ERACHAIR TEAM
ERA CHAIR HOLDER
Prof. Dr. Ugur OZBEK is Rareboost’s project ERA Chair holder and leads Work Packages 3 and 4. His research interests include the delineation of the genetics and molecular biological mechanisms underlying the disorders of childhood/adolescence hematological malignancies, familial epilepsy syndromes, and undiagnosed rare disorders.
PROJECT COORDINATOR
Dr. Gerhard Wingender is RareBoost’s project coordinator. He is a group leader at IBG and an accomplished immunologist with over 20 years of experience in innate and adaptive immunity.
WORK PACKAGE LEADERS
Dr. Duygu Sag leads Work Package 1. She is a group leader at IBG and a recognized expert on the role of macrophage polarization in tumors. Dr. Sag is the recipient of UNESCO/L’Oreal’s international ‘Rising Talent Award’ in 2018 and a member of the Turkish National Commission for UNESCO since 2022.
Prof. Dr. Nese Atabey leads Work Package 2. She is a group leader at IBG and the director of its Basic and Translational Research Program. She is the national coordinator of BBMRI_Tr, and the contact person for the European biobanking platform BBMRI-ERIC.
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Inan leads Work Package 5. He is the platform leader of IBG-Pharma and Drug Analysis and Control Laboratories at IBG, with 25 years of experience in protein engineering and recombinant protein production both in the academic and private sectors.
Dr. Yavuz Oktay leads Work Package 6. He is the group leader of the Neuro-Genomics Lab at IBG. His research focuses on the elucidation of mechanisms leading from genomic variation to diseases of the human nervous system.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE
RareBoost’s Project Management Office consists of seven individuals, including Dr. Wingender, Çetin Akın, Beliz Özüt, the department manager of the IBG Project Office, a secretary, an employee from the Education Office, and two employees from the Communication Office. The Management Office is responsible for efficiently managing the administrative, legal, and financial processes of RareBoost, ensuring the successful progression of the project.