I rejoined the Sabanci University family for a temporary postdoc position sponsored by Prof. Canan Atılgan. I will carry on my research on the dimerization stability of ZBTB proteins through computational analysis of large-scale molecular dynamics simulations. I will conclude a study about heterodimerization choice of BTB domains that includes the evaluation of their genes expression profiles and their protein structure dynamics details.

On the 28/08/2020 I have succesfully defended my PhD thesis by the title “Characterization of the PATZ1 BTB domain”

The thesis defense was attended by my thesis commitee composed by:

Prof. Dr. Batu Erman

Prof. Dr. Canan Atılgan

Prof. Dr. Zehra Sayers

Asst. Prof. Dr. Stefan H. Fuss

Asst. Prof. Dr. Ogün Adebali

Asst. Prof. Dr. Hasan Demirci

Online PhD Thesis dissertation succesfully defended on the 28th August, 2020! The thesis committee was composed by my advisor and co-advisor Prof. Dr. Batu Erman and Canan Atılgan, and the jury members Prof. Dr. Zehra Sayers, Stefan Fuss, Ogün Adebali and Hasan Demirci. Very pleased with the result: this is Dr. Piepoli 🙂

We wrote a new review article about the Molecular Biology of SARS-CoV-2. Check it out here http://www.turkishimmunology.org/pdf/8_2_73_88.pdf

• Piepoli et al., 2020: Structural analysis of the PATZ1 BTB domain homodimer The crystal structures of the PATZ1 BTB domains from mammals and fish contain homodimers. The core dimer conformation of these BTB proteins is dynamically stable, despite the presence of highly flexible regions in the dimerization interface.

• Piepoli et al, 2020: Molecular Biology of SARS-CoV-2 Understanding the molecular and cellular biology of coronaviruses will increase the speed at which therapies can be generated against COVID-19 and other viral diseases.

One of the figures from the newly published article (Piepoli et al., 2020) was featured on the Cover Page of of the June issue of  Acta Crystallographica Section D.  Volume D76, Part 6 (pp. 506-611, 1 June 2020

Preprint of my new article is now available on BioRxiv

Structural Analysis of the PATZ1 BTB domain Homodimer

2 New protein structures were published in the international Protein Data Bank (PDB) by a collaboration effort between me and Prof. B. Erman @Sabanci University and Prof. E. Mancini and Dr. A. Alt @University of Sussex

PATZ1 BTB structure (mouse/human): 6GUV

PATZ1 BTB sructure (zebrafish): 6GUW

Check the links!

My third thesis progress committee meeting

My second thesis progress committee meeting