Mustafa (Safa) K.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Experience
Jul 2023 - Jul 2025
2 years 1 monthBethesda, United States
Postdoctoral Researcher
National Institutes of Health (NIH), NHLBI
- Led peptide inhibitor design against UPF1 using RFdiffusion, ProteinMPNN, and AlphaFold2/3; validated candidates with molecular dynamics simulations
- Screened over 1 million compounds for ataxia fusion proteins via AutoDock Vina; confirmed top hits using GROMACS MD simulations
- Developed RNA-seq analysis pipelines for nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) studies including isoform quantification and motif discovery
- Modeled protein-RNA interactions using AlphaFold3 multimers integrated with BioGRID/STRING databases
- Established computational workflows for transcriptomics and RNA regulation in iPSC-derived human models
Aug 2019 - May 2023
3 years 10 monthsBraunschweig, Germany
PhD Researcher
Technische Universität Braunschweig
- Investigated Legionella pneumophila virulence factors integrating structural biology and interactomics approaches
- Utilized AlphaFold and Rosetta for modeling pathogen-host interactions; identified druggable targets for therapeutic intervention
- Purified effector proteins and validated ligand binding using nanoDSF and surface plasmon resonance (SPR)
- Applied human lung explants to connect molecular mechanisms with tissue-level responses to infection
- Integrated AP-MS proteomics data with computational modeling to map host-pathogen interaction networks
Apr 2017 - Jul 2019
2 years 4 monthsİstanbul, Turkey
Research Assistant
Türkisch-Deutsche Universität
- Developed computational models for amyloid formation and disordered protein behavior
- Designed peptide and protein variants using homology modeling, molecular docking, and high-performance computing
- Established molecular modeling workflows for protein structure-function analysis
Feb 2016 - May 2016
4 monthsTurkey
Project Assistant
TÜBİTAK Marmara Technopark (MARTEK)
- Performed pharmacological assays and biosensor studies for preclinical drug testing
- Supported automation-based in vivo and ex vivo drug validation protocols
Jun 2014 - Sep 2014
4 monthsPortugal
Research Intern
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC)
- Conducted pharmacological assays and in vivo studies on therapeutic candidates
- Contributed to synthetic biology and high-throughput screening pipelines
Jun 2013 - Sep 2013
4 monthsİstanbul, Turkey
Research Intern
Bogazici University
- Performed molecular biology assays for drug testing and validation
Summary
Computational biologist with 8+ years of experience bridging experimental biology and computational innovation.
Expertise in protein design, structural bioinformatics, and transcriptomics applied to therapeutic discovery.
Successfully led projects from molecular modeling to validation in human model systems.
Proven ability to integrate multi-omics data, develop computational pipelines, and translate findings into biological insights for undruggable targets.
Languages
German
NativeTurkish
NativeEnglish
AdvancedEducation
Aug 2019 - May 2023
Technische Universität Braunschweig
PhD in Biology · Biology · Germany
Oct 2018 - Jun 2018
Gebze Technical University
Molecular Biology & Genetics · Turkey
Oct 2015 - Jun 2015
Gebze Technical University
Molecular Biology & Genetics · Turkey
Need a freelancer? Find your match in seconds.
Try FRATCH GPT More actions
Similar Freelancers
Discover other experts with similar qualifications and experience
- English
- Deutsch
2025 © FRATCH.IO GmbH. All rights reserved.