Bahar Patlar

Dr. Bahar Patlar is a Research Associate in the Animal Ecology group at the Institute of Biology, Zoology department within the Faculty of Natural Sciences I - Biosciences at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany. Her research focuses on the evolutionary mechanisms underlying reproductive traits, particularly examining seminal fluid proteins and their role in sexual selection and reproductive fitness.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology (2014-2019) from Bielefeld University, Germany
• M.Sc. in Evolutionary Biology (2011-2013) from Hacettepe University, Turkey
• B.Sc. in Biology (2006-2011) from Hacettepe University, Turkey

Dr. Patlar's research interests center on Evolution, Ecology, Population & Quantitative Genetics, with specific focus on Reproduction, Sexual Selection, Male Ejaculate, Sexual Conflict, and Sperm Competition. Her work primarily uses Drosophila melanogaster as a model system to investigate how seminal fluid proteins influence reproductive success, sexual conflict, and non-genetic inheritance. She examines how these proteins affect post-mating behaviors, sperm storage, fertilization success, and even paternal epigenetic effects on offspring. Her current projects include studying human seminal fluid protein evolution across populations, worldwide analyses of seminal fluid protein evolution in Drosophila, and investigating seminal fluid-mediated paternal effects.

Analysis of her recent publications (2020-2023) reveals a consistent research trajectory focused on reproductive biology and evolutionary genetics. Her work demonstrates expertise in molecular techniques, evolutionary analysis, and behavioral studies, primarily using Drosophila and flatworm models. The publications show increasing complexity in examining not just the molecular evolution of seminal fluid proteins, but also their functional consequences for reproductive fitness, sexual conflict, and transgenerational effects.

Dr. Patlar actively collaborates with researchers internationally, including Axel Wiberg in Sweden, Prof. Claudia Fricke in Halle, and previously with Prof. Amro Zayed in Canada. She maintains an active research website (baharpatlar.wixsite.com/bpatlar) where she shares her scientific insights and popular science writings.