Mert Uyaroglu
-
Email
mu18860@essex.ac.uk -
Location
Colchester Campus
Profile
- cryo-EM
- porin cytochrome complexes
- antimicrobial resistance
- laboratory maintenance
Biography
I am currently a full time specialist technician at the school, tasked with overseeing and assisting the delivery of final year projects and Master's projects in capstone lab as well as maintaining the laboratory. I mainly assist in the laboratory teaching essential techniques and ensure that students always have what they need in the laboratory. I am also a part-time PhD student under the supervision of Dr Marcus Edwards
Qualifications
-
MSc Molecular Medicine University of Essex (2022)
-
BSc Biochemistry University of Essex (2021)
Research and professional activities
Thesis
Biomolecular characterization of bacterial electron conduits
My reseach focuses on two mostly studied "model" organisms of electroactive bacteria Shewanella oneidensis and Geobacter sulfurreducens, particularly the complexes involved in extracellular electron transport and how these complexes can be tuned/optimised for more efficient use in biotechnological applications including but not limited to microbial fuel cells, biosensors, and bio recovery of metals from e-waste.
Supervisor: Dr. Marcus Edwards , Dr. Brandon Reeder
Research interests
Structure of extracellular porin cytochrome complexes
EAB are capable of exchanging electrons with the extracellular environment via Extracellular porin cytochrome complexes. These complexes enable these bacteria to utilise insoluble metal ions as electron acceptors during respiration. To utilize these bacterial electron transfer pathways for biotechnological applications it is essential to further our understanding of how these conduits are formed, optimized, bind and reduce specific metals
Efflux pumps in antimicrobial resistance
Antimicrobial resistance is the ever growing threat posed by bacteria which has picked up the pace in the last years, this issue mainly stems from widespread misuse on antibiotics. There are several mechanisms bacteria can utilise to confer resistance. I am particularly interested in protein complexes called efflux pumps. These complexes are formed of several proteins and they form a selective channel on the outermembrane which actively pump antibiotics outside of the cell.