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Reposted by Elif Nur Firat-Karalar

DGZ.bsky.social @dgz.bsky.social · 11/10/2025

The next #DGZ Focus Workshop on #Cilia & #Centrosomes will take place November 25 (end of October is our DGZ meeting in HD). Join us for a great speaker line-up, and big thanks to David Mick @mick-lab.bsky.social & Dagmar Wachten @wachtenlab.bsky.social for organizing!

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Reposted by Elif Nur Firat-Karalar

Aydogan Lab @aydoganlab.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

If you're finishing PhD soon and thinking of postdocs, see below! Especially if you're keen on combining biochemistry, imaging and cell biology, we are onto some exciting findings on molecules and mechanisms underlying a cytoplasmic division cycle autonomously of CDKs!!

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Elif Nur Firat-Karalar @cytolabkoc.bsky.social · 26/08/2025

New paper on DYRK kinases and primary cilium! This project began with our interest in DYRK3’s relationship to centriolar satellites. But what started as a CS-focused story soon evolved into studying DYRK kinase activity during ciliogenesis. nature.com/articles/s42...

nature.com

Kinase activity of DYRK family members is required for regulating primary cilium length, stability and morphology - Communications Biology

DYRK3 kinase interacts with multiple centriolar satellites and ciliary components to regulate axoneme length dynamics in cooperation with DYRK2.

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Reposted by Elif Nur Firat-Karalar

PLOS Biology @plosbiology.org · 31/07/2025

The #PrimaryCilium dynamically assembles & disassembles, but how is this controlled? @cytolabkoc.bsky.social shows that #ciliopathy linked protein Ccdc66 regulates both #cilium stability & length in epithelial cells via microtubules, actin & vesicular trafficking @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4mdTS4A

Model for cellular functions and mechanisms of CCDC66. CCDC66 is a microtubule-stabilizing protein that maintains cilium integrity and size and facilitates vesicular transport at the ciliary base. Depletion of CCDC66 results in variations in cilia size due to compromised axonemal integrity, intraflagellar transport, and increased ectocytosis events involving the release of vesicles and fragments. CCDC66 may also support ciliary ectocytosis and length stability by regulating the actin cytoskeleton. Furthermore, disruptions in both microtubule stability and the actin cytoskeleton impair RAB11 and RAB5-mediated endocytosis and membrane recycling, affecting cell adhesion and the targeting of ciliary receptors. This disruption subsequently activates protein degradation pathways through RAB7-regulated late endocytosis, potentially involving RAB7 translocation to cilia to support ectocytosis. Collectively, these defects in protein transport, cilia function, and cell contacts contribute to compromised epithelial tissue integrity and multilumen formation in kidney tubules.

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Elif Nur Firat-Karalar @cytolabkoc.bsky.social · 31/07/2025

Exciting new preprint alert! Our latest research is a tour de force exploring the biology of centriolar satellites, membrane-less organelles essential for development and physiology. Below is a summary of our findings; dive into the full paper through this link 👇 biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

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Elif Nur Firat-Karalar @cytolabkoc.bsky.social · 31/07/2025

Our paper uncovering the role of the microtubule-associated protein CCDC66 in primary cilium stability and disassembly is now published in @plosbiology.org ! We discovered exciting new links between CCDC66, microtubules, actin, vesicular trafficking, and Wnt. 🔗 journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...

journals.plos.org

CCDC66 regulation of cytoskeleton and cilia stability is important for signaling and epithelial organization

The primary cilium dynamically assembles and disassembles while maintaining structural stability and tightly regulated length, but the mechanisms that control this remain unclear. This study shows tha...

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Elif Nur Firat-Karalar @cytolabkoc.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

I’ll be visiting @wachtenlab.bsky.social’ lab at the Institute of Innate Immunity in Bonn this August for a mini‑sabbatical! I would love to connect with scientists in Bonn and beyond; please reach out if you’d like to chat, collaborate, or host a seminar.

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Elif Nur Firat-Karalar @cytolabkoc.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

ERC eligibility rules have changed! I'm among the last researchers awarded the ERC Starting Grant twice. The new rules could broaden applications but also increase competition, let's see how funding rates evolve!

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Reposted by Elif Nur Firat-Karalar

Samara Reck-Peterson @samreckpeterson.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

As the incoming Chair of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Weill Cornell Medicine, I am looking for a Director of Research. Exciting opportunity for a PhD scientist to shape the future of this new Department! Apply here: jobs.weill.cornell.edu/NY/job/New-Y...

jobs.weill.cornell.edu

Director of Research, Biochemistry & Biophysics

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Reposted by Elif Nur Firat-Karalar

Piali Sengupta @senguptalab.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Even in the 'good' days, students/PDs on visas were always worried that they would run afoul of the law and be asked to leave. I know - I was on a student visa myself. I can't even begin to imagine their fear and anxiety now. Time for all university leaders to collectively step up and speak out!!

