVENTS

• "Workshop-Moleküler Biyoloji ve Genetik
  Tekniklerinin Yasam Bilimlerindeki Uygulamalari
  (Basic mammalian tissue culture techniques) ", M.
  Burcu Irrmak, Bilkent University, Ankara/Turkey,
  18/06/2001-22/06/2001
• "Workshop- DNA sequencing, 2000 Bilkent
  University, Ankara, Turkey", M. Burcu Irmak,
  Bilkent University, Ankara/Turkey,
  15/06/2000-22/06/2000
• "6th European Meeting on Hepatocarcinogenesis.",
  M. C. Yakicier (with M. B. Irmak, A. Romano, M.
  Kew and M. Öztürk), Bilkent University,
  Vienna-Austria, 23/09/1999-25/09/1999
• "13th National Cancer Congress", M B Irmak (with
  M. C. Yakicier, A. Romano, M. Kew and M. Öztürk),
  Bilkent University, Antalya- Turkey,
  27/04/1999-01/05/1999