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Melis Yavuz
Dr. Melis Yavuz
ORCID iD 0000-0003-1250-9755
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Affiliations
Research topics
  • Neuropharmacology
  • Neuroimmunology
  • Abscence epilepsy and status epilepticus
  • Adrenergic Receptor Signaling
  • Investigating Therapeutics in Parkinson´s diesase
  • Genetic models of epilepsy (in vivo and in vitro)
My research focuses on the pathophysiology of epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and neurodevelopmental disorders, integrating molecular, genetic, electrophysiological, and immunological approaches. Central theme of my work has been absence epilepsy, with a particular emphasis on the roles of adrenergic receptors in epileptogenesis and seizure modulation. More recently, my research focuses on bidirectional neuroimmune mechanisms connecting epilepsy and pulmonary fibrosis, highlighting neurological disorders as systemic conditions and advancing the establishment of in vitro models for mechanistic and translational studies. In parallel, I pursue drug and sensor development in the context of the Parkinson–tyrosinase enzyme relationship, including the synthesis of tyrosinase-inhibitor candidates and L-DOPA biosensors based on tyrosinase inhibition to support future therapeutic and diagnostic strategies.
Selected publications

Yavuz M, Aydın B, Çarçak N, Akman Ö, Raci Yananlı H, Onat F. Atipamezole, a specific α2A antagonist, suppresses spike-and-wave discharges and alters Ca2⁺ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II in the thalamus of genetic absence epilepsy rats. Epilepsia. 2020 Dec;61(12):2825-2835. 

Yavuz M, Akkol S, Onat F. Alpha-2a adrenergic receptor activation in genetic absence epilepsy: An absence status model? Epilepsia Open. 2024 Apr;9(2):534-547. 

Yavuz M, İyiköşker P, Mutlu N, Kiliçparlar S, Şalci ÖH, Dolu G, Kaymakçilar EN, Akkol S, Onat F. Dexmedetomidine, an alpha 2A receptor agonist, triggers seizures unilaterally in GAERS during the pre-epileptic phase: does the onset of spike-and-wave discharges occur in a focal manner? Front Neurol. 2023 Dec 11;14:1231736.

Baser O, Yavuz M, Ugurlu K, Onat F, Demirel BU. Automatic detection of the spike-and-wave discharges in absence epilepsy for humans and rats using deep learning. Biomedical Signal Processing and Control. 2022;76:103726. 

Çarçak N, Yavuz M, Eryiğit Karamahmutoğlu T, Kurt AH, Urhan Küçük M, Onat FY, Büyükafsar K. Suppressive effect of Rho-kinase inhibitors Y-27632 and fasudil on spike-and-wave discharges in genetic absence epilepsy rats from Strasbourg (GAERS). Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 2018 Nov;391(11):1275-1283. 

Melis Yavuz
Dr. Melis Yavuz

+49 228 73 6446

3.041

Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 3

53121 Bonn