About Irem
Irem grew up in Istanbul and completed both her BSc and MSc in Molecular Biotechnology at Heidelberg University. Surprisingly to her, she never left—still captivated by the charm of the town. Her interest in computational biology sparked during her bachelor’s after an internship involving mice handling (and chasing), which led her to happily trade cages for code. During her master’s thesis in the groups of Nina Papavasiliou and Benedikt Brors, she explored the role of APOBEC2 in the hematopoietic system and worked with long-read sequencing data.
In January 2025, she joined the Odom Lab for her PhD to study DNA lesions in mouse liver cells. Outside the lab, Irem lives to eat—always planning her travels around new culinary experiences. She's also a big fan of amusement parks and is always up for a rollercoaster ride.