Education

• Ph.D in Neuroscience, University of Vienna, 2021
  • Thesis title: “Hub architecture and high-order connectivity features support global brain dynamics in the C. elegans neuronal network”
• M.Sc. in Molecular Biology & Genetics, Boğaziçi University, 2014
  • Thesis title: “Validation of the OR103-1/5 Intergenic Sequence as a Molecular Tool to Promote Bi-cistronic Translation in Zebrafish”
• B.Sc. in Molecular Biology & Genetics, Istanbul Technical University, 2011
  • Thesis title: “Characterization of Airborne Bacteria in Istanbul Urban Areas via Molecular Methodology”

Work experience

• October 2018 - October 2022: Doctoral Researcher
  • University of Vienna, Zimmer Lab

  • Using an iconic model organism, C. elegans, I performed extensive experiments and analyses on multiple datasets using different approaches: i)graph theoretical analysis of the connectome (revealing clusters, motifs, rich-club structure), ii) randomization and in silico perturbations of network maps, iii) functional analysis of neuronal time-series data (correlation, mutual information, granger causality), and iv) genetic inhibition of selected neurons (cloning constructs, generating transgenic strains, performing whole-brain calcium imaging experiments in worms).

    During this study, I frequently presented my work to a broad audience, trained PhDs and postdocs in experimental and computational techniques, and published my work in a high quality academic journal (Uzel et al., 2022, Current Biology). This work is the first comprehensive structure-to-function analysis which makes a significant contribution to the ongoing research in the field of systems neuroscience and connectomics.

• May 2015 - October 2018: Doctoral Researcher
  • Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) Austria, Zimmer Lab
  • Zimmer lab was located in IMP between 2015-2018.
• September 2011 - June 2014: Master’s Student
  • Boğaziçi University, FISH lab
  • Using zebrafish as a model organism, I validated the use of an intergenic sequence as a molecular tool to promote bi-cistronic translation in the olfactory neurons. This research taught me how to follow a scientific question from beginning to an end. Accordingly I gained skillsets in use of molecular biology tools and confocal microscopy techniques using the neurons as models. This work inspired me to develop an interest to pursue a PhD in neuroscience.

Publications

• Uzel K., Kato S, Zimmer M. A set of hub neurons and non-local connectivity features support global brain dynamics in C. elegans (2022). Current Biology. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.06.039
• Uzel K., Zimmer M. Imaging the Emergence of Behavior (2019). Cell. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.09.006

Scientific Proceedings & Talks

• Uzel, K., Kato, S., Zimmer, M., Connectivity Features in C. elegans, CeNeuro 2022 - University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. July 2022 (poster presentation).
• Uzel, K., Zimmer, M., From Structure to Function: Mechanisms of Coordinated Neuronal Population Dynamics in C. elegans, Neural Circuits - Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, USA. March 2020.
• Uzel, K., Zimmer, M., Mechanisms Underlying Coordinated Neuronal Population Dynamics in C. elegans, 22nd International C. elegans Conference, UCLA, California, USA. June 2019.
• Uzel, K., Zimmer, M., Mechanisms of Neuronal Population Dynamics in C. elegans, Austrian Neuroscience Association Meeting 2017, Klosterneuburg, Austria. November 2017 (poster presentation).
• Uzel, K., Zimmer, M., Mechanisms of Neuronal Population Dynamics, Integrated Systems Neuroscience 2017, Manchester, UK. September 2017 (poster presentation).
• CAJAL Course in Computational Neuroscience, Lisbon, Portugal. August 2017.
• Uzel, K., Zimmer, M., Identification of Mechanisms Underlying the Coordinated Population Dynamics in C. elegans, Vienna Biocenter Worm Lab Retreat, Munich, Germany. November 2015.
• Uzel, K., Fuss, S.H., Validation of the OR103-1/5 Intergenic Sequence as a Molecular Tool to Promote Bi-cistronic Translation in Zebrafish, 2nd International Congress of the Molecular Biology Association of Turkey, Istanbul, Turkey. November 2013.

Teaching

• Teaching Assistant - Neurobiology and Behaviour of C. elegans, January 2019-20-21-22
  • Trained neuroscience master’s students whole-brain imaging experiments in worms, data acquisition of neuronal time series, data clean-up, identi cation of neuron classes and analysis of time-series data.
• Teaching Assistant - Physiology Lab (BIO 342), Spring 2013
  • Supervised undergrad students with physiology experiments
• Teaching Assistant - General Biology Lab (BIO 103), Fall 2012
  • Supervised undergrad students with basic molecular biology and genetics experiments
• Teaching Assistant - Genetics Lab (BIO 252), Spring 2012
  • Trained undergrad students genetic crosses using Drosophila melanogaster