The Inflammasomes & Cell Death Lab

Research Interests

The Inflammasomes and Cell Death Laboratory (INFeCT) is investigating the role of inflammasome complexes in innate immunity, infectious diseases, auto-inflammatory diseases and cancer by using cellular, molecular and genome editing techniques.

Inflammasomes are cytosolic protein receptor that recognize or sense PAMPs and DAMPs and trigger the secretion of IL-1beta and IL-18 and induce pyroptotic cell death. Mutations in receptor genes and/or overactivation of inflammasomes are associated with different inflammatory disorders and sepsis. 

Our group aims to understand the molecular mechanisms of inflammasome activation and inhibition during infection, cancer and inflammatory diseases.  

  1. Inflammasomes in SARS-CoV-2 infection
    The molecular mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 detection by different inflammasomes are elucidated. (TUBITAK3501)
  2. Characterization of new inflammasome regulators
    Since overactivation of inflammasomes is deleterious for the host, the identification of endogenously expressed proteins inhibiting inflammasomes is crucial. New inflammasomes regulators are characterized in the frame of TUBITAK1002 and TUBITAK1001 projects.
  3. Molecular mechanisms of bacterial cell death
    New bacterial proteins implicated in cell lysis are identified by using bioinformatics and molecular genetics approaches to clarify the molecular pathways of bacterial death. (TUBITAK2209A, BAP)

Group Leader

Elif Eren, Ph.D
Assistant Professor 
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  • Work Experience
  • Assistant Professor, Principal Investigator. - Since October 2020
    Bahcesehir University, Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, INFeCT Laboratory, Istanbul, Turkey.
  • Researcher - March 2020- December 2020
    Bogazici University, SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Development Team, Istanbul, Turkey.
  • Postdoctoral Fellow - January 2017- January 2020
    CNRS, Institute of Pharmacology and Structural Biology (IPBS), Immune detection and elimination of pathogens (Inflame) Laboratory; Toulouse, France.
  • Postdoctoral Fellow - 2016- 2017
    Bogazici University, Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Apoptosis and Cancer Immunology Laboratory (AKIL); Istanbul, Turkey
  • Visiting PhD Student - 2015
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Koch Institute of Integrative Cancer Research; Stem Cell Metabolism and Cancer Laboratory; Boston, USA. 
  • Education
  • PhD Degree - 2016
    Bogazici University, Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, AKIL; Istanbul, Turkey
  • MSc Degree - 2008
    INSERM; Paris 6 Pierre Marie Curie University;  Physiopathology of Pedriatric Genetic Disorders Laboratory; Paris, France. 

Lab Members

Current Members
Zahira Ahmadi
MSc student
Safa Fitouri
MSc Candidate
Nourelimen Hedfi
MSc Candidate
Soukaina Imlilss
MSc Candidate
Sara Hiari
MSc Candidate
Serra Kab
BSc Candidate
Elif Bozcali
BSc Candidate
Burcin Kanalmaz
BSc Candidate
Mete Savur
BSc Candidate
Alumni
Mostafa Al Bakri
MSc Candidate
Ghita Jekki
MSc Candidate
Rojin Aghakhani
MSc Candidate
LuJain AL-Saedi 
MSc Candidate
Aylin Gökmen
BSc Candidate

