Reproductive Biology Hub

• 
  Bikem Soygur Kaya, PhD . Director

  Dr. Soygur Kaya earned her BS in biology from Eskisehir Osmangazi University (2009) and MSc in reproductive biology from Akdeniz University (2013), Turkey. Early in her career, she worked in the lab of Dr. Harry Moore at the University of Sheffield, Centre for Stem Cell Biology UK (2013) on human embryonic stem cells and endogenous retroviruses. She started her PhD in Histology and Embryology at Akdeniz University School of Medicine, before joining the lab of Dr. Diana Laird at University of California, San Francisco where she conducted her thesis project. Her graduate studies focused on the role of germ cell interconnectedness in fetal oocyte differentiation using state of the art mouse genetics and imaging technologies. After receiving her PhD in 2018, she continued as a postdoctoral researcher at UCSF, where she studied how the early events of oocyte development can ultimately affect oocyte fate during adulthood and aging. In 2023, she was appointed as the director of the Reproductive Biology Hub where she has devoted her ongoing scientific efforts to demystifying the enigma of female reproductive aging.

  BSoygurKaya@buckinstitute.org

• 
  Mihika Sonalkar . Research Associate

  Mihika Sonalkar is a Master’s graduate in bioengineering from UC San Diego, with a background in electronics engineering. While her undergraduate training was in engineering, her interest for biological and medical research shaped her transition into the life sciences. During her Master’s, she trained in translational pediatric oncology under Dr. Peter Zage, investigating the clinical and biological impact of extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) as a potential drug target in neuroblastoma. She also explored diverse research areas including brain microfluidics, cancer bioinformatics, and preclinical drug studies, but was always passionate about understanding and decoding the intricacies of women’s health, particularly polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and ovarian aging. This led her to join Dr. Bikem Soygur Kaya as a Research Associate, where she contributes to understanding the cellular and molecular underpinnings of ovarian aging and its broader impact on female health

  MSonalkar@buckinstitute.org

The Reproductive Biology Hub is made possible by a grant from the Bia-Echo Foundation and in cooperation with the Global Consortium for Reproductive Longevity and Equality.

The Hub provides expertise, services, training, and facilities in:

• Project design consultation
• Reproductive tissue collection for morphological, quantitative and molecular analyses
• Gamete collection for in vitro maturation and fertilization assays
• Breeding and mating performance evaluation
• Reproductive endocrine function intervention and assessment
• Data analysis, and training as relevant

The Hub welcomes internal and external collaborations.

The Hub charges researchers at an hourly rate for staff service or equipment usage.

External collaborations will be evaluated on a per-project basis.

For further information or to schedule a consultation, please contact Bikem Soygur Kaya, PhD at BSoygurKaya@buckinstitute.org.

Techniques

• Breeding/Fertility Trial
• Ovarian Reserve Analysis
• Estrous Cyclicity Analysis
• Gamete and gonad collection
• Reproductive cell culture (follicle, oocyte, egg, embryo)
• In-vitro maturation and fertilization
• Semen Analysis
• Micromanipulation and microinjection
• Histological and morphological tissue analysis

Equipment

• Wide-stage Dissection Microscopes: Leica M165 on TL5000 Base with Heated stage and Camera
• Box Incubators: Thermo Scientific Heracell VIOS 160i Tri-Gas CO2 Incubator, 100% Copper
• EVOS Cell Imaging System for live cell, whole-mount, or tissue section imaging
• CFX384 Touch Real-Time PCR Detection System
• Azure600 Western Blot Imaging System

Please contact us for collaboration, technology or consultation inquiries.

Bikem Soygur Kaya, PhD
Director
BSoygurKaya@buckinstitute.org