"She is a very brilliant and hardworking scientist!"

Tuğba Ekiz, İTF-Histology & Embryology, Istanbul University, Turkey

"She is so hardworking."

Hasan Serdar Mutlu, Histology and Embryology, Istanbul University, Turkey

"She is a successful scientist and a really good teacher."

Basak Isildar, Cerrahpasa Medical School, Histology and Embryology Department, Turkey

"She is an excellent scientist and has already been a hero for us."

Serbay Özkan, Histology and Embryology, Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa, Turkey

"She is a real lab hero!"

Feride Karahan, İTF-Histology & Embryology, Istanbul University, Turkey

"Dilek leads by example: dedicated, motivated, always ready with a smile and eager to discuss science. She is a great person with whom I have had the opportunity to share these last 5 years doing science and to see her thrive as a scientist. Her work speaks for her: accurate, interesting, state of the art and applicable. I recommend Dilek for this award, as a recognition of her continuous supportive role as a friend, colleague and scientist."

Cátia Domingos, Synaptic and Glial Plasticity Lab, Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Bonn Medical University, Germany

"Dr. Mercan is a highly motivated and very hard working scientist, but also a lovely and friendly colleague everyone adores."

Marisol Herrera Rivero, Genetic Epidemiology, University of Münster, Germany

"Dilek's expertise in two-photon imaging is impressive. She is a great teacher and offers her support whenever needed. She is always smiling and spreads her positive energy. Her professional knowledge, enthusiasm and love for science make her an exceptional scientist."

Lucas van den Boom, University of Bonn, Germany

"Dilek is a passionate young neuroscientist and an inspiring personality. Her expertise, perseverance, collegiality and willingness to help are impressive. She loves what she does and knows how to inspire others for her field of two photon imaging."

Felix Bitzer, Translational Neuroimaging Group, University of Bonn, Germany

"Dilek is a truly enriching person as a scientist and as a colleague. She is full of enthusiasm for her field of two-photon imaging. Her passion is contagious. You can always rely on her unlimited helpfulness and caring nature - whether professional or private. Dilek always has a smile on her face and brings a smile to others' faces as well. Both her personality and expertise make her a perfect lab hero and a great role model for other scientists."

Charlotte Braatz, Michael Heneka Lab, University of Bonn, Germany

"She is very hardworking. Her PhD life is one of example."

Ilknur Sur Erdem, Cecilia Lindgren Lab, Big Data Institute, UK

"Dilek has been a great support during my master thesis. Despite working in a different lab, she took the time to mentor me and supported me psychologically during the final phase of my thesis. Our friendship has taught me how important it is to support fresh students, which I try to positively implement."

Omar Mossad, Neuropathology, Uniklinik Freiburg, Germany

"She supported me so much during my master thesis and we had nice discussions about optogenetics."

Shadi Albasset, Institute of Biochemistry/AG Lie, Biochemistry/Erlangen, Germany

"Dilek is an amazing person who is always very helpful and compassionate. She is most loved by her peers. She is also a great dedicated scientist. I think she deserves such an honor."

Ozkan Is, Ertekin-Taner Laboratory/Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, USA

"She is the hero of neuroinflammation!"

Aslı Erdoğan, İTF-Histology&Embryology, Istanbul University, Turkey

"She has devoted herself to science and enjoys being a scientist."

Gülhas Solmaz, Atabey Group, Gallen Research Institute/Tınaztepe University, Turkey

"She is hard working and very passionate about her work."

Teodora Crowe-Wijasa, DADA Consultancy BV, Pharmacovigilance, Netherlands

"I think Dilek is an inspiring scientist, as well as a great colleague. She's always ready to help whenever you have questions and has always been nice to everyone."

Idil Arioz, Translational Neuropathology, University Clinic Bonn, Instute of Neuropathology, Germany

"I highly recommend Dilek for the Lab Hero award. She is a great researcher, scientist, teacher, colleague and friend. During my time in the lab I was able to get to know her really passionate way of working, her sense of purpose, persistance (7 days per week in the lab was normal for her) and her really strong resilience. No matter how hard her day is, Dilek is always smiling and is able to put a smile on your face. Next to her hardly developed knowledge, expertise and long working days in the lab, she is such a patient teacher, that you can call anytime for help. All my knowledge about two-photon microscopy I got from her as well as her protocol/paper recommendations.

She is also a very caring friend, who tries to support you workwise and in private. I am very grateful to have worked with her, because she is one important reason I really enjoyed working in the lab, even during hard times."

Marion Brill, Pfizer, Germany

"Dilek is a kindhearted person, always ready to support her friends both academically and personally. It is always a joy to spend time with her in and outside of the lab."

Saygin Bilican, The Vilchez Lab, University of Cologne, Germany

"Dilek is a colleague, whose enthusiasm for science is contagious."

