Berat Z. Haznedaroğlu

Berat Z. Haznedaroğlu is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Environmental Sciences, Bogazici University, Istanbul, where he has been serving since 2014. He previously held an Assistant Professor position at the Department of Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering, University at Buffalo, New York (2012–2014), and completed postdoctoral training at Yale University. His research is highly interdisciplinary, bridging environmental engineering, microbiology, and biotechnology.

Education:

• Postdoctoral, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, USA (2012)
• PhD, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California-Riverside, USA (2010)
• MS, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Villanova University, USA (2005)
• BS, Biology, Middle East Technical University, Turkey (2003)

His research interests include Environmental Microbiology, Microalgae Functional Genomics, Systems Biology, and the Fate and Transport of Pathogens. He is particularly known for his work on microalgae-based solutions for wastewater treatment, biofuel production, and space life support systems. His lab explores the integration of algae-bacteria consortia for sustainable biorefineries and environmental remediation.

The recent publications reflect a strong trend toward applied environmental biotechnology, with emphasis on microalgae applications in wastewater treatment, high-value product recovery (e.g., phycocyanin), and thermal processing effects on algal nutritional quality. The work spans from fundamental metabolic pathway analysis to real-world implementation in biorefineries and space missions.

Scientific Awards and Grants:

• INDEPENDENT Project (€6.9M, 2019–2024) – Integrated Biorefinery for Bioeconomy
• MICRO-JET Project ($448K, 2020–2023) – Algae-Based Bio-Jet Fuel
• VirALGin Project ($185K, 2022–2024) – Algae-Derived SARS-CoV-2 Inhibitors
• UzMAn Project ($65K, 2023–2024) – Microalgal Life Support for Space
• Renew-IST Project ($521K, 2022–2023) – Renewable Energy Center in Istanbul

Dr. Haznedaroglu leads a dynamic research group with multiple funded projects and collaborative networks across institutions in Turkey and the U.S. He advises graduate students and has co-authored several book chapters and journal articles with junior researchers. His work is supported by major national and international funding bodies including TUBITAK, TUBITAK-Uzay, and the Ministry of Industry and Technology. Future research directions include closed-loop life support systems for space habitats and commercial-scale algal biorefineries.

Laboratories and Research Platforms: His team operates within the CBE Institute at Bogazici University, utilizing facilities for microbial culturing, genomics, and environmental analysis. The INDEPENDENT and UzMAn projects involve advanced bioreactor systems and space-simulated environments.