معرفی
Erdem Karatekin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology at Yale School of Medicine, with a secondary appointment in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry. He holds affiliations with multiple interdisciplinary programs, including the Wu Tsai Institute and the Neuroscience Track. His research focuses on membrane dynamics, particularly mechanisms of neurotransmitter release, membrane tension regulation, and bacterial membrane fission. Karatekin earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Columbia University (1999) and conducted postdoctoral research at the Curie Institute and Yale University before joining Yale’s faculty in 2012.
His educational background includes a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Louisville (1994) and an M.Sc. in Chemistry from Columbia (1996). Key honors include the Kavli Neuroscience Scholar Award (2013) and the LabEx Cell(n)Scale International Chair (2021).
Research Interests:
- Mechanisms of fusion pore dynamics in synaptic transmission and hair cells
- Membrane tension propagation in neuronal and neuroendocrine cells
- Bacterial membrane fission during sporulation via FisB protein mechanisms
Awards:
- Kavli Neuroscience Scholar Award (2013)
- LabEx Cell(n)Scale International Chair (2021)
- EMBO Long-term Fellowship (2002)
Laboratory and Collaborations:
The Karatekin Lab investigates membrane dynamics using advanced microscopy and biophysical techniques. Collaborators include David Zenisek, Derek Toomre, and Chenxiang Lin, focusing on projects such as fusion pore modulation by Synaptotagmin-1 and membrane tension analysis via LEMONADE technology.