Melike Karaca Bulut

PhD Candidate

Email: melike.bulut@ubc.ca
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Project

Diverting Carbon to Flavonoid Biosynthesis

Research Interests

Plant cell walls are primarily composed of polysaccharides and lignin, which provide structural support but often hinder the efficient processing of biomass for biofuels. Because lignin and flavonoids share a common metabolic origin, my research focuses on shifting carbon resources away from lignin and toward these beneficial phenolic compounds. This diversion allows for the accumulation of protective flavonoids that offer significant biological value and enhance plant resilience.

A key objective of my work is to induce the production of a new class of flavonoid-based pigments to improve the industrial and ecological profile of woody plants. However, the synthesis of these compounds in wood tissues is often limited by the restricted availability of malonyl-CoA. To address this bottleneck, I use genetic engineering to introduce genes that boost the supply of these critical precursors. Ultimately, this metabolic strategy aims to create more versatile plants that support both sustainable industrial use and enhanced natural health.

Education

MSc in Forestry | Department of Wood Science, University of British Columbia, Canada (2021)

BSc in Biology | Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey (2016)

Selected Publications and Conference Presentations

Karaca-Bulut, M., Gonzales-Vigil, E., Muchero, W., & Mansfield, S. D. (2025). Elucidating the drought-responsive changes in Poplar cuticular waxes: A GWAS analysis of genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis. Tree Physiology, https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpaf060

The Role of Cuticular Waxes in Drought Response and Tolerance in Populus trichocarpa. 9th Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Symposium, Istanbul, Turkey (2023)

Assessing the cuticular wax composition of black cottonwood. CSPB Western/UVic Forest Biology Symposium, Victoria, Canada (2023)

Assessing the cuticular wax composition of black cottonwood. Botany Symposium, Vancouver, Canada (2023)

Awards, Grants, Scholarships

  • Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Award (2025)
  • Jordan L. Burke Memorial Award in Forestry (2025)
  • Mary and David Macaree Fellowship (2024)
  • George S. Allen Memorial Scholarship (2023)
  • Donald S. McPhee Fellowship (2022)
  • Paul Heller Memorial Fellowship in Forestry (2021)
  • Peter Rennie Memorial Award (2021)
  • Faculty of Forestry Graduate Award (2021)
  • President’s Academic Excellence Initiative PhD Award (2021)
  • Turkish Ministry of Education Graduate Scholarship (2016–2021)
  • METU Alumni Association Scholarship for Honour Students (2010–2015)