Dr. GPCR Podcast

About Dr. Demet Araç

"Demet was an undergraduate at Bilkent University in Turkey, where she majored in Molecular Biology and Genetics. She moved to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas in 2000 to work with Dr. Jose Rizo-Rey as a graduate student to elucidate the mechanisms of neurotransmitter release. After finishing her graduate training, she joined Dr. Axel Brunger’s lab at Stanford University to study the structure and function of cell-adhesion proteins at the synapse. In 2013, Demet began her independent research career at the University of Chicago within the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology."

Dr. Demet Araç on the web

• University of Chicago

• Araç Laboratory

• Google Scholar

• Twitter

• Dr. GPCR

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Quick recap

Yamina and Demet discussed their personal backgrounds, academic backgrounds, and career paths, with a focus on their experiences in the field of GPCR (G protein-coupled receptor). Demet shared his journey of studying adhesion GPCRs, the challenges he faced, and the progress made in understanding their structure and function. They also discussed the ongoing developments in the GPCR field, the upcoming adhesion GPCR consortium meeting, and the naming conventions of proteins in the field. Lastly, they shared their views on pursuing one's passions and not being afraid of the unknown, and Demet expressed his satisfaction with his first podcast experience.

Next steps

• Yamina will send an email to Demet, encouraging him to distribute information about the Doctor GPCR Symposium to his team, including students, postdocs, and PhD students, and will share the recording of the podcast with Demet for the same purpose.

• Demet will distribute information about the Doctor GPCR Symposium to his team and encourage his students, postdocs, and PhD students to contact Yamina for potential speaking opportunities at the symposium or other events.

Summary

Personal Backgrounds and GPCR Interest

Yamina and Demet had a discussion about their personal backgrounds, interests, and experiences. Yamina shared her experiences of living in different countries and the adaptability skills it required. Demet, who had studied various subjects including chemistry, physics, biology, and math, shared his interest in science and physics. He also opened up about his childhood experiences of living in a place with limited pedestrian infrastructure. Yamina inquired about Demet's interest in studying GPCRs, and he explained his motivation stemmed from his experiences as an international student. They also acknowledged the cultural differences between Demet's home country, Turkey, and Yamina's, Canada.

Academic Backgrounds and Career Paths Discussion

Demet and Yamina discussed their academic backgrounds and career paths, with a focus on their experiences in academia. Demet shared that his interest in science led him to study biology, genetics, and molecular biophysics in Turkey and the United States, eventually becoming a professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Yamina asked about Demet's career aspirations, to which he responded that he pursued science because he enjoyed it. They also discussed their scientific journeys, focusing on their work on adhesion GPCRs, a field that was largely neglected at the time. Demet's research on the gain domain of adhesion GPCRs started during his postdoctoral studies and continued into his faculty position, despite initial challenges in securing funding.

Demet's Journey in Studying Adhesion GPCRs

Demet discussed his journey in studying adhesion GPCRs, outlining his collaborations, challenges, and the progress made in understanding their structure and function. He explained that initially, the field lacked adequate tools, and his lab had to develop new techniques to work with these complex proteins. Over the years, Demet's team expanded their collaborations and improved their understanding of the GPCRs through various approaches, including structural biology and signaling assays. Yamina expressed her appreciation for Demet's work and asked about the development of the GPCR field over time. Demet explained that since the year 2000, the field has seen significant growth, with important discoveries such as the transmembrane region structures mediated by agonists.

GPCR Field and Naming Convention Discussion

Demet and Yamina discussed the ongoing developments in the GPCR field and the upcoming adhesion GPCR consortium meeting, which Anthony will be organizing in Mexico in October. They also addressed the naming conventions of proteins in the field, with Yamina expressing concern about the potential confusion caused by changes in nomenclature. Lastly, they shared their preferences for GPCRs, with Demet expressing a particular fondness for certain adhesion GPCRs.

GPCR Field Progress and Advice for Junior Scientists

Demet and Yamina discussed the progress of their research in the GPCR (G protein-coupled receptor) field, specifically focusing on adhesion GPCRs. Demet shared that they have been working on the Latrophilin project since 2013, screening about 20 adhesion GPCRs, with the Latrophilin 3 construct proving most successful. They also discussed the importance of the extracellular region of these receptors and its potential as a drug target. Demet highlighted a series of realizations over the years about the importance of the GPCR field and its applications, emphasizing that it's not just about one "Aha!" moment. Yamina expressed her love for the GPCR field and asked for advice for junior scientists interested in the same.

Embracing Passions and Embracing Unknowns

Demet and Yamina discussed the importance of pursuing one's passions and not being afraid of the unknown in their chosen fields. Demet shared his belief that he was driven by a biological need to tackle more challenging tasks. Both agreed that one should find work exciting and interesting, as life is too short to spend doing things one doesn't enjoy. Yamina posed the question of what advice Demet would give his younger self, but Demet responded that he wouldn't change his past actions, as he believed they led him to his current fulfilling path.

Podcast Experience and Upcoming Collaboration

Demet expressed satisfaction about his first podcast experience and showed interest in sharing his insights in future episodes. Yamina shared her plans for an upcoming Doctor GPCR Symposium in June, for which Demet is the first confirmed speaker, and discussed potential challenges and solutions. The conversation ended with an agreement to collaborate in the future, with Yamina expressing her intention to reach out to Demet's students and postdocs for potential podcast participation.