The Team

Principal Investigator

Mert Gur

Mert Gur, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Computational and Systems Biology

Executive Director, Computational Biomedicine & Biotechnology Master’s Program

Associate Director
Training and Experimentation in Computational Biology (TECBio) REU Program

Faculty profile

University of Pittsburgh Team

Mert Golcuk, PhD

Mert Golcuk, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Computational and Systems Biology

Sema Zeynep Yilmaz, PhD

Sema Zeynep Yilmaz, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Computational and Systems Biology

Fareeda Elinam Abu Juam

Fareeda Elinam Abu Juam

PhD Student
Joint Carnegie Mellon-University of Pittsburgh PhD Program in Computational Biology

Ethan Bintrim

Ethan Bintrim

MSc Alumnus
Department of Computational and Systems Biology

Lydia Aluko

Lydia Aluko

Undergraduate Student
Department of Biological Sciences, Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences

Istanbul Technical University Team

Reyhan Metin Akkaya

Reyhan Metin Akkaya

PhD Candidate
Istanbul Technical University
Molecular Biology-Genetics and Biotechnology Department

Ayla Eren

Ayla Eren

PhD Candidate
Istanbul Technical University
Molecular Biology-Genetics and Biotechnology Department

Alumni

PhD Alumni

Mert Golcuk

Mert Golcuk

Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Pittsburgh

Gur Lab: PhD, Istanbul Technical University, 2020–2024

Sema Zeynep Yilmaz

Sema Zeynep Yilmaz

Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Pittsburgh

Gur Lab: PhD, Istanbul Technical University, 2020–2025

MSc Alumni

Ebru Tuncay

Ebru Tuncay

Marketing Specialist, Gaggenau
BSH Home Appliances Group

Gur Lab: MS, Molecular Biology-Genetics and Biotechnology, Istanbul Technical University, 2022-2025

Jessie Weng

Jessie Weng

Clinical Biospecimen Operations Associate
Natera

Gur Lab: MS, Computational Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Pittsburgh, 2024-2025

Clara Xazal Buran

Clara Xazal Buran

Sales Support Specialist
Ant Teknik

Gur Lab: MS, Molecular Biology-Genetics and Biotechnology, Istanbul Technical University, 2020-2022

Onur Özer

Onur Özer

Scientific Programs Assistant Specialist
TÜBİTAK

Gur Lab: MS, Molecular Biology-Genetics and Biotechnology, Istanbul Technical University, 2020-2022

Ceren Kılınç

Ceren Kılınç

PhD student, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Michigan State University

Gur Lab: MS, Molecular Biology-Genetics and Biotechnology, Istanbul Technical University, 2018-2020

Ethan Bintrim

Ethan Bintrim

MSc alumnus; current lab member
Gur Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh

Gur Lab: MSc research, Computational Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Pittsburgh

Cihan Uğur Otçu

Cihan Uğur Otçu

MS graduate, Molecular Biology-Genetics and Biotechnology
Istanbul Technical University (2026)

Gur Lab: MS, Molecular Biology-Genetics and Biotechnology, Istanbul Technical University, 2022-2026

Omer Bashir

Omer Bashir

MS graduate, Computational Biomedicine and Biotechnology
University of Pittsburgh (2025)

Gur Lab: Graduate research (directed studies), Computational Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Pittsburgh, 2024-2025

Elhan Taka

Elhan Taka

MS graduate, Molecular Biology-Genetics and Biotechnology
Istanbul Technical University (2020)

Gur Lab: MS, Molecular Biology-Genetics and Biotechnology, Istanbul Technical University, 2018-2020

Former Graduate Researchers

Graduate research and directed studies.

Roshan Paul

Roshan Paul

Student, Computational Biomedicine and Biotechnology
University of Pittsburgh

Gur Lab: Graduate research (directed studies), University of Pittsburgh, 2025-2026

Ayten Dilara Gürsel

Ayten Dilara Gürsel

Expert
Mercedes-Benz

Gur Lab: Undergraduate and graduate research (directed studies)

Undergraduate Research Alumni

Undergraduate research and capstone projects.

Armani Manov

Armani Manov

Communications Coordinator, Department of Neurological Surgery
University of Pittsburgh

Gur Lab: Undergraduate researcher, Computational Biology, University of Pittsburgh, 2024-2025

Derman Baştürk

Derman Baştürk

MS student, Integrated Life Sciences; IMPRS Physics and Medicine
FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg / Max Planck Center for Physics and Medicine

Gur Lab: Undergraduate researcher, Mechanical Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, 2020-2024

Michael S. Grapin

Michael S. Grapin

Research Technician, Moore Lab
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Gur Lab: TECBio undergraduate researcher, Juniata College / University of Pittsburgh, 2024

Kübra Nur Çil

Kübra Nur Çil

Working Student, Competitive Intelligence Monitoring
Daiichi Sankyo Europe

Gur Lab: Undergraduate researcher, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul Technical University, 2022-2023

Gani Şen

Gani Şen

MS student, Biochemistry
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Gur Lab: Undergraduate researcher, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul Technical University, 2021

Hasan Tuncer

Hasan Tuncer

PhD student, Physics
Purdue University

Gur Lab: Undergraduate researcher, Physics and Electrical-Electronics Engineering, Koç University, 2020-2021

Portrait not available for Ali Burak Ascı

Ali Burak Ascı

Mechanical Engineer / CFD Researcher
Ford Otosan

Gur Lab: Undergraduate researcher, Mechanical Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, 2016-2019

Ayça Kepçe

Ayça Kepçe

Field Application Engineer
Innatera

Gur Lab: Undergraduate researcher, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, 2016-2019

Portrait not available for Mustafa Can Ersoy

Mustafa Can Ersoy

Body Exterior Engineer
Ford Otosan

Gur Lab: Undergraduate researcher, Manufacturing Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, 2019

Serkan İlter

Serkan İlter

Manufacturing Manager
Besa

Gur Lab: Undergraduate researcher, Manufacturing Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, 2019

Mirza Özdil

Mirza Özdil

Business Intelligence Lead
TÜBİTAK

Gur Lab: Undergraduate researcher, Mechanical Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, 2016-2018

Nilüfer Toker

Nilüfer Toker

MS student, Neuroscience
University of Helsinki

Gur Lab: Undergraduate researcher, Biology (YÖK-TEBİP), Istanbul University, 2016-2018

Berker Günay

Berker Günay

Reliability Digitalization Superintendent
Tüpraş

Gur Lab: Undergraduate researcher, Mechanical Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, 2015-2016

Mustafa Meriç Aras

Mustafa Meriç Aras

Process Engineer
Vibracoustic

Gur Lab: Undergraduate researcher, Mechanical Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, 2015-2016

Portrait not available for Oktay Çelik

Oktay Çelik

Lead Engineer
Arçelik

Gur Lab: Undergraduate researcher, Mechanical Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, 2015-2016

Ayten Dilara Gürsel

Ayten Dilara Gürsel

Expert
Mercedes-Benz

Gur Lab: Undergraduate research

Direnç Akyıldız

Direnç Akyıldız

MS graduate, Mechanical Engineering
Lehigh University

Gur Lab: Undergraduate researcher, Mechanical Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, 2020-2021