Burcu Aykac Fas

I carried out my MS and PhD research studies with a focus on computational structural biology in the group of Prof. Turkan Haliloglu at Polymer Research Center, Bogazici University, Turkey. My PhD research work includes developing a hybrid molecular simulation methodology guided by the collective modes of motion targeted to a final conformational state. Our aim was to characterise the correlation dynamics underlying (large) functional conformational transitions, as well as studying the transition pathways between two conformational states.

The aim of my current project at CBL is to understand the biophysics of intrinsically disordered (ID) proteins (IDPs) and domains which are currently under study at CBL, employing enhanced molecular simulations and different force-fields. Our major goal is to understand the effect of cancer mutations found in melanoma patients to discriminate among passenger and driver mutations.

I think that at CBL-DCRC, I would be able to find the environment to pursue my research interests, with particular attention to state-of-the-art methodologies for enhanced molecular simulations, to studying the dynamics of cancer-related biomolecules in the computational-experimental interface and, most importantly, to apply these methodologies to shed new lights on the mechanisms of the complex disease, cancer.

Additional information and publication list:

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Burcu_Aykac_Fas