Ebru Demir, PhD

Dr. Ebru Demir is a molecular biologist turned neuroscientist with a passion for integrating diverse scientific concepts and engaging in collaborative research. Her primary focus lies in investigating the “social brain” and its behaviors across multiple scales—from single genes and neural circuits to network-level interactions and algorithmic models. 

In her most recent work, Dr. Demir has developed a novel behavioral framework designed to capture, in real time, the trade-offs mice make when deciding whether to linger with a rewarding social cue or sprint toward a vital resource like water. This approach sheds light on the neural algorithms that enable social animals to flexibly budget their most limited resource: time. By combining cellular imaging, optogenetics, computational modeling, and quantitative behavioral analysis, Dr. Demir causally maps circuit motifs to real-time temporal decisions and uncovers how their disruption can lead to conditions such as addiction, depression, and ADHD—ultimately paving the way for targeted, circuit-based therapies.