Asst. Prof. Dr. Sibel SARI
After completing my undergraduate education in Ankara University Biology Department, I started my postgraduate education at Hacettepe University. During my master's degree, I investigated the biological activities of heterocyclic compounds designed as drug precursors, which are thought to be effective in cancer, by using bacterial test systems. I worked as a Research Assistant at Sakarya University, Faculty of Medicine during the years between 2013 and 2015, and then I joined Pablo Rodriguez-Viciana's laboratory at University College London (UCL) Cancer Institute for my doctoral education, in 2016. During my PhD, I had studies on the RAS-ERK signalling pathway, which plays an important role throughout mammalian development and whose abnormal activation is known to play an active role in cancer. Particularly, I investigated the role of the SHOC2 phosphatase complex in tissue homeostasis, described by Dr Rodriguez-Viciana, which is essential for RAS-ERK pathway activation and a highly attractive therapeutic target for RAS-induced cancers, by using in vivo mouse models. In June 2021, I started my job at Abdullah Gul University Molecular Biology and Genetics department, as a Lecturer Dr. By using in vivo and in vitro systems, I aim to continue my studies on signalling pathways that play an active role in cancer and identifying therapeutic targets that may be effective in these pathways.
PUBLICATIONS
• Boned Del Río I, Young LC, Sari S, Jones GG, Ringham-Terry B, Hartig N, Rejnowicz E, Lei W, Bhamra A, Surinova S, Rodriguez-Viciana P (2019). SHOC2 complex-driven RAF dimerization selectively contributes to ERK pathway dynamics. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 116(27), 13330–13339.
• Jones GG, Del Río IB, Sari S, Sekerim A, Young LC, Hartig N, Areso Zubiaur I, El- Bahrawy MA, Hynds RE, Lei W, Molina-Arcas M, Downward J, Rodriguez-Viciana P (2019). SHOC2 phosphatase-dependent RAF dimerization mediates resistance to MEK inhibition in RAS-mutant cancers. Nat Commun. 10(1):2532.
• Young LC, Hartig N, Boned Del Río I, Sari S, Ringham-Terry B, Wainwright JR, Jones GG, McCormick F, Rodriguez-Viciana P (2018). SHOC2-MRAS-PP1 complex positively regulates RAF activity and contributes to Noonan syndrome pathogenesis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 115(45), E10576–E10585.
• Yüksel R, Gürol G, Seçkin Akkılık Z, Yükselten Y, Sarı S, Yeni AE, Arabacı S, Güneri D, Ekici F, Demircan K, (2016) The Role of Netrin-1 in Absence Epilepsy Pathophysiology, Mustafa Kemal Üniv Tıp Derg, 2016; 7(25): 19-22.
• Yüksel R, Gürol G, Seçkin Akkılık Z, Sarı S, Arabacı S, Güneri D, Demircan K, Ekici F, (2015) The expression of Fetuin-A in brain tissues of WAG/Rij Rats, genetic rat model of absence epilepsy, Journal of Clinical and Experimental Investigations, 2015; 6 (4): 387-390.
• Aslan A, Sarı S, Arabacı S, (2015) Features of the Hormone Leptin, ODU Journal of Medicine, (2015) 2: e36-e40.
ORAL PRESENTATIONS and POSTERS
• Sari S, UCL Cancer Institute Annual Conference, Phenotypic characterization of SHOC2 inactivation in adult mice, 22 November 2018, the Royal College of General Practitioners, London, UK (Oral Presentation)
• Sari S, Jones GG, Del Río IB, Rodriguez-Viciana P, Conditional Inactivation Of SHOC2 In Adult Mice To Study Its Role In Tissue Homeostasis, Mol Cancer Res May 4 2020 18 (5 Supplement) A19-A19; DOI:10.1158/1557-3125.RAS18-A19
• del Rio, I. B., Young, L. C., Sari, S., Jones, G. G., Bhamra, A., Surinova, S., Rodriguez-Viciana, P, Selective contribution of the SHOC2 phosphatase complex to ERK pathway dynamics highlights its potential as a therapeutic target. Mol Cancer Res May 4 2020 18 (5 Supplement) PR05-PR05; DOI:10.1158/1557-3125.RAS18-PR05.
• Jones G. G, del Rio, I. B., Sari, S., Sekerim A, Young LC, Hartig N, El- Bahrawy MA, Molina-Arcas M, RE, Downward J, Rodriguez-Viciana P, The SHOC2 phosphatase complex as a therapeutic target for ERK-pathway inhibition in RAS-driven tumors, Mol Cancer Res May 4 2020 18 (5 Supplement) B26-B26; DOI:10.1158/1557-3125.RAS18-B26
• Sari S, Jones GG, Del Río IB, Rodriguez-Viciana P, Phenotypic characterization of SHOC2 inactivation in adult mice, UCL Cancer Institute Annual Conference, 22 November 2018, the Royal College of General Practitioners, London, UK (Oral Presentation)
• Sari S, Jones GG, Del Río IB, Rodriguez-Viciana P, Characterization of the role of SHOC2 in tissue homeostasis, UCL Cancer Institute Poster Competition, 22 May, 2018, London, UK
• Boned del Rio I, Young LC, Jones G, Sari S, Ringham-Terry, Rejnowicz E, Lei W, Bharma AS, Surinova S, Rodriguez-Viciana P, SHOC2 selectively regulates ERK pathway dynamics: therapeutic implications, ‘Cell Signaling and Cancer therapy´ EMBO, September 2018, Cavtat Croatia
• Boned del Rio I, Young LC, Jones G, Sari S, Ringham-Terry, Rejnowicz E, Lei W, Bharma AS, Surinova S, Rodriguez-Viciana P, SHOC2 selectively regulates ERK pathway dynamics: therapeutic implications, AACR Targeting RAS-Driven Cancers, 9-12 December 2018, Sandiego, USA.
• Boned del Rio I, Young LC, Jones G, Sari S, Ringham-Terry, Rejnowicz E, Lei W, Bharma AS, Surinova S, Rodriguez-Viciana P, SHOC2 selectively regulates ERK pathway dynamics: therapeutic implications, UCL Cancer Institute Annual Conference, December 2017, London, UK
• Boned del Rio I, Young LC, Jones G, Sari S, Ringham-Terry, Rejnowicz E, Lei W, Bharma AS, Surinova S, Rodriguez-Viciana P, SHOC2 selectively regulates ERK pathway dynamics: therapeutic implications, NCI-Frederick ‘RAS Initiative Symposium’, December 2017, Maryland, USA
• Young LC, Sari S and Rodriguez-Viciana P, Noonan syndrome mutations in components of the SHOC2-MRAS-PP1 phosphatase complex function through enhanced complex formation and positive regulation of RAF activity. 5 th International RASopathies Symposium: When Development and Cancer Intersect, Jr. Investigator Poster Abstracts, 28-30 July 2017, Orlando, Florida, USA
• Del Río IB, Young LC, Jones G, Sari S, Rodriguez-Viciana P, SHOC2 as a novel cancer therapeutic target, UCL Cancer Institute Poster Competition, June 2017, London, UK
Contact Information:
E-mail: sibel.sari@agu.edu.tr
Phone: +90 352 224 8800 Extension: 7387