Michelle Adams

Michelle Adams is a Professor at Bilkent University, where she also serves as the Chair of the Psychology Department and Director of the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Graduate Program. She is the founder of the Aysel Sabuncu Brain Research Center (established in 2016) and coordinates preclinical imaging studies at UMRAM. Her research focuses on cellular and synaptic changes in aging brains and neurodevelopmental disorders.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. Neurobiology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York University (2001)
  • M.S. Neurobiology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York University (1999)
  • B.A. Psychology, University of California, Davis (1990)

Her primary research interests include:

• Cellular mechanisms of age-related cognitive decline
• Impact of caloric restriction on synaptic integrity
• Neurodevelopmental disorders like mental retardation
• Genetic and early developmental factors affecting aging
• Zebrafish as a model organism for vertebrate aging
• Environmental and genetic interventions for neurodegeneration

Article Trends: Her work spans Neuroscience, Genetics, and Aging. Key subfields include synaptic plasticity, zebrafish models, telomerase dynamics, mTOR inhibition, cell adhesion molecules, and neurodegenerative interventions.

Scientific Awards & Grants:

• EMBO Installation Grant (2011-2015)
• TUBITAK 1001 Research Program (2011-2014)
• European Research Projects on Rare Diseases (2013-2016)
• TUBITAK 1002 Research Program (2013-2014)
• ARSACS Foundation Co-Principal Investigator (2021-2022)

Advising: She mentors four Ph.D. students and three MSc students, emphasizing interdisciplinary training in neuroscience and psychology.

Labs & Teams: Leads the Michelle Adams Lab at Bilkent University, which collaborates with UMRAM and focuses on preclinical imaging, zebrafish models, and synaptic aging studies.