This month in our Graduate Student Spotlight, we feature Seden Bedir, a third-year graduate student in Dr. Li Li’s lab in RNA Therapeutics, who previously rotated in the labs of Drs. Read Pukkila-Worley, Kate Fitzgerald, and Ann Moormann in the Department of Medicine.  

 


Hometown? 
Duzce, Turkey  

What are your research and clinical interests? 
I am a bioengineer with a highly interdisciplinary background, which makes me fascinated by the power of synthetic biology and bioinspired design to develop therapeutics. My current research focuses on utilizing in vitro evolution techniques to engineer synthetic RNA to establish a novel RNA therapeutics platform. My overarching goal is to do research in synthetic immunology where I can take advantage of my interdisciplinary background.   

What makes UMass Chan a great place for your studies? 
The UMass Chan faculty is very curiosity-driven and collaborative, which provides an exceptional environment for a trainee like me. Everyone is happy to help! We perform highly interdisciplinary research as well as take interdisciplinary classes – we benefit from it so much as it boosts our critical thinking skills. Also, UMass Chan is committed to providing support for international students as there are resources to help us with the unique challenges that we might be experiencing. The Office of Student Life, Morningside GSBS, and the Immigration Services Office are examples of those resources.  

Favorite hobby? 
I firmly believe communication is key for everything, which fuels my passion for science communication, especially for younger students. I deeply appreciate the scientists who encouraged and helped me to pursue my education in science. Therefore, I love volunteering to help younger students spark their interest in science since I experienced the impact myself. As an international student and woman, I am very invested in efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion for all scientists. It is so important to acknowledge the challenges that international students experience and try to help them. I can personally relate to them, which makes it a heartfelt case for me.  I am also an avid tennis fan – I always enjoy catching up with some grand slam matches. I also like having an active life by wandering around the city and working out in the gym. Lastly, I love cooking – particularly Mediterranean cuisine. I also enjoy reading books and watching TV shows – especially the Sci-Fi genre.    

Favorite thing to do in Worcester/Worcester area? 
I love being social and going out with my friends. In our free time, we usually try different restaurants and breweries as well as enjoy karaoke. I also like spending time at parks where I can spend time in nature, which helps me relieve stress.