Biography

I started my neuroscience training by recording in vivo sympathetic nerve discharge activities in rats. My early publications during my PhD were to address “the effects of cannabinoids on the central regulation of cardiovascular function”. I received a scholarship from the British Council and joined a research team of excellent electrophysiologists at Neuroscience Institute in Dundee, Scotland. There I worked in the labs of Dr Andy Irving and Dr Jeremy Lambert. During that time, I was investigating the role of satiety hormone leptin on hippocampal learning and memory and trying to elucidate the mechanisms of barbiturates on thalamo-cortical functions such as sleep and general anesthesia. As a postdoc I focused on in vitro slice electrophysiology and studied hippocampal synaptic plasticity and GABAergic currents. Currently I’m working at the Translational Neurodegeneration Research Center and we are studying the effects of ApoE and its receptors in the pathogenesis of Neurodegenerative Disease including aging, Alzheimer`s Disease, autism and epilepsy.

Education

Medical School
Hacettepe University (1996), Medicine
Graduate School
Hacettepe University (2003), Pharmacology

Research Interest

  • ALZHEIMER`S DISEASE
  • APOE RECEPTORS
  • ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY
  • NEUROSCIENCE
  • REELIN

Publications

Featured Publications LegendFeatured Publications

NHE6 depletion corrects ApoE4-mediated synaptic impairments and reduces amyloid plaque load.
Pohlkamp T, Xian X, Wong CH, Durakoglugil MS, Werthmann GC, Saido TC, Evers BM, White CL, Connor J, Hammer RE, Herz J, Elife 2021 Oct 10
Reelin regulates neuronal excitability through STriatal Enriched Protein Tyrosine phosphatase (STEP61) and Calcium Permeable AMPARs in an NMDAR-dependent manner.
Durakoglugil MS, Wasser CR, Wong CH, Pohlkamp T, Xian X, Lane-Donovan C, Fritschle K, Naestle L, Herz J, J Neurosci 2021 Jul
NGP 555, a ?-secretase modulator, shows a beneficial shift in the ratio of amyloid biomarkers in human cerebrospinal fluid at safe doses.
Kounnas MZ, Durakoglugil MS, Herz J, Comer WT, Alzheimers Dement (N Y) 2019 5 458-467
Reversal of ApoE4 induced recycling block as a novel prevention approach for Alzheimer's disease.
Xian X, Pohlkamp T, Durakoglugil MS, Wong CH, Beck JK, Lane-Donovan C, Plattner F, Herz J Elife 2018 Oct 7
Genetic Restoration of Plasma ApoE Improves Cognition and Partially Restores Synaptic Defects in ApoE-Deficient Mice.
Lane-Donovan C, Wong WM, Durakoglugil MS, Wasser CR, Jiang S, Xian X, Herz J J. Neurosci. 2016 Sep 36 39 10141-50
Reelin protects against amyloid ? toxicity in vivo.
Lane-Donovan C, Philips GT, Wasser CR, Durakoglugil MS, Masiulis I, Upadhaya A, Pohlkamp T, Coskun C, Kotti T, Steller L, Hammer RE, Frotscher M, Bock HH, Herz J Sci Signal 2015 8 384 ra67
Lrp4 domains differentially regulate limb/brain development and synaptic plasticity.
Pohlkamp T, Durakoglugil M, Lane-Donovan C, Xian X, Johnson EB, Hammer RE, Herz J PLoS ONE 2015 10 2 e0116701
Differential splicing and glycosylation of Apoer2 alters synaptic plasticity and fear learning.
Wasser CR, Masiulis I, Durakoglugil MS, Lane-Donovan C, Xian X, Beffert U, Agarwala A, Hammer RE, Herz J Sci Signal 2014 7 353 ra113
Reelin mobilizes a VAMP7-dependent synaptic vesicle pool and selectively augments spontaneous neurotransmission.
Bal M, Leitz J, Reese AL, Ramirez DM, Durakoglugil M, Herz J, Monteggia LM, Kavalali ET Neuron 2013 Nov 80 4 934-46
ApoE4 reduces glutamate receptor function and synaptic plasticity by selectively impairing ApoE receptor recycling.
Chen Y, Durakoglugil MS, Xian X, Herz J Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2010 Jun 107 26 12011-6