Hi! I'm Erva, a PhD student in Bioinformatics at Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkiye. I work at the intersection of AI and biology, building computational tools to make sense of how living systems work — from protein functions to interactions across biomedical entities.
I completed my BSc in Molecular Biology and Genetics at Uludag University in Bursa, and later earned my MSc in Bioinformatics from Hacettepe University. This background gave me a strong foundation in both experimental biology and computational thinking, which I now bring together in my research.
What excites me most is working on problems that are both technically challenging and meaningful, the kind that can actually make a difference in health and science.
I also care about open science, research transparency, and supporting others in the field. Always happy to connect with people who share those values.
My current work revolves around biological knowledge graphs and graph learning architectures for modeling biological systems and predicting protein functions. Lately, I've been exploring architectures like transformers, which have been making a big impact in both NLP and bioinformatics. I'm especially interested in bringing together structured biological data and language models to better understand biomedical complexity.
If you're curious about what I'm working on, feel free to check out the Projects and Publications pages.
Here's a quick list of the tools and technologies I use regularly:
- Programming: Python (general-purpose scripting and ML), R (statistical computing and data visualization), Bash (shell scripting for automation)
- Libraries & Frameworks: PyTorch (deep learning), PyG (graph neural networks), Scikit-learn (classical ML), HuggingFace Transformers (pretrained NLP models), Matplotlib (data visualization)
- Bioinformatics Tools: Biopython (biological scripting), RDKit (cheminformatics), samtools (BAM file processing), GATK (variant discovery), FastQC (sequence quality control), Bowtie2 (read alignment), SRA Toolkit (NCBI data retrieval)
- Data & Workflow Management: Jupyter (interactive notebooks), Nextflow (reproducible workflow pipelines)
- Other Tools: Git (version control), Conda (environment and package management), Obsidian (knowledge management and note-taking), VS Code (code editor), Canva (design and visuals for papers, presentations, posters)
When I'm not working on a model or paper, you'll usually find me doing something visual or outdoors. I've always loved graphical design, honestly, making figures is probably my favorite part of academic writing. I also enjoy creating content that blends daily life with creativity. I started a YouTube channel where I used to share vlogs, planning routines (both digital and analog), and my personal take on life in academia. Although I haven't had much time to keep it active lately, it's still something I love doing when I can carve out space for it.
Lately, I've also been getting into web development and enjoying the process of building small personal projects, including the one you're looking at right now: this website!
Outside the screen, I love reading fiction, it's how I unwind and reset. I also find a lot of joy in outdoor activities like running, hiking, and swimming, especially when shared with my husband. We love wandering through our city, discovering new places, and taking time to explore new cities and countries whenever we can.
I'm always open to new ideas, collaborations, or just chatting about research. Feel free to reach out if you'd like to connect!