Berkan Serdal Can Koyak, Clinical Studies, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Germany

"I nominate Dilek for her success in in vivo visualisation of neuropathology related events in the brain using 2-photon imaging.  In particular, her hard work in capturing microglia transferring disease related proteins to neighboring cells deserves recognition."

Ayse Ulusoy, DZNE, Germany

"Dilek has always been a good role model for me with her passion for science and dedication to her research. I definitely believe that she is a perfect candidate for this award."

Burcu Sivri, IKI, UKB, Germany

"I strongly recommend Dr. Mercan for the Lab Leader award. Dr. Mercan is an exceptional Neuroscientist with an expertise on how Locus Coeruleus-derived norepinephrine driven changes influence neuronal network function and microglial dynamics. She published her work in Nature Neuroscience and contributed to a project on Microglia in Cell among others. Further, she received multiple grants to present her work at international scientific meetings."

Debora Melo van Lent, Glenn Biggs Institute, UT Health San Antonio, United States

"Dilek has become a very important person in our lab. She has worked mainly with 2-photon microscopy and optogenetics. She is passionate, friendly and open to work in new ideas supporting our team lab. She is definitely an excellent candidate for the award."

Juan Munoz, Michael Heneka Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Germany

"Dilek is a very dedicated and amazing neuroscientist. I always found it very interesting and fun to discuss with her science and her research about Alzheimer's disease by using two-photon microscopy imaging."

Seda Koyuncu, CECAD, Germany

"Dr. Mercan is a very enthusiastic scientist working on Alzheimer's disease using two-photon imaging technique. She is very devoted and determined in her research to unlock the frontiers of AD disease."

Negar Nikbakht, Institute of Experimental Epileptology and Cognition Research, Germany

"Dilek is the definition of a hard working scientist who shows a lot of passion for her in-vivo research on AD, using 2-photon microscopy. Science makes her happy and eager to learn more. Besides her passion for science, Dilek shows great analytic skills as well as leadership. Together, these make her the perfect lab hero."

Deniz Karabag, Michael Heneka Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Germany

"Dilek is a very hard working person. She puts all her efforts in solving problems with a smile, no matter how difficult the situation is. She is a great teacher and an honest critic. I strongly recommend her for this award."

Gargi Ray, Department of Neuro-Physiotherapy, Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, India

"Dilek is a very helpful and supportive colleague, as well as a talented and hard-working scientist in the field of 2-photon imaging."

Hafiza Alirzayeva, Vilchez Lab, CECAD, Germany

"Dilek is a wonderful soul and a great scientist. During the time we shared in the lab, she was always helpful and friendly, she was the first one connecting with new people every time. Her passion about her job was contagious, I've never met another person like her in my life. She loves what she does and she is totally committed to neuroscience. I cannot imagine anyone deserving this award more than her honestly!"

Denise Grana, Lab of Neurobiology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy

"She is very passionate about science in general and Neuroscience in particular. She is the lab specialist in optogenetics and provides her insight in all projects involving in-vivo live imaging."

Cira Dansokho, Evotec, Germany

"Dilek's scientific expertise in 2-photon imaging and in vivo experiments is impeccable. She is a great teacher and a honest critic, encouraging and moulding inexperienced hands in the lab. She shares excellent rapport with all the lab members and helps in maintaining the team spirit. I strongly recommend her for this award."

Kishore Aravind Ravichandran, Michael Heneka Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Germany

"Dilek is a very helpful person who will always provide her help and support when it’s needed to her colleagues and surrounding. She is always smiling no matter how things are going and always thinks positive and spread positive energy. She is very passionate about what she is doing and loves science."

Heela Sarlus, Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden

"Dilek is knowledgeable and very hard working. She puts all her efforts in solving problems and is very prompt in completion of tasks. Dilek is a voracious reader and keeps herself abreast with latest trends and discoveries in the Neuroscience field. I wish her all the very best for her bright future and I strongly recommend her for this award."

Pranav Joshi, Jochen Walter Lab/ Department of Neurology, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Germany

"Dilek is a great young scientist who works independently. During her PhD she developed strong analytical, organizational and communication skills."

Pegah Masrori, Neurobiology, VIB-KU Leuven, Belgium

"I nominate Dilek for her impressive effort to combine 2-photon microscopy together with optogenetics."

Adem Saglam, AG Schultze, DZNE, Germany

Nomination Category: Lab Leader

_____________________________________

Who's your Lab Hero?

This is your chance to give back to the scientists who make – or who have made – a positive difference to your life, career, and workplace. That might be putting in extra effort in the lab, supporting their colleagues in difficult times, producing incredible results through their work, or making the lab a better place for everyone...

NOMINATE YOUR LAB HERO NOW!

Nominations close 8th December 2021. T&Cs apply.