Mourat Vezir Email and Phone Number

I was using cutting-edge 3D electron microscopy methods for large-scale high-resolution mapping of neuronal circuits of hippocampus in single synapse level.

251 Hellenic Air Force General Hospital | Mandatory military serviceMedical Research Laboratory : I was responsible for the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) samples’ analysis. I performed viral RNA extraction of the samples followed by RT-PCR. Also I ensured the proper maintenance of the laboratory’s equipment. At the same time I was trained and performed quick testsfor SARS-CoV-2 via the GeneXpert system - Cepheid. Biochemistry Laboratory : My main duty included biochemical, hormonal and virological analysis of samples,according to well-established methods and procedures used in medical laboratories. During my stay in the laboratory, I became familiar with the following diagnosticanalyzers: Dimension, Alinity, Centaur and Accelerator p540, while at the same time, I performed calibration of the instruments when necessary. I was also responsible for ensuring the maintenance of the laboratory’s equipment on a daily basis, as well as during the eight 24h shifts that I performed monthly.

I contributed by carrying out stereotaxic surgery on rodents for retrograde tract-tracing of basal forebrain neurons that project to the amygdala and the BNST following perfusion fixation and immunocytochemistry. Rats were handled with, behavioral testing of in fear conditioning paradigms, elevated plus maze an anxiety measure, behavioral despair a rodent model of depression and alternating T-maze a working memory task.Supervisor : Gunes Unal, PhD, Assistant Professor

Investigating the therapeutic potential of new microneurotrophin compounds for Alzheimer’s disease.Specifically, my thesis project was focused on the evaluation of these microneurotrophin compounds (BNNs) as potential activators of neurotrophin receptors (TrkA,TrkB) utilizing phosphorylation assays and immunocytochemistry. These compounds have been found to cross the BBB due to their physicochemical properties and our aim was to examine their pharmacological potential. For this purpose, I used three cell lines which I transfected with neurothrophin receptor plasmids and thereafter I assayed a number of drug analogs.Supervisor: Ioannis Charalambopoulos, PhD, Associate Professor of Pharmacology

During my stay I acquired technical skills such as cryotome sectioning, western blot, immunocytochemistry and PCR under the project in which we controled the effect of KIF21B kinesin gene mutations on the development of the cortex.

I became familiar with OpenVibe software using Brain computer interface to design a 4-Class Motor Imagery by a EEG Scenario.

Characterizing extracellularly-recorded and juxtacellularly-labelled single medial septal neurons in the mouse, which projected from the basal forebrain and innervated the hippocampusMy duties contained using a drawing tube microscope, reconstruction of axon network of neurons with their varicosities in each specific layer using a light microscope equipped with a drawing tube, and 3D reconstruction using Neurolucida software. Furthermore, using confocal microscopy and ImageJ, I determined the immunohistochemical profiles of synaptic connectivity with specific cortical markers.Group: Professor Peter Somogyi, PhD, FRS, FMedSciSupervisor: Dr. Tim Viney, PhD, Investigator Scientist

Qualitative and quantitative characterization of neurons that express calcium binding proteins in the superior colliculus of the rat.I became well acquainted with rat handling and histology of brain slices using fixation and cutting with vibratome. I performed immunocytochemistry for light and electron microscopy and analysed the data. Also I gained insight experience in in vivo electrophysiology.Supervisor: Yannis Dalezios, PhD, Associate Professor of Physiology