Dr Ayca Sayi Yazgan
Lecturer in Biosciences,

Summary

I am a biomedical scientist specializing in pathogen-immune system interactions within gastrointestinal diseases. Throughout my scientific career, I have developed expertise in cancer biology and molecular immunology, ranging from investigating the role of kinases in cancer progression to exploring innate and adaptive immune responses in disease setting.

I earned my Ph.D. at the University of Basel, conducting research at the Friedrich Miescher Institute (FMI) and ETH-Zurich under the mentorship of Prof. Wilhelm Krek. During this time, I was awarded a scholarship that supported my research and academic endeavors. My doctoral research focused on the role of a kinase in cancer progression, providing me with extensive training in cell biology and biochemistry. Following my Ph.D., I became deeply interested in studying the chronic inflammation that leads to cancer using model systems.

I pursued postdoctoral studies in the laboratory of Prof. Anne Müller at the University of Zurich’s Institute of Cancer Research, supported by a University of Zurich URPP Systems Biology postdoctoral fellowship. During this time, I explored immune modulation by Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium associated with chronic gastric diseases and cancer. My research demonstrated that H. pylori induces Regulatory B cells (Bregs), which promote T Regulatory 1 (Tr1) cells, highlighting cooperative immune regulation in bacterial infection models.

Following my postdoctoral training, I joined the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics at Istanbul Technical University (ITU) as a faculty member, establishing a multidisciplinary Molecular Immunology research group. I mentored numerous MSc and Ph.D. students, taught undergraduate and graduate courses, and led several competitive research projects funded by organizations such as TÜBİTAK and the Istanbul Development Agency.

In 2018, I was awarded a Fulbright Visiting Scholarship to work with Prof. Peter Ernst at the University of California, San Diego. There, I investigated the role of Regulatory B cells in the pathogenesis of Crohn’s disease. My contributions to immunology were recognized in 2022 when I was honored with the prestigious İsil Berat Barlan Award for Outstanding Women Scientists in Immunology.

I actively engage in European Union COST Actions to foster collaborations and initiate joint projects focusing on host immune responses to pathogens in chronic diseases. My goal remains to unravel the complex mechanisms underlying immune regulation and inflammation, ultimately contributing to improved therapeutic strategies for chronic diseases and cancer.

I joined the Division of Biosciences in late 2024 and hold an Honorary Professorship at Istanbul Technical University, Turkey.

Qualifications

Associate Professor in Immunology, Turkish National Scientific Qualification by Council of Higher Education, Turkey 

Ph.D. in Biochemistry/Cancer Biology University of Basel, Switzerland

MSc in Molecular Biology & Genetics Bilkent University, Turkey

BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Sciences Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Turkey

Responsibility

I am a Lecturer in Biosciences (Microbiology/Immunology) with Research and Teaching responsibilities.