Following
my academic journey in Physics and Biophysics at the Kharazmi
University and University
of Tehran, I pursued my Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Genetics at
Bogazici (Bosphorus) University in Turkey. My doctoral research
focused on characterizing the orthosteric binding pocket of a G
protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) in Thaumetopoea
pityocampa,
a Mediterranean pest. I utilized both in
silico
and in
vitro
methods to design agonists for
the Allatostatin receptor in this organism, with
potential applications as next-generation pesticides.
During
my Ph.D., I sought additional knowledge and skills by visiting
various laboratories. In 2016, I undertook an internship in Jana
Selent's lab at the University Pompeu Fabra to learn about molecular
dynamic simulations and docking calculations. In 2019, I joined
Martin J. Lohse's group at MDC Berlin to gain expertise in
signaling assays, particularly
FRET/BRET techniques. These opportunities were made possible through
short-term scientific mission grants from GLISTEN (CM1207) and ERNEST
(CA18133). In the final two years of my Ph.D., I strengthened
my Computational Chemistry skills at Serdar Durdagi's group in
Istanbul.
Upon
completing my Ph.D., I became a postdoctoral researcher in Peter
Kolb's lab at the University of Marburg
and got
involved
in
multiple
studies on
human GPCRs, employing both computational and wet-lab techniques. My
passion lies in GPCRs and drug development for these remarkable
receptors, making Kolb lab the ideal environment for my scientific
pursuits.
List of publications:
(1)
Bresinsky
M,
Shahraki A,
Kolb P, Pockes S, Schihada H. Development
of Fluorescent AF64394 Analogues Enables Real-Time Binding Studies
for the Orphan Class A GPCR GPR3. J.
Med.
Chem.
(2023) doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01707.
(2) Shahraki
A,
Selent J, Kolb P.
On the construction of LIECE models for the serotonin receptor
5-HT2AR.
J.
Comput. Aided. Mol. Des.
(2023)
1:11. doi:
10.1007/s10822-023-00507-3.
(3) Durdagi
S, Orhan MD, Aksoydan B, Calis S, Dogan B, Sahin K, Shahraki
A,
Iyison NB, Avsar T. Screening of clinically approved and
investigation drugs as potential inhibitors of SARS‐CoV‐2:
A combined in silico and in vitro study. Mol. Inform. (2022)
41:2100062. Mol.
Inform.
doi: 10.1002/minf.202100062.
(4) Birgül
N, Shahraki
A,
Kahveci K, Düzgün MB, Gün G. Are insect GPCRs ideal
next‐generation
pesticides: opportunities and challenges. FEBS
J.
(2021) 288:272. doi: 10.1111/febs.15708.
(5) Shahraki
A,
Isbilir A, Dogan B, Lohse MJ, Durdagi S, Birgul-Iyison N. Structural
and functional characterization of allatostatin receptor type-C of
thaumetopoea pityocampa, a potential target for next-generation pest
control agents. J.
Chem. Inf. Model.
(2021) 61:715. doi: 10.1021/acs.jcim.0c00985.
(6)
Shahraki A,
Yu Y, Gul ZM, Liang C, Iyison NB. Whole genome sequencing of
Thaumetopoea pityocampa revealed putative pesticide targets.
Genomics.
(2020) 112:4203. doi: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2020.07.017. [Open Access]
(7) Iyison
NB, Sinmaz MG, Sahbaz BD, Shahraki
A,
Aksoydan B, Durdagi S. In silico characterization of adipokinetic
hormone receptor and screening for pesticide candidates against stick
insect, Carausius morosus. J.
Mol. Graph. Model.
(2020) 101:107720. doi: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2020.107720.
