Burcu Azak Pazarlar

Post Docs

Contact

Position:: Post Doc

Address:: Dept. Neurology and Neurobiology Research Unit,
Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet,
Building 8057,
Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Email:: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone:: 3545 6704

Curriculum vitae

Curriculum vitae

Scientific interests

My research focuses on mechanisms of synaptic plasticity and neuroinflammation. I have a keen interest about how synaptic wiring is reorganized during epileptogenesis that contributes to the formation of seizure-generating neuronal networks. I am particularly interested in identifying the specific neuronal populations, synapse types, and excitatory and inhibitory circuits involved in these maladaptive changes. A central focus of my work is synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A). In parallel, I investigate fluid biomarkers of synaptic dysfunction and inflammation, with particular emphasis on the detection and characterization of SV2A in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma. By combining human biopsies, animal models of epilepsy, cell culture models, molecular imaging, receptor autoradiography, and fluid-based biomarker analyses, I aim to map the synaptic alterations that drive epileptogenesis and develop clinically relevant tools for disease monitoring and therapeutic evaluation.

Biography

2024-	Post Doc at the Neurobiology Research Unit & Institute of Neuroscience UCPH Copenhagen, Denmark
2023 - 2024	Post Doc at the Neurobiology Research Unit (Part time), Copenhagen, Denmark
2020-2021	Visiting PhD at the Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen, Denmark
2014-2023	Research Assistant at Physiology Department, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir Turkey
2014-2022	MSc and PhD at Human Physiology, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir, Turkey
2012-2014	MSc in Neuroscience, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
2008-2012	BSc in Molecular Biology and Genetics, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey

Publications

Ghafir El Idrissi I, Spinaci A, Vitone D, Intranuovo F, Niso M, Brunetti L, Francucci B, Pazarlar BA, Magnusdottir KH, Paradies E, Marobbio CMT, Ricci L, Grignolo M, Iacobazzi RM, Marucci G, Dal Ben D, Lambertucci C, Volpini R, Denora N, Adinolfi E, Mikkelsen JD, Buccioni M, Lacivita E, Leopoldo M. A Holistic Approach to Identifying a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Tracer Candidate for In Vivo Imaging of Purinergic P2X7 Receptor in Neuroinflammation. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci. 2026 Mar 29;9(4):997-1009. doi: 10.1021/acsptsci.5c00820. PMID: 41988374; PMCID: PMC13077496.
Al-Awssi A, Pazarlar BA, Pinborg LH, Mikkelsen JD. Positive correlation between cognition and inflammation in the cerebral cortex of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav. 2025 Dec;173:110752. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2025.110752. Epub 2025 Oct 9. PMID: 41072061.
Aripaka SS*, Pazarlar BA*, Pinborg LH, Larsen KB, Gastambide F, Bang-Andersen B, Bastlund JF, Mikkelsen JD. [³H]T-401 binding to monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) in the brains of patients and mice with temporal lobe epilepsy. Neuroscience. 2025 Oct 1;584:240-249. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2025.08.016. Epub 2025 Aug 16. PMID: 40825515.
Pazarlar BA, Egilmez CB, Oyar EÖ, Mikkelsen JD. Increased Expression of Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) in the Brain of Chronic Diabetic Rats (2025). Synapse. May;79(3):e70018. doi: 10.1002/syn.70018. PMID: 40317510; PMCID: PMC12048859.

Mikkelsen JD, Linde-Atkins P, Pazarlar BA. Higher level of [³H]UCB-J binding in ApoE Ɛ4 allele carriers with Alzheimer disease (2025). Neurosci Lett. 2025 Feb 16;849:138135. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138135. Epub 2025 Feb 1. PMID: 39900278.

Carney BN, Illiano P, Pohl TM, Desu HL, Mudalegundi S, Asencor AI, Jwala S, Ascona MC, Singh PK, Titus DJ, Pazarlar BA, Wang L, Bianchi L, Mikkelsen JD, Atkins CM, Lambertsen KL, Brambilla R. (2025) .Astroglial TNFR2 signaling regulates hippocampal synaptic function and plasticity in a sex dependent manner. 2025 Mar 13:2025.03.13.643110. doi: 10.1101/2025.03.13.643110. PMID: 40161622; PMCID: PMC11952524. Brain Behavior and Immunity.