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Reposted by Elif Nur Firat-Karalar

Ed Boyden @eboyden3.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

The MIT McGovern Institute’s story celebrating the 10th birthday of expansion microscopy (ExM). One highlight: ExM is not only easy to do, it’s easy to modify - so lots of people are altering and applying ExM for custom purposes, leading to unexpected innovations: mcgovern.mit.edu/2025/03/03/t...

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Reposted by Elif Nur Firat-Karalar

David Mick @mick-lab.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

Proud to share our work spear-headed by PhD student Tommy Sroka with major contributions by #xenopus expert Kerstin Feistel. Our iAPEX #ProximityLabeling method for #MassSpec based subcellular #proteomics works by locally generating H2O2 using a D-amino acid oxidase that activates APEX2 in situ.

biorxiv.org

iAPEX: Improved APEX-based proximity labeling for subcellular proteomics using an enzymatic reaction cascade

Ascorbate peroxidase (APEX) is a versatile labeling enzyme used for live-cell proteomics at high spatial and temporal resolution. However, toxicity of its substrate hydrogen peroxide and background la...

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Elif Nur Firat-Karalar @cytolabkoc.bsky.social · 22/12/2024

We had a wonderful New Year’s dinner! 2024 was full of great moments: I became an EMBO member, Leyla was born, we published important papers, presented at conferences, organized #advimaging2024, got a new microscope, welcomed new team members. Here is to more in 2025!

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Elif Nur Firat-Karalar @cytolabkoc.bsky.social · 15/12/2024

Sorry to miss #cellbio2024 as my 5-month-old isn't quite ready for transatlantic flights, But Cytolab is still represented! Don't miss Efe’s microsymposium talk & poster on centriolar satellites and Basak’s poster on non-ciliary functions of ciliopathy proteins.

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Reposted by Elif Nur Firat-Karalar

Piali Sengupta @senguptalab.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

🧪 Lab's latest!! Work by PD (and now PI) Alison Philbrook. C. elegans sensory neurons have gorgeous #cilia. We’ve always thought that a) no cilia = no sensory responses, & b) no IFT = no cilia. Punchline is we thought wrong. Read paper for more! #neuroscience journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...

journals.plos.org

Cilia structure and intraflagellar transport differentially regulate sensory response dynamics within and between C. elegans chemosensory neurons

The relative contributions of intraflagellar transport (IFT) and cilia structure to sensory neuron responses remains unclear. This study reveals unexpected complexity in the contribution of IFT and ci...

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Elif Nur Firat-Karalar @cytolabkoc.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

I'm excited to see that a photo of Leyla with me receiving my EMBO member certificate along with other members and EMBO Director Fiona Watt was shown in the photo gallery for the EMBO 60th anniversary celebration. What a wonderful memory for her!

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Elif Nur Firat-Karalar @cytolabkoc.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

Thank you Ula and the rest if the organizers for putting together such a fantastic meeting.

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Elif Nur Firat-Karalar @cytolabkoc.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

I look forward to visiting the University of Liverpool this Thursday to present our findings on centriolar satellites. I will also give the keynote talk and share our latest cilia findings at the UK Cilia Meeting on Friday.

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Elif Nur Firat-Karalar @cytolabkoc.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

Thankful to have an office for pumping, so much better than the microscope room or other awkward spots I used during my PhD/postdoc. Dedicated nursing rooms are essential for supporting women’s return to work. It’s a simple change that can make a huge difference for working moms.

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Elif Nur Firat-Karalar @cytolabkoc.bsky.social · 12/11/2024

Leyla participated our meeting on how to address reviewer comments.

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Elif Nur Firat-Karalar @cytolabkoc.bsky.social · 12/11/2024

Since I last logged into Bluesky, the number of kids in my profile has changed from 3 boys to 3 boys and a girl! Time to update my profile and build my community here.

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Reposted by Elif Nur Firat-Karalar

UK Cilia and Centrosome Network @ukcilianetwork.bsky.social · 03/09/2024

To all UK cilia enthusiasts! Our autumn meeting this year will be in Liverpool on 22nd November. Registration is now open at forms.gle/S7VtCpyUXAGa... and abstract submission will open soon. This is an ECR focused event so priority for talks/posters will be given to trainees. Come along!

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