Publications

Articles
  1. Eren E.*, Planes R*, Bagayoko S., Bordignon P. J., Chaoui K., Hessel A., Santoni K., Pinilla M., Lagrange B., Burlet-Schiltz O., Howard J. C., Yamamoto M., Meunier E. Irgm2 and Gate-16 cooperatively dampen Gram-negative bacteria-induced caspase-11 response. Embo Reports, 2020.
  2. Eren E., Planes R., Buyck J., Bordignon P. J., Colom A., Cunrath O., Dreier R. F., Santos J. C., Duplan-Eche V., Naser E., Peixoto A., Bumann D., Cougoule C., Coste A., Neyrolles O., Broz P., Meunier E. Type-3 Secretion System-induced pyroptosis protects Pseudomonas against cell-autonomous immunity. BioRxiv 2019 (in revision).
  3. Bagayoko S., Icaza S. L., Pinilla M., Hessel A., Santoni K., Bordignon P.J., Moreau F., Eren E., Boyancé A., Naser E., Lefèvre L., Berrone C., Iakobachvili N., Metais A., Rombouts Y., Coste A., Attrée I., Frank D.W., Clevers H., Peters P.J., Cougoule C., Planès R., Meunier E. Phospholipid peroxidation fuels ExoU phospholipase-dependent cell necrosis and supports Pseudomonas aeruginosa-driven pathology. Plos Pathogens 2021. doi.org/10.1101/2021.02.17.431580.
  4. Camilli G., Eren E., Williams D. L., Aimanianda V., Meunier E., Quintin J. Impaired phagocytosis directs human monocytes activation in response to fungal derived b-glucan particules. Eur J Immunol 2018; 48(5): 757-770.
  5. Eren E., Berber M., Ozoren N., NLRC3 protein inhibits inflammation by disrupting NALP3 inflammasome assembly via competition with the adaptor protein ASC for pro-caspase-1 binding. J. Biol. Chem. 2017; 292(30):12691-12701.
  6. Gultekin Y., Eren E., Ozoren N., Overexpressed NLRC3 Acts as an Anti-Inflammatory Cytosolic Receptor. J Innate Immun. 2015; 7(1): 25-36.
  7. Yuksel S., Eren E., Hatemi G., Sahillioglu A.C., Gultekin Y., Demiroz D., Akdis C., Fresko I., Ozoren N., Novel NLRP3/cryopyrin mutations and pro-inflammatory cytokine profiles in Behçet’s syndrome patients. Int Immunol. 2014; 26(2): 71-78.
Reviews
  1. Eren E., Ozoren N., Caspase-1: Past and future of this Major Player in Cell Death and Inflammation. Eur J Biol 2020; 79(1): 51-61.
  2. Eren E., Ozoren N., The NLRP3 inflammasome: a new player in neurological disease. Turk J Biol 2019; 43(6): 349-359.
  3. Eren E., Ozoren N., NLRC3 as a Novel Negative Regulator of the Cryopyrin Inflammasome. FEBS/EMBO 2014, FEBS Journal, abstract #SUN-244, Volume 281 (Suppl. 1), p. 148, 2014.
Oral Presentations
  1. EMBO Workshop Cell Death in Immunity and Inflammation, October 2019, Crete-Greece
  2. InnaSCo Symposium II, May 2019, Lyon-France
  3. EMBO Workshop Pathogen Immunity and Signaling, 2019, Oxford-United Kingdom
  4. 3rd International Congress of the Molecular Biology Association of Turkey, 2014, Izmir-Turkey
  5. Congress of the Molecular Biology Association of Turkey, 2009, Ankara-Turkey
  6. National Symposium of the Turkish Association of Immunology, November 2020, Online, Turkey.
  7. National Symposium of the Turkish Association of Microbiology, December 2020, Online, Turkey.
Posters
  1. EMBO Workshop Cell Death in Immunity and Inflammation, Greece, October 2019:
    Eren E., Bagayoko S., Bordignon P. J., Hessel A., Meunier E. Irgm2 protects against LPS-induced sepsis through GBP modulation. 
  2. Toll meeting, Portugal, June 2018:
    Eren E. et al. Pseudomonas triggers differential NAIP5-NLRC4 inflammasome mediated host response depending on its cellular localization. 
  3. FEBS/EMBO Meeting, France, August 2014:
    Eren E., Ozoren N., NLRC3 as a Novel Negative Regulator of the Cryopyrin Inflammasome. FEBS/EMBO 2014, FEBS Journal, abstract #SUN-244, Volume 281 (Suppl. 1), p. 148.
  4.  2nd International Molecular Immunology & Immunogenetics Congress (MIMIC-II), Turkey, April 2014:
    Eren E., Ozoren N., NLRC3 is a Regulator of Cryopyrin Inflammasome, abstract #61.
  5. 22nd Turkish National Congress of Immunology, Turkey, April 2013:
    Eren E., Ozoren N., Role of NLRC3 in Inflammation and Its Interaction with Cryopyrin Inflammasome. Abstract #89, p. 122, 
  6. 14th International Congress of Immunology, Japan, August 2010:
    Eren E., Gultekin Y., Yuksel S., Ozoren N., Functional Studies of Cryopyrin V200M Mutation Identified in Behçet’s Disease Patients. #PP-078-10, Vol iv, p. 84-85
  7. International Cell Death Society Symposium, Turkey, May 2010:
    Eren E., Gultekin Y., Ozoren N., Caspase-1 Activating Inflammasome in Behcet’s Disease.
Funding
TUBITAK10022022-2023
TUBITAK35012023-2026
TUBITAK10012023-2026
TUBITAK2209A2021-2022
BAP NAP: 2021-2023
BAP LOAP2021-2023

Positions

No positions available

Contact

  •   +90 2123815706
  •   elif.eren@bau.edu.tr