Nilüfer Sayar Atasoy
Nilufer received her B.S. in Molecular Biology and Genetics from METU, and her Ph.D., in the same area, from Bilkent University in Turkey. She started her postdoctoral career in Istanbul Medipol University, and studied hypothalamic circuits in feeding behavior and metabolism. Since October 2018, she works as an assistant research scientist in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Iowa. She is an ultimate animal lover and likes to draw, travel, hike, and knit.Selected Publications;
MCH neuron activity is sufficient for reward and reinforces feeding
Dilsiz P, Aklan I, Sayar Atasoy N, Yavuz Y, Filiz G, Koksalar F, Ates T, Oncul M, Coban I, Ates Oz E, Cebecioglu U, Alp MI, Yilmaz B, Atasoy D. MCH Neuron Activity Is Sufficient for Reward and Reinforces Feeding. Neuroendocrinology. 2020;110(3-4):258-270. doi: 10.1159/000501234. Epub 2019 Jun 3. PMID: 31154452.
NTS Catecholamine Neurons Mediate Hypoglycemic Hunger via Medial Hypothalamic Feeding Pathways
Aklan I, Sayar Atasoy N, Yavuz Y, Ates T, Coban I, Koksalar F, Filiz G, Topcu IC, Oncul M, Dilsiz P, Cebecioglu U, Alp MI, Yilmaz B, Davis DR, Hajdukiewicz K, Saito K, Konopka W, Cui H, Atasoy D. NTS Catecholamine Neurons Mediate Hypoglycemic Hunger via Medial Hypothalamic Feeding Pathways. Cell Metab. 2020 Feb 4;31(2):313-326.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2019.11.016. Epub 2019 Dec 12. PMID: 31839488; PMCID: PMC9017597.
Inactivation of Magel2 suppresses oxytocin neurons through synaptic excitation-inhibition imbalance
Ates T, Oncul M, Dilsiz P, Topcu IC, Civas CC, Alp MI, Aklan I, Ates Oz E, Yavuz Y, Yilmaz B, Sayar Atasoy N, Atasoy D. Inactivation of Magel2 suppresses oxytocin neurons through synaptic excitation-inhibition imbalance. Neurobiol Dis. 2019 Jan;121:58-64. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.09.017. Epub 2018 Sep 19. PMID: 30240706.
Impaired melanocortin pathway function in Prader-Willi syndrome gene-Magel2 deficient mice
Oncul M, Dilsiz P, Ates Oz E, Ates T, Aklan I, Celik E, Sayar Atasoy N, Atasoy D. Impaired melanocortin pathway function in Prader-Willi syndrome gene-Magel2 deficient mice. Hum Mol Genet. 2018 Sep 15;27(18):3129-3136. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddy216. PMID: 29878108.