Anil Akturk, Ph.D.

Associate Research Scientist

Dissecting the regulation of G-protein signaling in inner ear development

Hearing and balance depend on specialized sensory “hair” cells in the inner ear. Mechano-electrical transduction in hair cells occurs in actin-rich apical stereocilia assembled into an asymmetric hair bundle that responds to deflection in a directional manner. To this end, stereocilia placement and their graded elongation must be tightly regulated during development. Recently, we and others established that inhibitory G protein alpha (G⍺i) signaling is essential for polarized hair bundle morphogenesis.The regulation of the G⍺i signaling during and after the development of hair cells remain largely unknown. I am focusing mainly on finding the regulators of G⍺i pathway by using genetics, organ and cell culture, biochemistry and hearing tests.

Visit the Tarchini Lab Personal Lab Site

Education and experience

Education

2018
Ph.D., biology
Cornell University, Ithaca, USA
Adv: Yuxin Mao

2012
M.Sc., biology
Sabanci University, Istanbul, Turkey
Adv: Zehra Sayers

2009
B.Sc., biology
Sabanci University, Istanbul, Turkey