Lab Members

P. Hande Ozdinler, PhD

Associate Professor

ozdinler( at )northwestern.edu
 312-503-2774

PhD: LSU/Health Sciences Center

 View Ozdinler's Faculty Profile

Dr. Ozdinler received training in the fields of molecular biology, genetics, biotechnology, cell biology, anatomy and neuroscience. She is the recipient of Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center and NUCATS Translational Innovation awards. She was recruited to be the founding director of the 2nd Les Turner ALS Laboratory at Northwestern, which focused on the biology and pathology of upper motor neurons. She is now a faculty member to the Chemistry Life Sciences Processes Institute, Les Turner ALS, Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, and Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Research Centers.

Mukesh Gautam, Ph.D.

mukesh.gautam( at )northwestern.edu
 312-503-7132

 View Gautam's Faculty Profile

Dr. Gautam's research is focused on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in neuronal vulnerability especially in ALS/FTD. He uses electron microscopy, metabolomics, transcriptomics, extracellular vesicle, and nanoparticle-mediated approaches to understand the basis of selective neurodegeneration. He is especially interested in mitochondria biology in neurodegenerative diseases and improving mitochondria function as a therapeutic strategy to improve neuronal health. Dr. Gautam earned his PhD in reproductive endocrinology from University of Delhi, India. He received training in the Ozdinler lab and now is a Research Assistant Professor. Dr. Gautam is the recipient of the inaugural Ellen McConnell Blakeman ALS Research Fellowship from A Long Swim Foundation, and his research is supported from a grant from Spastic Paraplegia Foundation.

Afshin Babazadeh, Ph.D.

afshin.babazadeh( at )northwestern.edu

Afshin Babazadeh received his PhD from Macquarie Medical School at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, where he investigated the regulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and the autophagy-lysosomal pathway (ALP) in relation to the aggregation and accumulation of TAR DNA/RNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) in cellular and zebrafish models of motor neuron diseases. During his PhD studies, he was awarded the Macquarie Medical School Small Grant Scheme and received the best review paper award. Dr. Babazadeh joined the Ozdinler Lab to pursue postdoctoral studies in motor neuron diseases.

Christopher Quintanilla, Ph.D.

christopher.quintanilla( at )northwestern.edu
 312-503-2776

Christopher Quintanilla completed his doctoral research at the University of Chicago, where he studied the role of Cdx genes in the early development of the zebrafish embryo. He joined the Ozdinler lab in the fall of 2020 and is currently studying how cytoskeletal dysfunction of upper motor neurons (UMNs) contributes to the onset of neurodegenerative diseases.

Emel Ulupinar, M.D. Ph.D.

Professor Emel Ulupinar graduated from Gazi University Faculty of Medicine in 1992. She studied at Cell Biology and Anatomy Department of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and received her PhD in 1999. Since then she has been a faculty member at Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Faculty of Medicine, Anatomy Department. She received "Distinguished Young Scientist Award" from the Turkish Academy of Sciences in 2001. She was the Congress Secretary of "First National Neuroscience Meeting" in 2002. She has been working as the head of Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Department, in Health Sciences Institute of Eskisehir Osmangazi University, since 2012.

Baris Genc, Ph.D.

Dr. Baris Genc has received his PhD at Louisiana State University Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy where he investigated the role of neurotrophic factors in sensory neuron development. During his Postdoctoral training he switched from neurodevelopment to neurodegeneration field. Currently his research is focused on understanding upper motor neuron biology in ALS, and cellular and molecular mechanisms of selective motor neuron vulnerability in ALS. He was the recipient of the NIH Mechanisms of Aging and Dementia T32 training grant investigating molecular mechanisms of selective vulnerability of motor neurons in ALS.

Gulina Ekmen

gulina.ekmen( at )northwestern.edu

Gulina Ekmen graduated from Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine in 2023. She previously conducted research in developmental biology in Germany, then joined the Ozdinler Lab in the winter of 2024. She focuses on drug discovery and neuronal imaging. Gulina hopes to pursue residency in United States.

Zehra Yagmur Erol

zehra.erol( at )northwestern.edu

Zehra Yagmur Erol graduated from Yeditepe University with a BS in Genetics and Bioengineering, and a MSc in Physiology. She completed her thesis by investigating electrophysiological and behavioral alterations in transgenic mouse models. She previously worked on optical imaging of calcium and voltage sensitive dyes on mouse brain sections, and her current research interests are electrophysiology, optogenetic, calcium imaging and computational neuroscience. Zehra wants to pursue a PhD in Neuroscience.

Jacob Sowizral

jacob.sowizral( at )northwestern.edu

Jacob graduated from UIUC in 2024. His research primarily focused on CNF toxins, specifically the modulation of their active site and its effects on cell structure. He now works on various projects in the lab and is excited to learn alongside experienced researchers. Jacob plans to apply to medical school with the aspiration of becoming a neurosurgeon.

Sarah Yoshimi Tropp

sarah.tropp( at )northwestern.edu

Sarah graduated from the University of Toronto with a BSc in Molecular Biology and a minor in Chemistry. She is currently a PhD student in the Driskill Graduate Program, focused on advancing drug delivery efforts and developing targeted therapeutic strategies. Outside the lab, she plays violin, enjoys cooking, and dabbles in photography/videography.

Taray Noah Sterling

taraysterling2028( at )u.northwestern.edu

Taray is a first-year student at Northwestern University, currently majoring in neuroscience. He has been in the Ozdinler lab since the fall of 2024 and hopes to pursue a MD with a future specialization in neurology. His interests include disease mechanisms and brain plasticity.

Mihailo Radojicic

mihailo.radojicic( at )northwestern.edu

Mihailo S Radojicic received his M.D. at Belgrade University School of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia and was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT. He is currently a Research Scientist at University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Department of Physiology and Visiting Research Scientist at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Neurology.

Izaak Aguilar

Now: Research Technologist II at NeuronaTherapeutics

Angela Ahrens

Now: Research Associate at Pathos

Dila Bitlis

student at Northwestern University.

Jonathan Brent

Now: Assistant Prof. at the Department of Neurology, Northwestern University

Ina Dervishi

Now: Neurocrital Care Fellow and Neurologist at the University of Chicago Medical School

Zach Fitzgerald

Now: PhD student at NUIN

Öge Gozütok Moore

Now: Regulatory Affairs Coordinator at Northwestern University

Aksu Gunay

Now: PhD student at UIC

Ben Helmold

Now: MD Candidate at Duke University School of Medicine

Javier Jara

Now: Imaging Director at Nikon Instruments

Omar Kashow

Nabil Khan

Now: Physician at Weiss Memorial Hospital

Nuran Kocak

Now: PhD Student at Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute.

Amiko Lagrimas

Now: Research Associate at Exicure

Kate Pauss

Now: PhD student at University of Kentucky College of Medicine

Mina Peric

Now: PhD student at the University of Belgrade.

Onur K Polat

Now: Postdoctoral fellow, Rush University, Medical School

Heather Hye Shin

Now: Research Associate, Standford University

Macdonnell Stanford

Now: MD at the Department of Neurology, Brown University

Rosalind Wang

Now: Graduate Student at University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy

William Weber

Now: Emergency Room Physician, University of Chicago

Edward Xie

Now: Stony Brook University Hospital, Opthalmology

Marina Yasvoina

Now: Lecturer in Neuroscience, King's College London