Dr. Ufuk Degirmenci has a rich background in spatial genomics, genomics research, and biotechnology. He began his academic journey with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and Genetics from Bilkent University, Turkey. He then pursued a Ph.D. in Non-coding RNA Biology from the National University of Singapore, where he studied the roles of long non-coding RNAs in insulin signaling pathways.  After completing his Ph.D., Dr. Degirmenci joined the National Cancer Centre Singapore as a Research Fellow, where he contributed to several prominent publications adding valuable insights to the field of cancer genomics.

In 2022, Dr. Degirmenci joined Lifestrands Genomics in Singapore, where he led the Spatial Genomics Department. Over three years, he managed more than 50 projects using technologies like the GeoMx DSP and CosMx SMI platforms while optimizing service processes and increasing productivity while expanding the company’s market presence internationally. In 2024, Dr. Degirmenci became the Head of the Spatial Genomics Department at Next Level Genomics, managing the company’s Spatial-omics service as well as managing the spatial-omics focused joint-lab and research collaboration (SpACE-Dx) with the Genome Institute of Singapore.   In this role, he continues to advance genomics research and support innovation, making meaningful contributions to the scientific community.