Fatma Chafra
EDUCATION
College / University
Bilkent University
Highest Degree
Bachelor of Science
Major Subjects
Molecular Biology and Genetics
Country
Turkey, Tunisia
Lab Experience
Molecular biology techniques (PCR, molecular cloning, Western blotting, RNA purification, nuclear extract preparation, SDS-PAGE), Coimmunoprecipitation and protein-protein interaction studies, Baculovirus protein (co-)expression and purification, Protein expression, optimization, quantification and purification (Bradford, BCA, FPLC), Mammalian tissue culture experience, Experience with M13 phage, Aseptic techniques, Animal handling on model organisms including mouse and zebrafish, Metagenomics and transcriptomics analysis in Linux/Bash, R, and Galaxy (genome annotation, pathway annotation, RNA-sequencing analysis)
Projects / Research
- 09/2022 – 07/2022: Remote Senior Project student at the Helmholtz Institute Environmental Research Center (UFZ) (Working Group Microbial Data Science) on the analysis of benzene-degrading genes in bacteriophages using bioinformatics and machine learning approaches
- 09/2022 – 06/2022: Undergraduate Intern at Bilkent University, Cevher Lab on the biochemical characterization of the Mediator complex and RNA-seq analysis of RUNX1 and RUNX1T1 transcripts of 40 cell lines
- 11/2021 – 08/2022: Guest Scientist (ERASMUS+) at the Helmholtz Institute Environmental Research Center (UFZ) (Working Group Microbial Data Science) working on generating a standardized open-access pipeline for mining proteins from genomes and analyzing metagenome-assembled genomes for different metabolic pathways
- 02/2021 – 08/2022: Bilkent UNAM International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Competition Team member working on the in silico design, cloning, screening, protein expression and functional assays of the Survival Motor Neuron 1 (SMN1) and botulinum neurotoxin A protein fusions for the development of a novel therapeutic against Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
- 11/2020 – 07/2021: Project Intern at Bilkent University, Güre Lab on the in silico determination of specific RNA editing events and their relationship to gastric cancer cell lines’ sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs in R using CCLE and TCGA databases
- 07/2020 – 09/2020: Undergraduate researcher at National Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology (UNAM) conducting qPCR experiments for Turkey’s first SARS-COV2 RT-qPCR Diagnosis Kit.
- 11/2019 – 06/2020: Bilkent UNAMBG International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Competition Team member working on the cloning and screening experiments of the antiviral protein Griffithsin and its possible novel therapeutic administration via M13 bacteriophage coat display for prophylactic applications. This antiviral is currently marketed in Turkey.
Scholarships / Awards
| 2023 – 2024: | Stipend by the International Max Planck Research School |
| 2023: | Graduated as a High Honor student and ranked top of class among the 2023 graduates of the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics at Bilkent University |
| 2022 – 2023: | The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK) – 2205 Undergraduate Merit Scholarship |
| 2020 – 2023: | Bilkent University Undergraduate Merit Scholarship (100% coverage) |