GIZEL ASKIN

During my biochemistry undergraduate work at Oxford, I had the opportunity to discuss ideas such as Brown and Goldstein hypotheses on insulin resistance and cholesterol homeostasis, and I was therefore initially drawn to the lab’s high-impact publications in the area. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the concept of metaflammation and felt that the Center, recognized across the wider scientific community as a pioneer in immunometabolism, would serve as a powerful platform where I could explore my interest in the field. The lab’s strong commitment to providing exceptional training and mentorship to younger students interested in finding solutions with far-reaching implications on global health, was also a principal deciding factor for me. I really look forward to being part of an inclusive and trusting culture that nurtures emerging scientists’ potential through a supporting network, which inspires both professional and personal development.

I hope to deepen my understanding of the fundamental cellular and molecular underpinnings of chronic metabolic diseases that pose the most significant challenges to public health. Participating in cutting-edge research at the interface between metabolism and immunology will also enable me to gain insight into the Center’s translational efforts, and develop a comprehensive perspective on novel preventative strategies and therapeutic interventions in the field. Additionally, the opportunity to engage with internationally renowned immunometabolism experts at the front-end of innovation will be invaluable in helping me acquire a dually structured and inventive experimental design framework, and numerous other key competences such as the ability to critically appraise evidence. The Hotamışlıgil lab is a unique environment for young aspiring scientists, like me, to both learn from and contribute to. I am above all, excited at the prospect of my individuality and ideas being bolstered by working in a vigorous intellectual setting with a group of driven, like-minded individuals.

Always having a strong interest in health and science, I pursued medical studies at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) and Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany. For my medical doctoral thesis at the Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology in Munich, I investigated the function of macrophage phenotypes in Multiple Sclerosis, the most prevalent chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Coming across the group of fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs), in the context of my experimental work on neuroinflammation, sparked my interest in the field of immunometabolism and drew my attention towards the research conducted by the Hotamışlıgil lab. I was immediately fascinated by their extensive scientific contribution showing the relevance of metabolic health across numerous diseases and disciplines, and became eager to expand my understanding about the link between metabolism and inflammation. Joining the Hotamışlıgil lab offered a great opportunity to pursue this intent. Apart from the cuttingedge research, I was attracted to the diverse working environment and the feeling of equity and inclusion that I experienced during my application process.

Aspiring to pursue a career in research, I’m highly interested in expanding my qualifications and gaining orientation for my scientific career. During my six-month research appointment, I will be working together with Dr. Hatoon Baazim to dissect the role of metabolism in SARS-CoV2 infection. In this context, I am especially interested in learning more about the functions of several proteins and to unravel their complex roles across conditions, ranging from SARSCoV2 infection to neurodegeneration. In addition, I am really interested in scientific exchanges and critical discussions about the different projects performed inside and outside of the lab, and learning from the expertise of my colleagues. As a future clinical scientist, I see exciting potential in applying the knowledge and experience gained during my time in the Hotamışlıgil lab on the research I perform on neuroinflammation, and to put this into the broader context of public health. As a long-term goal, I hope to be able to translate the scientific findings on immunometabolism into the clinical setting and to implement them into the best possible patient care. I am convinced that joining the Hotamışlıgil lab is a great opportunity for me to learn and to grow in a scientific, professional, and personal way and I am looking forward to contributing to this diverse and vibrant environment.

Dr. Nilay Yapıcı, an Assistant Professor at Cornell University and one of the rising stars featured at last year’s symposium, received the 2022 Sabri Ülker International Science Award for her groundbreaking work on Neural Mechanisms Determining Food Choice and Intake.

Dr. Yapıcı earned her BA degree in molecular biology and genetics from Boğaziçi University and went on to earn a PhD in 2008 from the University of Vienna, where she worked with Barry Dickson at the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology. Dr. Yapıcı completed her postdoctoral training with Leslie Vosshall at Rockefeller University, before joining Cornell as an Assistant Professor in 2016. In his opening remarks, Mr. Ali Ülker emphasized the critical importance of fundamental science in generating solutions for the most challenging health problems around the world and the deep commitments of the Sabri Ülker Foundation, Ülker family and the community in supporting science. Dr. Yapıcı began her award acceptance speech by thanking the Sabri Ülker Science Foundation, the Ülker family, Dr. Gökhan Hotamışlıgil, her family, mentors, and colleagues. She also dedicated this award to the young researchers and students in Turkey, and advised them to never give up on their dreams and ideals and to never compromise the quality of science. She then provided a brief description of her research program and its potential applications.

Dr. Yapıcı’s research is focused on discovering novel genes and neural circuit mechanisms in the brain that regulate animal physiology and behavior, with a focus on nutritional choices and eating habits. She discovered novel pathways and neuronal populations that control eating behavior and demonstrated that these pathways could be utilized to control eating behavior and obesity. Dr. Yapıcı works with a variety of model organisms, representing different levels of neuronal complexity, to enable genetic tractability. For example, the fruit fly has 250 thousand, and the mouse has 71 million, neurons, compared to the 86 billion found in humans. The reduced number of neurons in these organisms allows for better observation and understanding of the fundamental principles of how motivational states regulate food intake on the level of molecules, cells, and circuits, and identifies their function and strategies to alter for therapeutic purposes. In investigating these neural processes or genetic pathways, new interventions to combat the effects of metabolic diseases can be identified.