Cebrail Sınacı

My journey

I began studying biology at Mersin University, where I gained my first research experience in microbiology and biotechnology. My curiosity took me into different laboratories, including a protein research internship in Helsinki, Erasmus+ studies in Würzburg, and research internships in Cologne and Salzburg.

Over time, my work expanded from laboratory experiments into computational biology. At the Technical University of Munich, my doctoral research has focused on developing single-nucleus RNA sequencing workflows to study cellular changes in cardiovascular and retinal diseases.

One of the hardest parts of this journey was knowing which information to trust. There was plenty available, but much of what I found was outdated or written without firsthand experience. I learned to ask questions, check the source, and seek guidance from people with relevant experience.

Topics I can share

• International study and research: perspectives from studying and working in laboratories across several European countries.
• Connecting biology with programming: experience bringing laboratory questions together with Python, R, and sequencing data analysis.
• Building PronusLab: the experience of founding an initiative and managing its people, projects, and direction.

What I wish I’d known

• Ask every question that comes to mind. You do not need to have everything figured out before starting a conversation.
• Learn from people with firsthand experience. Check whether their advice is current and relevant to your situation.
• Never stop trying. When one approach does not work, learn from it and try another.

My contributions

As founder, my main contribution to PronusLab is leading the organisation and managing its people and projects. My focus is on setting direction, coordinating the team’s work, and helping turn ideas into useful activities for our community.

The difficulty I experienced finding trustworthy information continues to shape that work: I want practical experience and honest lessons to be central to what PronusLab shares.

Background

Connect

I speak Kurdish and Turkish natively, English fluently, and conversational German.

Connect with me on LinkedIn for professional conversations and potential PronusLab collaborations.