Berfin Azizoglu

Berfin Azizoglu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill), affiliated with the McAllister Heart Institute and the Curriculum in Cell Biology and Physiology. Her research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of organ regeneration, particularly in the liver, using mouse models and advanced imaging techniques like light-sheet microscopy and single-cell transcriptomics.

Education and Training:

• PhD in Genetics, Development, and Disease from UT Southwestern Medical Center (2018)
• B.Sc. in Molecular Biology and Genetics from Bogazici University (2012)
• Postdoctoral Scholar at Stanford University (2018-2023)

Research Interests:

• Liver regeneration and size control via vascular progenitors
• Role of vascular and neuronal networks in organ growth and repair
• Developmental biology of the pancreas and kidney
• Engineering liver organoids for translational medicine

Awards and Honors:

• Stinehart Reed Foundation Award (2022-2024)
• Leading Edge Fellowship (2022)
• HHMI Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program finalist (2019)
• Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Fellowship (2014-2015)

Laboratory: The Azizoglu Lab studies vascular and neuronal networks in the liver, using mouse genetics, bioengineering, and cutting-edge microscopy. Current projects include rapid organ growth mechanisms and the role of innervation in liver regeneration. The lab is recruiting at all levels, including graduate students, postdocs, and undergraduates.