About me
I am a biophysicist eager to understand biology by using the power of physics and chemistry. We cheer for curiosity-driven research, open science, public science communication and equality and diversity in science.
Research description
Our Lab works on physicochemical principles underlying cellular processes.
Cells in our body communicate with each other with complex signaling events. Although these signaling events involve a multitude of signal transduction molecules, they are usually triggered by interactions between a ligand and a receptor in the plasma membrane. Investigation of spatiotemporal interactions between the signaling components in the membrane has so far been hampered by the complex structure of the cell membrane. The processes driving signaling in the plasma membrane involve not only the core protein components (such as receptors and ligands), but also membrane lipids, the underlying actin cytoskeleton, glycocalyx covering the membrane, intracellular protein scaffolds, and downstream interactors. This complexity is a major technical challenge in attempting to discern the impact of each individual component on the various steps of immune cell signaling. Related to this, in this vast complexity, it is very challenging to deduce insights on the physicochemical principles behind these processes. Moreover, early phases of signaling where the ligands meet the receptors occur at very fast temporal (milliseconds) and small spatial (nanometers) scales, which further hampers thorough elucidation of these processes. Therefore, studies aiming at a mechanistic understanding of immune signaling processes require both advanced imaging techniques with nanometer and microsecond spatiotemporal resolution and well-defined biomimetic systems that can provide tuneable molecular specificity and complexity to pinpoint the role of each functional component as well as physical principles of signaling processes.
In our lab, we solve these problems by developing and using advanced imaging and synthetic biology tools to reveal the molecular mechanisms governing the cellular signaling.
Key publications:
Please see Erdinc's Google Scholar for full publication list.
C. O. Gurdap, L. Wedemann, T. Sych, E Sezgin, The influence of the extracellular domains on the dynamic behavior of membrane proteins Biophysical Journal, (2022)
F. Ragaller, L. Andronico, J. Sykora, W. Kulig, T. Rog, Y.B. Urem, Abhinav, D.I. Danylchuk, M. Hof, A. Klymchenko, M. Amaro, I. Vattulainen, E. Sezgin, Dissecting the mechanisms of environment sensitivity of smart probes for quantitative assessment of membrane properties Open Biology, 12: 220175 (2022)
B. Plochberger, T Sych, F Weber, J Novacek, M Axmann, H Stangl, E Sezgin, Lipoprotein particles interact with membranes and transfer their cargo without receptors, Biochemistry, (2020)
Barbotin A, Urbancic I, Galiani S, Eggeling C, Booth M, Sezgin E, z-STED imaging and spectroscopy to investigate nanoscale membrane structure and dynamics, Biophysical Journal, (2020)
Beckers D, Urbancic D, Sezgin E, Impact of nanoscale hindrances on the relationship between lipid packing and diffusion in model membranes, Journal of Physical Chemistry B (2020)
F Schneider, C Eggeling, E Sezgin, Influence of nanobody binding on fluorescence emission, mobility and organization of GFP-tagged proteins iScience , (2020)
Pinkwart K, Schneider F, Lukoseviciute M, Sauka-Spengler T, Lyman E, Eggeling C, Sezgin E. Nanoscale dynamics of cholesterol in the cell membrane. Journal of Biological Chemistry, (2019)
Sezgin E, Schneider F, Galiani S, Urbančič I, Waithe D, Lagerholm BC, Eggeling C. Measuring nanoscale diffusion dynamics in cellular membranes with super-resolution STED-FCS. Nature Protocols, 14(4), 1054-1083, (2019)
Jenkins E, Santos AM, O'Brien-Ball C, Felce JH, Wilcock MJ, Hatherley D, Dustin ML, Davis SJ, Eggeling C, Sezgin E. Reconstitution of immune cell interactions in free-standing membranes. Journal of Cell Science, 132(4), (2018)
Felce JH*, Sezgin E*, Wane M, Brouwer H, Dustin ML, Eggeling C, Davis SJ. CD45 exclusion- and cross-linking-based receptor signaling together broaden FcεRI reactivity. Science Signalling, 11(561), (2018)
Sezgin E, Levental I, Mayor S, Eggeling C. The mystery of membrane organization: composition, regulation and roles of lipid rafts Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, (2017)
Schneider F, Waithe D, Clausen MP, Galiani S, Koller T, Ozhan G, Eggeling C, Sezgin E. Diffusion of lipids and GPI-anchored proteins in actin-free plasma membrane vesicles measured by STED-FCS. Molecular Biology of the Cell, (2017)
Teaching portfolio
- 2021-present: KTH Advanced Imaging Course
- 2015-present: University of Oxford, Cellular Imaging Course for MSc Immunology students
- 2015-2019: University of Oxford, Methods and Techniques Course for PhD students
- 2016-2019: Heidelberg, Germany, EMBO Super-resolution Microscopy Workshop
- 2017: University of Oxford, Research Techniques Course for Medical Sciences PhD students
- 2017: University of Ljubljana, Advanced Microscopy Workshop
- 2016-2017: Izmir, Turkey, Cellular Imaging Techniques Workshop
- 2016: Montpellier, France, Advanced Fluorescence Fluctuation Methods in FBIAT Advanced BioImaging Workshop
- 2010-2012: Technical University Dresden, Teaching Assistant for Biophysical Methods for Nanobiophysics and Molecular Bioengineering Master Students
Education
2014-2017 Postdoctoral Scientist University of Oxford Supervisor: Prof. Christian Eggeling
2013 May-2014 Postdoctoral Scientist Max Planck Institute of Cell Biology and Genetics Supervisor: Prof. Kai Simons
2010-2013 PhD International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) Dresden International PhD Program (DIPP) Supervisor: Prof. Petra Schwille
2004-2009 BSc Yeditepe University Department of Genetics and Bioengineering Supervisor: Prof. Mustafa Culha
Academic honours, awards and prizes
- Human Frontiers Science Program Grant, 2023-2025
- Knut and Alice Wallenberg Virus Research Grant, 2020-2023
- National Molecular Medicine Program Grant, 2020-2022
- Swedish Research Council Starting Grant, 2021-2025
- Karolinska Institutet KID Funding, 2021-2025
- Karolinska Institutet Foundation Grant, 2020-2022
- SciLifeLab Fellowship, 2020-2025
- Wellcome Trust ISSF Grant, 2019-2020
- British Council Newton Fellowship (co-applicant, lead researcher), 2018-2020
- Marie Curie Intra-European Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2015-2017
- EMBO Long Term Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2014-2015
- Equality and Diversity in Science Award (WIMM Oxford), 2019
- Excellence Award (RDM Oxford), 2016 and 2018 (Twice)
- Oxford Public Engagement Award, 2016
- Dresden International PhD Program (DIPP) Travel Award, 2013
- First Honor Graduate from Yeditepe University, 2009