Web Site of the Department

Acting Head of Department : Nesrin Özören

Associate Department Heads: Necla Birgül

Professors : Arzu Çelik Fuss, Nesrin Özören, Stefan Herbert Fuss

Associate Professors : N.C. Tolga Emre, Umut Şahin, İbrahim Yaman

Assistant Professors : Steven Footitt, Necla Birgül, Fatih Yanar, İbrahim Çağrı Kurt, Enes Seyfullah Kotil, Erşan Kavak•, Mohammad Haroon Qureshi, Emine Kazanç

Assistants :Alize Yılmazlar, Aslı Gündoğdu Eken, Bahriye Erkaya, Büşra Şimşek, Efe Elbeyli, Elif Tula, Gökhan Gün, Hafize Özen Kaya, İlke Süder, Kübra Kahveci, Mustafa Barbaros Düzgün, Özgecan Ayhan, Serra Özarı

•Adjunct
 

The Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics was founded in 1977 as the first molecular biology department in the country and since then has expanded to include many areas of biology. Besides the undergraduate program, the department now offers graduate degrees at the masters and Ph.D. levels. All faculty are active in research and teaching and place great emphasis on student participation both in class and in research activities. The students gain a solid foundation in biology through lecture and laboratory courses and practical experience by taking part in research projects. The department's aim is to prepare students for a promising future in research, and as a result, a large percentage of graduates pursue graduate studies in the country and abroad.

In the first two undergraduate years, core courses (mathematics, physics, chemistry, introductory biology) provide a strong scientific background upon which to build. In the third and fourth years, students combine required courses in biochemistry, microbiology, cell biology, genetics and laboratory techniques with electives in specialized topics, such as developmental biology, plant genetics, human genetics and immunology. Double-major programs with the physics, mathematics and chemistry departments are available.

The Department is one of the leading Turkish centers of research in molecular biology and human genetics with a special emphasis on complex genetic disorders. Currently, research is conducted on the identification of novel disease genes and the genetic and molecular mechanisms involved in cancer, epilepsy, hemophilia, neurodegenerative disorders, peripheral neuropathies and thalassemia. Other ongoing major research topics include translation mechanisms, signal transduction, neurodevelopment, plant pathogen resistance, and innate immunity.

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM

Total BU Credits: 140/142

Total BU ECTS Credits: 240/242

**Students must take BIO 203 when the course is offered. Otherwise, Marh 344 can be taken.

***HUM/HIST electives are any two of HUM 101, HUM 102, HIST 105, HIST 106 courses.

**** Computer Elective : CMPE 150 or higher level computer elective courses.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

BIO 101 Cellular and Molecular Biology I (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 5
(Hücresel ve Moleküler Biyoloji I) 
Preview of the cell and evolution theory; the chemistry of life; macromolecules; cells and organelles; membrane structure; transport across membrane; endomembrane system; bioenergetics; enzymes; chemical energy metabolism; aerobic respiration; photosysnthesis; cytoskeletal systems.

BIO 102 Cellular and Molecular Biology II (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 5
(Hücresel ve Moleküler Biyoloji II) 
Cellular movement and mobility; cell adhesion; extracellular matrix; electrical and chemical signal transduction; DNA, chromosomes, nucleus; cell cycle, DNA replication, mitosis, sexual reproduction, meiosis, recombination; Mendelian genetics; gene expression; recombinant DNA technology and its applications.

BIO 106 Cell Biology Laboratory (1+0+3) 2 ECTS 3
(Hücre Biyolojisi Laboratuvarı) 
Scientific report writing; light microscopy, gram staining; preparation of buffers and solutions; spectrophotometric measurements: bacterial growth curve; sterile techniques; extraction of DNA; agarose gel electrophoresis; organelle fractionation and analysis of subcellular fractions; transfection of eukaryoric cells; subcellular localization of proteins using fluorescent tags; mitosis; cell cycle analysis.
Corequisite : BIO 102

BIO 111 Prelude to Molecular Biology (1+0+0) 1 ECTS 1
(Moleküler Biyolojiye Giriş)  
Historical development of molecular biology. Introduction to current topics in the field such as biotechnology, cloning, and gene therapy.

BIO 121 Introduction to Cell Biology  (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 5                         
(Hücre Biyolojisine Giriş)
Biochemistry of the cell; cell structure and function; photosynthesis and respiration; cytokinesis; mitosis and meiosis, principles of heredity; genes and chromosomes; molecular basis of inheritance; recombinant DNA technology and genetic engineering.

