Duygu Ucar, Ph.D.
Professor
I am a scientist with interdisciplinary training in computer science, epigenomics, and the biology of aging. I received my undergraduate degree in Computer Science at Bilkent University followed by a PhD. in Computer Science at the Ohio State University. I conducted postdoctoral studies at University of Iowa and Stanford University to study complex epigenomic patterns associated with aging and cell-specific transcriptional programs.
I launched my laboratory at the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine in 2013, where we combine functional immunology with cutting-edge genomics to uncover genomic signatures of immune system aging with direct translational implications.
Our overarching goal is to reveal how aging disrupts the gene expression programs of human immune cells, how co-factors (biological sex, obesity, prior infections) affect these immune aging signatures, and how these age-related genomic changes affect immune responses to different vaccines.
My research group tackles this challenge using a Systems Immunology approach where we combine functional immunology with cutting-edge computational biology and single cell genomics. My lab is well funded with NIH and foundation grants.
Education
- Stanford University, Postdoctoral training, 2010-2013
- University of Iowa, Postdoctoral training, Internal Medicine, 2009-2010
- The Ohio State University, Ph.D., Computer Science, 2003-2009
- Bilkent University, B.S., Computer Science 1998-2003
My Socials network
Current members
Giray Naim Eryilmaz, M.S.
Research Data Analyst
Education
- Boğaziçi University, B.S., Computer Engineering
- Boğaziçi University, M.S., Computer Engineering
Titas Grabauskas, B.S.
Predoctoral Associate
Education
Kshitija Kshitija, M.S.
Research Assistant
Education
- Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan University, BTech, Biotechnology
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, M.S., Biotechnology
Avinash Mahajan, M.S.
Predoctoral Associate
Education
- SRM Institute of Science and Technology, BPharm, Pharmacy
- Wright University, M.S., Pharmacology and Toxicology
Radu Marches, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Education
- Polytechnic University, B.S., Biochemistry
- Institute of Biochemistry, Ph.D., Biochemistry
Djamel Nehar-Belaid, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Education
- Pierre and Marie Curie University, Master II, ImmunTechnologies et Biotherapies
- Pierre and Marie Curie University, Ph.D., Immunology
Sathyabaarathi Ravichandran, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Associate
Education
- Indian Institute of Science, Ph.D., Computational Biology
Asa Thibodeau, Ph.D.
Associate Computational Scientist
Education
- University of Connecticut, B.S., Computer Science
- University of Connecticut, Ph.D., Computer Science and Engineering
Luke Trinity, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Associate,
Education
- University of Vermont, B.A., Computer Science
- University of Vermont, M.S., Complex Systems & Data Science
- University of Victoria, Ph.D., Computer Science
Yucehan Yazici, B.S.
Research Data Analyst
Education
- Istanbul Technical University, B.S., Molecular Biology and Genetics
- Bilkent University, M.S., Molecular Biology and Genetics
Alumni
Alper Eroglu, M.S.
September 2019 – December 2022
Current position: Ph.D. Student, Karolinska Institute
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Shubham Khetan, Ph.D.
January 2015 – September 2020
Current position: Post Doctoral Research Affiliate, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
Linkedin
Emin Karakaslar (Onur), Ph.D. Student
September 2019 – August 2021
Current position: Ph.D. Candidate – Leiden University – South Holland, Netherlands
Linkedin
Neerja Katiyar, M.S.
October 2019 – January 2023
Current position: Senior Data Scientist, Seattle Children’s Hospital
Linkedin
Eishani Kumar Sokolowski, Ph.D.
May 2020 – August 2024
Eladio Marquez, Ph.D.
September 2014 – July 2019
Current position: Associate Director, Clinical Data Intelligence, HiFiBiO Therapeutics
Linkedin
Siddartha Sharma, Ph.D. Student
June 2020 – June 2023
Current position: Graduate Student, The Rockefeller University – New York City
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Mark Sokolowksi, Ph.D.
October 2022 – July 2023
Current position: Senior Scientist, TARGAN Inc.
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Ahrim Youn, Ph.D.
November 2016 – May 2019
Current position: Associate Director, Sanofi
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