Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics 2004 graduate Elif Nur Fırat-Karalar has received a European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Young Investigator Award.
The aim of the EMBO Young Investigator Awards is to assist “some of the best young researchers in the life sciences.” The awards are presented to group leaders with a proven record of scientific excellence who are in the process of setting up an independent laboratory in a European Molecular Biology Conference member or associate member state; they provide the recipients with financial and practical support for four years to help them develop skills and connections during this early stage of their careers. EMBO notes that the past and current awardees, along with the recipients of EMBO Installation Grants, “form a network of Europe’s next generation of leading life scientists.”
Dr. Fırat-Karalar is currently an assistant professor in the Koç University Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, where she focuses on the biology of centrosomes, cilia and microtubules.