Hacettepe Herpetology Lab
Our laboratory brings together passionate researchers and graduate students dedicated to uncovering the evolutionary, ecological, and physiological dynamics of amphibians and reptiles. Combining intensive fieldwork across the Anatolia-Caucasus regions with modern molecular and spatial technologies, we work collaboratively to understand and preserve biodiversity. Meet the minds driving our current research projects below! We are always looking for motivated students to join our lab. Contact me for research opportunities!
Çağatay Bayram
Çağatay’s research focuses on urban ecology, spatial dynamics, and conservation biology. He is currently conducting his Master’s thesis on the ecological and thermal biology of the Spur-thighed Tortoise (Testudo graeca) within the semi-urban landscape of the Beytepe Campus. His fieldwork integrates advanced GPS telemetry and thermal data loggers to evaluate how varying levels of anthropogenic pressure impact tortoise home ranges and behavioral adaptations.
Turan Meriç Çelebi
Meriç is an MSc student and a member of the Herpetology Laboratory at Hacettepe University, with research interests in reptile behavioral ecology, antipredator strategies, and habitat use. During undergraduate studies, Meriç conducted a TÜBİTAK 2209-funded research project investigating the effects of rodent burrow availability and spatial distribution on escape behavior in Ophisops elegans populations in the Phrygian Valley, Türkiye. Building on this experience, Meriç is currently exploring different aspects of reptile behavior through preliminary observations and experimental trials, with a particular interest in understanding how environmental conditions and individual variation shape behavioral responses. These ongoing investigations are helping to establish a foundation for future MSc thesis research.
Beyza Nur Uçar