Germany chose Ezgi

Ezgi Kaya, who graduated from Izmir University of Economics (IUE) Department of Genetics and Bioengineering this year, was accepted to the world-famous Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany. Kaya, who successfully passed the oral interview and written exam attended by thousands of students, will do her master's degree in ‘molecular and cellular biology’ in Germany, where she will stay for two years. Stating that by examining the structure of the cell, she aims to contribute to the studies on the diagnosis and treatment of genetically based diseases such as hemophilia, Down syndrome and cancer, Kaya said, “I have been interested in genetics since childhood and wanted to improve myself in this field. I am excited to further my university education in Germany and to do studies abroad.”

Ezgi Kaya, who completed her education with a 50% scholarship at Izmir University of Economics, Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, will go to Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in October. Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), where Kaya, who is originally from Izmir and completed high school at Izmir Atatürk High School, is ranked as the 33rd best university in the world according to the Times Higher Education Ranking. Every year, thousands of international students dream of studying at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, one of the oldest educational institutions in the region, founded exactly 551 years ago.

I DECIDED IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

Stating that she is very excited to go to Germany, IUE graduate Ezgi Kaya said, “My interest in genetics comes from childhood. Even when I was playing with my dolls in primary school, I always thought, ‘Why do children get sick, are they born sick?’ Genetics has always been a field that caught my attention and aroused my curiosity. My decision to study genetics goes back to elementary school. It is an indescribable happiness for me to successfully graduate from my university in a field that I am so passionate about, and to have the opportunity to do a master's degree in Germany. During the application process to LMU Munich, I first submitted my grade point average, letter of intent and many requested documents. These were examined thoroughly and I was able to pass the first stage. Then I took the written exam online. It was a difficult and detailed exam. After passing the written exam, I took an oral interview. I successfully completed the process that took about 3 months. I would like to thank all my professors who supported me and contributed greatly to this success.”

DETERMINANT IN DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Expressing that she will focus on the structure of the cell in her studies in Germany, Kaya continued as follows: “Diseases also have an alphabet. Cells form the beginning of this alphabet. Scientists know a lot about cells. However, there is a lot we don't know. In summary, discovering the cell and getting to know it in the best way is of great importance in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. It is quite a large area and there is a long way to go. With these thoughts in mind, I will concentrate on cells and act with the aim of conducting studies that make a difference in this field. My primary goal is to make the most of my two years in Germany. Then I want to do a PhD in developmental biology in the United States (USA).”

CONTINUOUS GLOBAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Congratulating Kaya on her success, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zeynep Fırtına Karagonlar, Head of IUE Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, said, “As a department, we are happy with the success of our graduates. In 2020, we sent Aydolun Petenkaya, one of our graduates, to the world-famous University of Illinois in Chicago, USA. And in 2021, Arda Kıpçak, another graduate, was accepted to the University of Virginia in the USA in with a full scholarship. Last year, 9 of our students achieved great success by being accepted from 6 different universities in Germany for master's degree. Ezgi also added a new one to the existing success stories. As the department, we are justifiably proud and happy. I believe that Ezgi will represent our country and our university in Germany in the best way possible. As a university, we will always continue to support Ezgi.”