MICE LAB

Projects

Ongoing and completed research projects of our laboratory, funded by TÜBİTAK, universities and international programmes.

Ongoing projects 5

Ongoing2024–2026

Tracing the relationship between morphological and chromosomal evolution in Nannospalax sp. using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics

Using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics to examine how chromosomal divergence relates to morphological evolution in blind mole rats.

Ömer Faruk ArslanResearch fellow

TÜBİTAK 2559 · Bilateral Cooperation with Serbia (MoESTD)

Ongoing2024–2027

Investigating selection pressure on cohesin and condensin genes in blind mole rats

Investigating the selection pressure acting on cohesin and condensin genes, which organise chromosomes, in chromosomally hyper-diverse blind mole rats.

Başak EsginResearch fellow

TÜBİTAK 1001 · 124Z079

Ongoing2026–2028

Investigating the environmental spread of Blastocystis in Ovacık, Tunceli with a One Health approach

Studying the genetic diversity of Blastocystis in rodents, humans, water and soil with metagenomics to understand its transmission from a One Health perspective.

YGYağmur GürsoyResearch fellow

TÜBİTAK 1001 · 325S024

Ongoing2026–2027

Distribution and Genetic Diversity Analysis of Myomimus roachi and M. setzeri

Mapping the distribution and genetic diversity of threatened mouse-tailed dormice with ddRADseq to set conservation priorities.

FGFadime GencerResearch fellow

TÜBİTAK 2502 · Bilateral Cooperation with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Ongoing2025–

Linking post-fire rodent populations to ecosystem change

Investigating how changes in rodent populations after wildfires relate to ecosystem recovery.

Dokuz Eylül University BAP

Completed projects 16

2020–2023Genome-wide phylogenetic history of speciation and adaptive radiation of blind mole rats (Spalax and Nannospalax) across their entire rangeTÜBİTAK 1001Principal investigator: A. Yanchukov
2018–2021Presence and distribution of hantaviruses in small mammals of eastern TürkiyeTÜBİTAK 1001Principal investigator: İ. M. A. Öktem
2018–2020Resolving reticulate speciation in bisexual and parthenogenetic Darevskia lizards of Eastern Anatolia and the CaucasusTÜBİTAK 2555 · Bilateral Cooperation with GeorgiaPrincipal investigator: A. Yanchukov
2018–2020Altitudinal variation in hypoxia-related genes of Turkish blind mole rats (Nannospalax sp.)TÜBİTAK 3001Principal investigator: A. Yanchukov
2017–2019Phylogeny and genetic diversity of Turkish Podarcis siculusDokuz Eylül University BAPPrincipal investigator: Prof. Dr. Ferhat Matur
2015–2018Presence and distribution of hantaviruses in rodents of the Mediterranean and Central Anatolian regions of TürkiyeTÜBİTAKPrincipal investigator: İ. M. A. Öktem
2013–2018Distribution and genetic diversity of Anatolian endemic mammals and proposal of priority conservation areasTÜBİTAKPrincipal investigator: Prof. Dr. Ferhat Matur
2012–2015Geometric morphometric analysis of skeletal morphology in Turkish Nannospalax (Mammalia: Rodentia) cytotypesUniversity-funded project
2012–2014Seismic communication in Turkish NannospalaxBülent Ecevit University BAP
2012–2013Population structure of Apodemus and Myodes from Zonguldak province and the rabies (Lyssavirus) they carryBülent Ecevit University BAP
2012–2013Screening for rabies (Lyssavirus) in Apodemus sp. and Myodes glareolus from Zonguldak provinceTÜBİTAK 1002Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Ferhat Matur
2008–2009Shape analyses of the scapula, humerus and mandible of Turkish NannospalaxUniversity-funded projectPrincipal investigator: Mustafa Sözen
2006–2007Comparison of Western Anatolian Nannospalax by G- and C-bandingUniversity-funded projectPrincipal investigator: Mustafa Sözen
2006–2007Chromosomal forms of Western Anatolian NannospalaxTÜBİTAKPrincipal investigator: Mustafa Sözen
2004–2005Karyological and morphological characteristics of Spalax (Mammalia: Rodentia) populations in Çankırı provinceZonguldak Karaelmas University BAPPrincipal investigator: Mustafa Sözen
2002–2005Karyological and morphological characteristics of Spalax (Mammalia: Rodentia) populations in the Karabük, Bolu and Ankara regionTÜBİTAK 1001Principal investigator: Mustafa Sözen

International networks 5

European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Actions our lab takes part in.

2024–2028pan-EUROpean BIoGeodynamics network (EUROBIG)TÜBİTAK – EU COST
2023–2027Medicinal plants for animal health care: Translating tradition into modern veterinary medicineTÜBİTAK – EU COST
2023–2027Exploiting Plant-Microbiome molecular crosstalks: diversity, distribution and eco-evolutionary perspectivesTÜBİTAK – EU COST
2023–2027Wildlife Malaria NetworkTÜBİTAK – EU COST
2022–2026Blastocystis under One Health (OneHealthBlastocystis)TÜBİTAK – EU COST