Prof. Dr. Zeynep Ocak graduated from Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine in 2001 and completed her specialization at the same university in 2007. Her specialization thesis focused on “Genetic Studies in Non-Syndromic Hearing Loss.”
Between 2011 and 2014, she served as Deputy Chief Physician at Abant Izzet Baysal University Faculty of Medicine Hospital and Head of the Genetic Disease Diagnosis Center.
From 2013 to 2014, she worked at the Saitama Medical University Genome Medicine Center in Japan on diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for mitochondrial diseases, molecular genetic techniques, and gene therapy.
In 2013, she received the title of Associate Professor in Medical Genetics and Genetic Disorders and served as Director of the Genetic Disease Diagnosis Center at Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent Training and Research Hospital from 2014 to 2017.
Between 2015 and 2016, she worked at Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Center in Immunology, specializing in HLA Tissue Typing, Flow Cytometry, and Transplantation.
From 2017 to 2019, she was a faculty member at Istanbul Yeni Yuzyil University Medical Faculty’s Gazi Osman Pasha Hospital in the Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, while also heading the Genetic Disease Diagnosis Center.
Dr. Ocak has received Young Researcher Awards from the European Society of Human Genetics (ESHG) in 2009 (Vienna, Austria) and 2016 (Kyoto, Japan). She has participated in numerous studies across Japan, Europe, and the United States, contributing significantly to identifying the genetic causes of various diseases.
Her research interests include mitochondrial diseases, molecular genetic diagnostics, gene therapy, clinical genetics, cancer genetics, preimplantation genetic diagnosis, epigenetics, and advanced sequencing techniques.
Specialties
Genetic Diseases Diagnosis and Research
Medical Genetics Specialist
Genetic Treatments
Consultation on Genetic Disorders
Genetic Oncology Disorders
Rare Genetic Diseases
Bioinformatics Pathology
Infertility and IVF
Immunogenetics
Clinical Genetics
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)
Molecular Genetics
Genetic Testing for Rare Conditions
Early Diagnosis and Carrier Testing for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
Whole Exome Sequencing
Advanced Genetic Testing Techniques
Role of Genetic Testing in Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
Sports Genetics
Breast Cancer Genetics
Hereditary Colorectal Cancer
Pharmacogenetics
Cardiovascular Genetics
Genetic Tumor Disorders
Blood Disorders and Genetics
Consanguinity and Genetic Disorders
Pre-marital Genetic Testing
Professional Experience
2020: Physician at Liv Ulus Hospital
2019: Geneticist at Istinye University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Genetics
2017–2019: Assistant Physician, Medical Biology and Genetics, Yeni Yuzyil University Faculty of Medicine
2016–2017: Assistant Physician at the Tissue Typing and Transplantation Laboratory, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Hospital
2014–2016: Assistant Physician at Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent Training and Research Hospital
2013–2014: Researcher, Saitama Medical University Genome Medicine Research Center, Japan
2011–2013: Assistant Physician, Department of Medical Genetics, Abant Izzet Baysal University
2008–2011: Specialist in Medical Genetics at Suleymaniye Training and Research Hospital for Gynecology and Obstetrics
2003–2007: Assistant Physician, Department of Medical Genetics, Atatürk University
Published Research
Dr. Ocak has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles in international journals and contributed to multiple book chapters. Her work spans topics such as:
The role of genetics in mitochondrial diseases.
The relationship between gene mutations and cancer.
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis and epigenetic factors.
The clinical significance of Y chromosome microdeletions.
Genetic predispositions to recurrent pregnancy loss.
Professional Memberships
Turkish Medical Association
Medical Genetics Society
Awards
2009: Young Researcher Award, European Society of Human Genetics Conference, Vienna, Austria
2013: Publication Incentive Program Award, Abant Izzet Baysal University
2016: Young Researcher Award, International Human Genetics Conference, Kyoto, Japan
