BAU Graduate Joins Nobel Laureate Aziz Sancar's Program

Selin Altıok, who graduated from the Bahçeşehir University Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics with notable projects and a successful academic record, has been accepted to the Biological and Biomedical Sciences doctoral program headed by Aziz Sancar at the University of North Carolina, one of the world's most prestigious universities.

The only Turkish student among the 90 students admitted to the program, Altıok explains that the biggest factor driving her success was "the fact that the program is headed by Turkish Professor Aziz Sancar, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for his work in the field of cancer."

IN HER SENIOR YEAR, SHE INTERNED AT YALE UNIVERSITY, A BAU PARTNER

Stating that she began her international education while studying at Bahçeşehir University, Altıok explained that in her second, third and fourth years she completed long- and short-term internships at Yale University, one of BAU's partner programs abroad, and that after graduation she stayed at Yale University to continue working with her professors.

ACCEPTED BY 7 OUT OF 9 APPLICATIONS

Stating that her biochemistry project at Yale University played an important role in her admission to the doctoral program, Altıok said: "At Yale University, I was researching why mutations turn into tumors in specific brain tumors. I think this project helped me get accepted to The University of North Carolina. I received positive responses from 7 of the 9 universities I applied to. But none of them could have made me as happy as this one."

Stating that she wants to specialize in 'pharmacology' in the coming years, Altıok said her goal is to develop drugs for diseases such as diabetes and cancer.