BIO 152 Introduction to Modern Biology (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 5                        
(Modern Biyolojiye Giriş)
Origin and characteristics of life; biological macromolecules; eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell structure; membrane structure and function; cytokinesis, mitosis and meiosis; genes, chromosomes and heredity; homeostatic control mechanisms; nervous system; conscious brain and behavior; sensory system; endocrine system.

BIO 201 Evolution and Biodiversity  (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 3
(Evrim ve Biyolojik Çeşitlilik)
Darwinian perspective of evolution, phylogeny, sources of genetic diversity, natural selection, genetic drift, gene flow, population genetics, species concept, history of life on earth, tree of life, animal, plant and microbial diversity, ecology.

BIO 203 Biostatistics (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 5
(Biyoistatistik)  
Measurements; data analysis and organization; biological and statistical variables; samples and populations; descriptive statistics; central tendency, dispersion, standard error, confidence limits; graphical display of data; concepts of probability; probability distributions; hypothesis testing and inference; exact binomial tests, chi-square tests, goodness of fit tests, Fisher's test, Student's t-test, ANOVA, MANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, rank tests; regression; correlation; contingency tables; power analysis.

BIO 252 Genetics (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 6
(Genetik)  
Genes, genomes and genetic analysis; DNA structure and genetic variation; Mendelian genetics and its applications; chromosomes and sex-chromosome inheritance; genetic linkage; chromosome mapping, human karyotypes, chromosome behavior; extranuclear inheritance, molecular evolution, population genetics.

BIO 254 Genetics Laboratory (1+0+4) 3 ECTS 6
(Genetik Laboratuvarı)  
Use of restriction enzyme digestion in genetic linkage analysis; Drosophila as a model organism; monohybrid and dihybrid cross; polytene chromosome and karyotype analysis; polygenic inheritance and complex traits; fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH); bacterial conjugation and transduction; complementation; candidate gene approach.
Corequisite : BIO 252

BIO 301 Biochemistry I (4+0+0) 4 ECTS 6
(Biyokimya I)  
Molecules of life; structure and function of proteins; nucleic acids; DNA as genetic material; flow of genetic information; enzymes; membrane structure and dynamics; membrane channels and pumps.

BIO 302 Biochemistry II (4+0+0) 4 ECTS 6
(Biyokimya II)  
Catabolism and generation of phosphate bond energy; glycolysis; TCA cycle; oxidative phosphorylation; oxidation of fatty acids and oxidative degradation of amino acids; photosynthesis; biosynthesis of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids and nucleotides.

BIO 308 Seminar I (2+0+0) 1 ECTS 2
(Seminer I)
A literature survey prepared and presented by students in various fields of molecular biology.

BIO 310 Cellular and Molecular Biology III  (4+0+0) 4 ECTS 6
(Hücresel ve Moleküler Biyoloji III)
Endomembrane system; vesicular transport and sorting; signal transduction ( receptors, messengers); cytoskeletal systems and motility; development; stem cells and differentiation; immunology; cancer.
Prerequisite: BIO 102

BIO 322 Research Topics in Molecular Biology  (1+0+0) 1 ECTS 2
(Moleküler Biyolojide Araştırma Alanları)
Presentations on the current research projects carried out in the Department.

BIO 331 Techniques in Biological Research (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 6
(Biyolojide Araştırma Teknikleri) 
Light and Electron microscopy; spectrophotometric techniques (UV and visible absorbtion spectroscopy); chromatographic techniques; centrifugation; electrophoresis; enzyme assays; use of electroisotopes in biological research.

BIO 333 Biochemistry Laboratory (1+0+4) 3 ECTS 6
(Biyokimya Laboratuvarı)   
Determination of pK of amino acids, cell disruption techniques, centrifugation techniques, sucrose gradient centrifugation, dialysis, chromatography techniques, SDS-PAGE electrophoresis; spectrophotometric measurement of protein and nucleic acid concentration; determination of protein amounts by Bradford assay, Western Blotting; thinlayer chromatography; Michaelis Menten kinetics.
Corequisite : BIO 301

BIO 342 Human Physiology (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 6
(İnsan Fizyolojisi)  
Homeostatic control mechanisms; nerve cell physiology; central nervous system; peripheral nervous system; muscle physiology; cardiovascular physiology; blood and hematopoiesis; respiration and gas exchange; the kidneys; fluid and electrolight balance; digestion and absorption of food; metabolism and energy balance; endocrine system, endocrine control of metabolism.

BIO 353 Molecular Genetics (4+0+0) 4 ECTS 5
(Moleküler Genetik)  
Chemistry of the gene; DNA replication and recombination; transcription; translation; mutation; control of gene regulation; transposable elements; genetics of bacteria and phages; gene cloning and manipulation.
Prerequisites: BIO 102.

