Sude Tanık — HTGAA Spring 2026

Hello, I’m Sude. I have a background in anthropology and I am currently working on my MSc at Akdeniz University as a plant physiologist and biotechnologist.

I have a deep soft spot and fascination for plants, not only because they feed us, clean our air, and quietly hold ecosystems together, but also because they are genuinely beautiful and make our world a better place to live in. What fascinates me most is their persistence: plants keep doing all of this even when we actively pollute the environments they live in. Instead of opting out, they adapt, tolerate, resist, and sometimes even help undo the damage. This is where my interest in phytoremediation comes in. I work with plants that are already doing the heavy lifting and try to support them, experimenting with enhancement strategies such as microbial partners, and chemical chelators, essentially helping them do what they are already doing, just a little more efficiently and with less stress.

During HTGAA, I want to explore how synthetic biotechnology can be creatively integrated into phytoremediation to push beyond its current limitations. Alongside this, I want to think through and develop side projects that combine the methods I already use and those I am learning with biodesign, allowing me to blend my field with other disciplines and explore more playful and interdisciplinary ways of working with biology.

Contact info

sudetanik@gmail.com

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