Deniz Atasoy

Deniz Atasoy is an Associate Professor of Neuroscience and Pharmacology at the University of Iowa's Carver College of Medicine. His research focuses on neural circuits regulating feeding behavior and metabolism, particularly in disease models of obesity and eating disorders. He employs optogenetics, pharmacogenetics, electrophysiology, and transcriptomics to study synaptic and circuit-level maladaptations in conditions like obesity and diabetes.

• BS in Molecular Biology and Genetics, Bilkent University, Turkey
• PhD in Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Janelia Research Campus, HHMI

Atasoy's lab investigates how global neuromodulators (acetylcholine, serotonin, catecholamines) interact with hypothalamic feeding pathways. Current projects examine cellular/molecular alterations in disease-state feeding behavior and potential therapeutic targets for metabolic disorders.

Recent publications (2020-2023) explore topics including FGF21 signaling in appetite suppression, adrenergic modulation of melanocortin pathways, serotonergic circuit mechanisms in feeding, and synaptic imbalances in oxytocin neurons. Collaborative work spans neuroscience, pharmacology, and diabetes research.

His affiliations include the Iowa Neuroscience Institute and Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center. The Atasoy Laboratory combines cutting-edge circuit dissection with behavioral analysis to advance understanding of metabolic disease neurobiology.