BIO 355 Molecular Biology Laboratory (1+0+4) 3 ECTS 4
(Moleküler Biyoloji Laboratuarı)  
How to use databases; primer design; construction of bacterial growth curves; competant bacterial cell preparation; plasmid DNA isolation; agarose gel electrophoresis; Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR); purification of plasmic vector and PCR products, digestion with restriction enzymes, ligation, and transformation; screening with colony PCR; transfection of eukaryotic cells with the vector; microscopic visualization of fluorescently tagged proteins; quantitative Real Time PCR and DNA sequencing.
Corequisite : BIO 353

BIO 403 Scientific Conduct (1+0+0) 1 ECTS 2
(Bilimsel Yordam)
Responsible conduct of research (RCR); Collaborative Science, conflicts of interests and commitment; data acquisition, management, sharing and ownership, ethical regulations in research involving human and animal subjects, mentoring; Peer review Publication practises and responsible authorship; research misconduct.

BIO 407 Seminar II (2+0+0) 2 ECTS 3
(Seminer II)  
Student presentation and discussions of research articles covering various areas of molecular biology and genetics such as development, cancer, genomics.
Prerequisite: BIO 353.

BIO 410 Cancer Biology  (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 6                                 
(Kanser Biyolojisi)
Nature of cancer; oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes; signaling pathways in cancer; dysregulation of cell cycle and apoptosis; steps in tumorigenesis; treatment of cancer.

BIO 420 Immunology  (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 6
(İmmunoloji)
Basic concepts in immunology; principles of innate and adaptive immunity; the generation of lymphocite antigen receptors; development of B and T lymphocytes; antigen presentation; survival and maturation of B and T lymphocytes in peripheral tissues; T cell-mediated immunity; the humoral immune response.

BIO 424 Enzyme Catalysis and Kinetics (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 6               
(Enzim Katalizi ve Kinetiği)
Principles of enzyme catalysis; transition state theory; basic equations of enzyme kinetics; steady-state and pre-steady state kinetics; irreversible and reversible enzyme inhibition; enzymatic rate constants, rate determining processes; practical methods to determine kinetics and equilibriums; determination of intermediates in enzymatic reactions; usage of binding energy in catalysis; enzyme specificity and accuracy; editing or proofreading mechanism; cost of accuracy in enzymatic reactions.

BIO 430 Neuroscience (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 6
(Nörobilim)
Cellular and structural components of the nervous system; electrical signaling in nerve cells; action potential propagation; synaptic transmission; structure and function of ion channels; sensory systems; development of the nervous system; neural plasticity; learning and memory; consciousness and behavior; emotions; nervous system disorders.

BIO 440 Genome Biology (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 6
(Genom Biyolojisi)
Mapping and sequencing of genomes; history and structure of genomic diversity; genomics of human diversity and disease; genomic technologies; introduction to systems biology.

BIO 450 Bioinformatics (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 6
(Biyoinformatik)
Hidden Markov models; optimization algorythms; classification clustering algorythms and their application in identification of motives, expression, methylation, microRNA and TF regulation mechanisms.

BIO 460 Developmental Biology   (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 6
(Gelişim Biyolojisi)
Patterns of development; mechanisms of cellular differentiation; specification of cell fate and embryonic axes; cellular interactions during organ formation.

BIO 470 Genetic Disorders (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 6
(Genetik Hastalıklar)   
Genetic basis of inherited disorders; identification and characterization of novel genes; multifactorial disorders; molecular diagnosis; gene therapy.

BIO 475 Plant Molecular Biology ad Genetics (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 6
(Bitki Moleküler Biyoloji ve Genetiği)  
Structures of nuclear and cytoplasmic genomes, gene transfer techniques, gene expression and regulation in flowering plant development, transgenic plants and their use in biotechnology.

BIO 478 Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology (3+0+0) 3 ECTS 6
(Uygulamalı Mikrobiyoloji ve Biyoteknoloji)  
Diversity of microorganisms and their activities; interaction of microorganisms with their mikrobial environment; use of microorganisms in biotechnology.

BIO 480-490 and BIO 493-499 Special Topics in Molecular Biology and Genetics
(Moleküler Biyoloji ve Genetikte Özel Konular)  (3+0+0) 3 ECTS

BIO 491 Special Project I (1+0+5) 3 ECTS 6
(Özel Proje I)  
Designed for individual students to carry out laboratory research projects under the supervision of a faculty member. A written final report is required.

BIO 492 Special Project II (1+0+5) 3 ECTS 6
(Özel Proje II)  
Also designed for individual students to carry out laboratory research projects under the supervision of a faculty member. A written final report is required.