Melis DEBRELI COSKUN, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Department of Biomedical & Nutritional Sciences
University of Massachusetts Lowell
40 University Avenue #310
Lowell, MA 01854
Email: melis_debrelicoskun@uml.edu
BIOGRAPHY
Melis Debreli Coskun is Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences at UMass Lowell. She received a BS degree in Biology from Uludag University, MS degree in Molecular Biology from Anadolu University and a PhD degree in Biology from Uludag University with a study focused on cancer biology. During her MS and PhD, she had held a variety of research positions in the Pharmaceutical Research Institute at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences; and Thessaly University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, where she had served as a research assistant in a number of drug discovery projects exploring new therapeutics for cancer.
During her postdoc training at the Northeastern University and UMass Lowell, she has been leading several projects that demonstrate the utility of a newly characterized iron-binding small molecules on reversing abnormal iron accumulation to correct iron homeostasis in various disorders, including acquired deficiencies of the iron exporter ferroportin during anemia of inflammation using various mice models which will enable a rationally guided personalized medicine approach to treating protein deficiencies. She develops novel therapeutic strategies using small chemical and prosthetics (e.g., hinokitiol and emeramide) by testing their pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic activities to resolve physiological complications in patients with iron disorders including thalassemia. Her research will shed light on how alterations in the levels of iron and its transporters affect functioning of cardiovascular and hematological systems.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Anticancer drug discovery and drug screening, Cancer Biology, Drug Delivery, Hematology,
Cardiotoxicology, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, Iron Disorders,
Nanomedicine, Anthracyclines, Breast cancer, Pancreas cancer
Dr. Debreli Coskun’s research interests center around developing novel
therapeutic strategies to prevent and treat cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction
associated with anthracycline chemotherapy. She aims to amalgamate her
understanding of pharmacology and toxicology fields and contribute to the field
of cancer and iron metabolism.
EDUCATION
PhD, Biology (2017) Uludag University, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Science, Bursa, Turkey
PhD thesis: Alleviation of peripheral neuropathy and improved cancer chemotherapy outcome by inhibition of NF-kB and oxidative stress
MS, Molecular Biology (2012) Anadolu University, Graduate School of Sciences, Eskisehir, Turkey
MSc Thesis: Investigation of the effects of novel synthesis Palladium (II) complex on transformed fibroblasts
MS, Master of Education biology teaching (2007) Uludag University, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Science, Bursa, Turkey
BS, Biology (2006) Uludag University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Bursa, Turkey
SELECTED AWARDS AND HONORS
Investigation of the effects of new synthesis Palladium (II) complexes on transformed fibroblasts. Anadolu University, Scientifis Research Projects, 1110F164, 2012-2013 (scholarship).
Investigation of Pharmacodynamics of Fluoroquinolones in Escherichia coli. COST
Project, TÜBİTAK, 110O478, 2013-2014 (scholarship).
Alleviation of peripheral neuropathy and improved cancer chemotherapy outcome by inhibition of NF-κB and oxidative stress, TÜBİTAK 2214-A 2nd term International doctoral research fellowship programme, 2015-2017 (scholarship).
Effects and safety of NBMI, a novel iron chelator, for the treatment of thalassemia. Cooley’s Anemia of Foundation Research Fellowship, 2020-2021.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Debreli-Coskun M, Sudha T, Bharali DJ, Celikler S, Davis PJ, Mousa SA. αvβ3 integrin antagonists enhance chemotherapy response in an orthotopic pancreatic cancer model. Front. Pharmacol. 2020; 11(95): 1-11.
Sudha T, Bharali DJ, Yalcin M, Darwish NHE, Debreli-Coskun M, Keating KA, Lin HY,
Davis PJ, Mousa SA. Targeted delivery of cisplatin to tumor xenografts via the nanoparticle component of nano-diamino-tetrac. Nanomedicine (Lond). 2017; 12(3): 195-205. (It is one of the Top 10 most downloaded papers in Nanomedicine in 2017).
Sudha T, Bharali DJ, Yalcin M, Darwish NHE, Debreli-Coskun M, Keating KA, Lin HY,
Davis PJ, Mousa SA. Targeted delivery of paclitaxel and doxorubicin to cancer xenografts via the nanoparticle of nano-diamino-tetrac. International Journal of Nanomedicine. 2017; 12: 1305-1315.
Debreli-Coskun M, Arı F, Yılmaztepe-Oral A, Sarımahmut M, Kutlu HM, Yılmaz VT, Ulukaya E. “Promising anti-growth effects of palladium(II) saccharinate complex of terpyridine by inducing apoptosis on transformed fibroblasts in vitro”. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry. 2013; 8(21): 4698–4705.