Biography
Dr. Tunc-Ozcan received a B.A. degree in Psychology (2004) and an M.A. degree in Developmental Psychology (2006) from Bogazici University in Turkey. She earned her Ph.D. (2017) from Northwestern University, Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program (NUIN). Following her Ph.D., she worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Northwestern University Neurology Department until she was appointed as an Assistant Professor at the University of New Mexico, Department of Neurosciences.
Personal Statement
My research focuses on understanding how neural circuits and gene networks react to stressful experiences that produce lasting changes in the brain, how such changes can predict adaptive and maladaptive behaviors, and how these changes can be modulated to prevent and reverse neuropsychiatric disorders. During my postdoctoral work, I explored molecular techniques to manipulate signaling pathways and developed tools for cell-type-specific modulation. Using targeted mutant mice, I identified a common signaling pathway for antidepressant action and demonstrated that activating immature hippocampal neurons with DREADDs exerted rapid antidepressant effects and reversed stress-induced deficits, even without increasing their numbers. Because neuronal activity depends on presynaptic inputs, I used monosynaptic retrograde rabies tracing to map presynaptic partners of mature and immature dentate gyrus neurons and am now investigating how these inputs change after stress and antidepressant treatment. My next goal is to manipulate dentate gyrus circuits by combining rabies tracing with chemogenetic technology to target projection-specific neuronal populations, generating a detailed input map linked to behavioral and molecular phenotypes that may uncover critical circuits. However, inputs from the same region do not necessarily convey identical messages, as neurotransmitter co-transmission allows a single neuron to release multiple transmitters that selectively influence circuit function depending on receptor and synaptic context. I aim to use chemogenetics and input-output mapping to examine how co-transmission dynamics shape stress resilience, antidepressant efficacy, and mood regulation, ultimately revealing how specific genes, cell types, and circuits contribute to disease vulnerability, sex differences, and novel therapeutic strategies.
Areas of Specialty
Behavioral neuroscience
Animal models of anxiety and depression
Neural circuits
Hippocampus
Epigenetics
Achievements & Awards
2024 - Advance at UNM Women in STEM Award
2024 - UNM Faculty Leader of the Pack Louie Award
2022 - Dr. Samuel M. Nabrit Conference Early Career Scholars Travel Award, Brown University
2021 - NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award (National Institute of Mental Health)
2017-2019 NIH T32 (AG020506) Training Grant
2016 - Graduate School Travel Award, Northwestern University
2015 - Genes, Brain & Behavior Meeting Travel Award
2014 - Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program Research Award, Northwestern University
2013 - Research Society on Alcoholism/FASDSG Conference Travel Award
2012 - Graduate Student Chapter Travel Award, Society for Neuroscience (SfN)
2007 - UNICEF fellowship for the adaptation of the Big Brothers-Big Sisters program to Turkey
2006 - MA awarded with High Honors, Bogazici University
2004 - Cambridge Trust Scholarship for graduate school
2004 - BA awarded with Honors, Bogazici University
2001-2004 - Turkish Government bachelor’s degree scholarship
1999-2004 - Bogazici University full college scholarship
Key Publications
Journal Article
Tunc-Ozcan, Elif, Peng, C, Y Zhu, Y, Dunlop, S, R Contractor, A, Kessler, J, A 2019 Activating newborn neurons suppresses depression and anxiety-like behaviors. Nature communications, vol. 10, Issue 1, 3768
Journal Article
Tunc-Ozcan, Elif, Brooker, S, M Bonds, J, A Tsai, Y, H Rawat, R, McGuire, T, L Peng, C, Y Kessler, J, A 2021 Hippocampal BMP signaling as a common pathway for antidepressant action. Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS, vol. 79, Issue 1, 31
Journal Article
Rawat, R, Tunc-Ozcan, Elif, McGuire, T, L Peng, C, Y Kessler, J, A 2022 Ketamine activates adult-born immature granule neurons to rapidly alleviate depression-like behaviors in mice. Nature communications, vol. 13, Issue 1, 2650
Journal Article
Tunc-Ozcan, Elif, Wert, S, L Lim, P, H Ferreira, A, Redei, E, E 2018 Hippocampus-dependent memory and allele-specific gene expression in adult offspring of alcohol-consuming dams after neonatal treatment with thyroxin or metformin. Molecular psychiatry, vol. 23, Issue 7, 1643-1651
Gender
Female
Languages
- Turkish
- English
Research and Scholarship
1-Affaneh A, Linden A, Tunc-Ozcan E, Tsai YH, Peng CY, Kessler JA (2024). Inhibiting bone morphogenetic signaling prevents tau pathology in iPSC Derived Neurons and PS19 Mice. Annals of Neurology. PMID: 39644182.
2-Rawat R, Tunc-Ozcan E, Tsai YH, Dunlop SR, Li F, Bertossi R, Peng CY, Kessler JA (2024). Ketamine exerts rapid and sustained antidepressant effects through different mechanisms. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. PMCID: PMC10899278.
3-Rawat R, Tunc-Ozcan E, McGuire TL, Peng CY, Kessler JA (2022). Ketamine activates adult-born immature granule neurons to rapidly alleviate depression-like behaviors.Nature Communications, PMCID: PMC9098911.
4-Tunc-Ozcan E, Brooker SM, Bonds JA, Tsai YH, Rawat R, McGuire T, Peng CY, Kessler JA (2021). Hippocampal BMP signaling as a common pathway for antidepressant action. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, PMCID: PMC8740160.
5-Tunc-Ozcan E, Peng CY, Zhu Y, Dunlop SR, Contractor A, Kessler JA (2019). Activating newborn neurons suppresses depression and anxiety-like behaviors. Nature Communications, PMCID: PMC6704083.