Aydan Bulut-Karslioglu named EMBO Young Investigator

Scientist is among 26 new members selected this year

Congratulations to group leader Aydan Bulut-Karslioglu, who joins the Young Investigator Program (YIP) of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). The program provides funding, extensive networking, and career development opportunities for junior faculty with a proven record of scientific excellence in their respective fields.

EMBO is an international organization of life scientists that channels funds from member countries to support research fellowships, courses, workshops, conferences, and science policy initiatives. "EMBO is a pillar of European science and I am looking forward to being a part of this community," says Aydan. The network consists of more than 700 current and former EMBO YIPs and many more full members. As part of the program, she will have access to networking opportunities, funding, leadership training, travel grants, and to the core facilities of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL).

Aydan started her lab at the institute in 2018, with the support of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation's Sofja Kovalevskaja Award. She focuses on mechanisms that regulate stem cell state transitions and fate commitment. Key questions revolve around how cells communicate signals from their environment to the gene expression machinery, especially in the context of cell fate decisions in development and disease. Recently, Aydan received an ERC Starting Grant to study the phenomenon of embryonic diapause. "Being part of this community of scientists will help to build interactions with member labs whose expertise can help us answer our research questions," she says.

More about the lab.