Egilmez CB, Pazarlar BA, Erdogan MA, Uyanikgil Y, Erbas O. Choline chloride shows gender-dependent positive effects on social deficits, learning/memory impairments, neuronal loss and neuroinflammation in the lipopolysaccharide-induced rat model of autism (2024). Int J Dev Neurosci. 2024 Aug;84(5):392-405. doi: 10.1002/jdn.10335. Epub 2024 May 9. PMID: 38721665.

Mikkelsen JD, Aripaka SS, Egilmez CB, Pazarlar BA. Binding of the monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) radiotracer [³H]T-401 in the rat brain after status epilepticus. (2024). Neurochem Int. 2024 May;175:105717. doi: 10.1016/j.neuint.2024.105717. Epub 2024 Mar 5. PMID: 38447759.

Bilister Egilmez, C., Azak Pazarlar, B., Erdogan, M. A., & Erbas, O. (2024). Neuroprotective effect of dexpanthenol on rotenone-induced Parkinson's disease model in rats. Neuroscience letters, 818, 137575. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137575

Pazarlar, B.A., Egilmez, C.B., Erdogan, M.A. et al. Immunosuppressant Tacrolimus Treatment Delays Acute Seizure Occurrence, Reduces Elevated Oxidative Stress, and Reverses PGF2α Burst in the Brain of PTZ-Treated Rats. Neurochem Res (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-023-03885-0.

Bilister Egilmez, C., Azak Pazarlar, B., Erdogan, M. A., & Erbas, O. (2023). N-acetyl cysteine: A new look at its effect on PTZ-induced convulsions. Epilepsy research, 193, 107144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2023.107144.

Mikkelsen, J. D., Aripaka, S. S., Kaad, S., Pazarlar, B. A., Pinborg, L., Finsen, B., Varrone, A., Bang-Andersen, B., & Bastlund, J. F. (2023). Characterization of the Novel P2X7 Receptor Radioligand [³H]JNJ-64413739 in Human Brain Tissue. ACS chemical neuroscience, 14(1), 111–118. https://doi.org/10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00561.

Bilister Egilmez C., Koyu A., Pazarlar B.A., Keselik, E., Oz Oyar E., Kurus M. Effects of intracerebroventricular and intravenous administration of Kisspeptin-54 and Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist in rats with ovarian hyperstimulation. Neuropeptides (2022).https://doi.org/10.1016/j.npep.2022.102298.

Oz Oyar E, Aciksari A, Azak Pazarlar B, Egilmez CB, Duruksu G, Rencber SF, Yardimoglu Yilmaz M, Ozturk A, Yazir Y. The therapeutical effects of damage-specific stress induced exosomes on the cisplatin nephrotoxicity IN VIVO. Mol Cell Probes. 2022 Sep 24;66:101861. doi: 10.1016/j.mcp.2022.101861. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36162595.

Mikkelsen JD, Aripaka SS, Bascuñana P, Bankstahl M, Bankstahl JP, Pazarlar BA. Spatio-Temporal Alterations in Synaptic Density During Epileptogenesis in the Rat Brain. Neuroscience. 2022 Sep 1;499:142-151. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.07.020. Epub 2022 Jul 22. PMID: 35878719.

Pazarlar BA, Aripaka SS, Petukhov V, Pinborg L, Khodosevich K, Mikkelsen JD. Expression profile of synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A, B, and C paralogues in temporal neocortex tissue from patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Mol Brain. 2022 May 16;15(1):45. doi: 10.1186/s13041-022-00931-w. PMID: 35578248; PMCID: PMC9109314.

Pazarlar BA, Madsen CA, Oyar EÖ, Eğilmez CB, Mikkelsen JD. Temporal and spatial changes in synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) under kainic acid-induced epileptogenesis: An autoradiographic study. Epilepsy Res. 2022 Jul;183:106926. doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2022.106926. Epub 2022 Apr 21. PMID: 35526328.

(*- contributed equally)

Awards

2020-2021 International Research Fellowship Programme (2214A) for PhD students from The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkiye (TUBITAK)