Assist. Prof. Yasemin Yozgat Byrne

Dedicated scientist with 15 years of experience in cancer research and pharmaceutical applications, with an emphasis on the gastrointestinal and breast field. Attained graduate program from Columbia University, achieved while working full time as a cancer researcher. Has worked with top researchers from Columbia University and NYU for 2 years, and at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for 9 years, specializing in c-KIT RTK signaling and therapeutic intervention via pharmaceuticals. Ability to work collaboratively with others in teams and proven skills in taking the lead in research projects. Has been published in prestigious journals.

I am currently working at Istanbul Medipol University as a permanent medical cancer researcher. I am focused on understanding the mechanisms of pathogenesis and developing biomarkers and targeted therapies based on insight into disease pathogenesis. Using multimodality approaches, I am investigating the signaling pathways that drive the growth of cancer cells, with an eye toward designing new treatment options for patients with NSC lung, breast, ovarian, prostate cancer, and glioblastoma.

One of the main projects I work on is cancer metabolism mechanisms that are responsible for Non-small cell lung (NSCL), breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer development and growth. I have identified for the first time the existence of novel isoforms of hexokinase 1 -HK1b- as a predominant isoform of hexokinase 1 in NSCL, breast, ovarian cancer, and glioblastoma. Furthermore, I was able to show HK1b is a novel target for metabolic therapy against NSCL, breast, ovarian cancer, and glioblastoma.

I have experience in primary and secondary cell culture, isolating patient cancer stem cells, CSCs culture, patient-derived organoid model, patient-derived xenografts model, and CRISPR Cas 9 technology for designing and constructing. I have technical skills in molecular and cellular biology and biochemistry.