Sertaç Önde

Prof. Sertaç Önde is a Professor in the Department of Biology at the Middle East Technical University (METU). He holds academic affiliations within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and specializes in Plant Molecular Genetics, Plant Biotechnology, and Bioethics. His work integrates plant physiology, tissue culture techniques, and genetic engineering to address challenges in crop improvement and conservation.

Education:

• Ph.D., Department of Genetics, University of Leeds, U.K. (1992)
• M.Sc., Department of Biology, METU, Turkey (1988)
• B.Sc., Department of Biology, METU, Turkey (1986)

Research Interests: Prof. Önde focuses on plant genetic diversity, particularly in Turkish native species, GMO ethics, and ancient seed resurrection. His lab develops micropropagation methods for endangered plants and uses molecular tools to study crop evolution. Current projects include climate resilience in pines and wheat phylogenetics through chloroplast DNA analysis.

Advising & Grants: He has advised 19 theses and led 6 research projects. His work bridges basic science and applied biotechnology, with recent emphasis on ancient DNA recovery from seeds and FTIR-based phylogenetic analysis.

Labs/Teams: Active in METU's Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Genetics research groups, collaborating on tissue culture protocols and GMO regulatory frameworks.