TEAM LEAD
TEAM LEAD_
ISMAIL ES, phd
ISMAIL ES, PhD, is the Group Leader of the Integrated Science and Engineering of Smart Biodevices (ISES) Lab at the Biomedical Engineering Department and Integrated Technologies Research Center (BÜTAM), Ankara University. His research integrates advanced materials, microfabrication, bioelectronics, and microfluidics to develop next-generation biomedical technologies.
He received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Campinas (Brazil) in 2020, where he manufactured a wide range of lab-on-a-chip systems for gene delivery and in vitro therapeutic applications. Between 2019 and 2021, he worked at University College London in both the Department of Biochemical Engineering and the School of Pharmacy, developing microfluidics-based drug testing platforms and organoid-compatible in vitro systems.
Between 2021 and 2023, he worked at the National Nanotechnology Research Center of Türkiye, focusing on advanced manufacturing strategies for drug delivery tools, including microneedles and sensing devices. From 2023 to 2025, he worked at the University of Oxford’s Bioelectronics Laboratory on minimally invasive implantable drug delivery systems and wearable bioelectronic platforms as part of an ERC-funded project. In August 2025, he joined Ankara University under the TÜBİTAK 2232-B International Fellowship to establish the ISES Lab.
MEET THE TEAM_
Dr. Dooa Arif holds a Ph.D. in Nanoscience and Engineering from National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan, where her doctoral research focused on the design, synthesis, and functionalization of Metal–Organic Framework (MOF) composites for advanced electrochemical glucose sensing applications. She is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow under the TUBITAK 2232-B International Fellowship for Early-Stage Researchers at the Biomedical Engineering Department, Ankara University. Her research centers on the development of non-invasive electrochemical sensors for biomedical applications, aiming to advance next-generation bioelectronic sensing systems with enhanced analytical performance, biocompatibility, and long-term operational stability in physiological environments for real-time health monitoring and translational medical technologies.
DOOA ARIF
Umut Bostancı is a senior engineer and Ph.D. candidate in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Ankara University. He graduated from Middle East Technical University in 2001, where he also completed graduate work on quantum well infrared detector simulations. He has worked on silicon nanoparticle-doped silicon dioxide optical waveguides and microwave cavity simulations. Before returning to academia, he worked at Turkish Accelerator and Radiation Laboratory working on magnet driver circuits and high-voltage systems. He has solid experience with cleanroom work, MEMS, and sensing, and is now focusing on magnetic sensing approaches to read signals from the biological systems in ISES Lab.
UMUT BOSTANCI
Neslihan Nur Ataklı, a TÜBİTAK Assistant Specialist and molecular biologist, completed her M.Sc. at Ankara University investigating IRE1-mediated ER stress inhibition in breast cancer. Currently pursuing a PhD in brain organoids at ISES Lab, her expertise spans genomic and proteomic techniques, advanced cell-based modeling, and computational data analysis, reflecting a deep commitment to scientific excellence.
NESLIHAN NUR ATAKLI
Dana Betancourt is a Master’s student in Biomedical Engineering at Ankara University, Turkiye. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of the Americas Puebla, Mexico. Her research focuses on the development of bioelectronic systems for implantable and wearable medical devices, with emphasis on biosensors and microelectronic components. Her work aims to advance diagnostic and therapeutic technologies for neurologic applications through the development of innovative bioelectronic sensor architectures that offer improved performance and long-term stability in physiological environments.
DANA BETACOURT
Berra Tuncer is a Master’s student in Biomedical Engineering at Ankara University. She received her bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Ankara University, where she developed strong interests in neuroengineering and biomedical instrumentation. Her current research focuses on magnetoelectric nanoparticles (MENPs) and their potential applications in bioelectronic and neuromodulation technologies. She is particularly interested in neural stimulation, cortical plasticity, and the development of innovative biomedical devices for translational neuroscience.
BERRA TUNCER
ABOUT US
The ISES Lab started in January 2026 and focuses on the engineering of smart bio-devices and the fundamental science that drives their development.
