Fatih Gulec

Researcher

University of Essex

Department of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering

About

I am a YUFE Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Essex in the Department of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering. My academic path has been interdisciplinary, spanning electrical engineering, molecular communication, and computational biology. I earned my BSc and MSc degrees in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Gazi University, Turkey, followed by a PhD in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the Izmir Institute of Technology.Throughout my career, I’ve gained experience in both the public and private sectors, in addition to holding research positions at institutions such as the Technical University of Berlin in Germany and York University in Canada. My work has been recognized through awards like the DAAD Postdoctoral Fellowship, the YUFE Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship, and the IEEE Turkey Doctoral Thesis Award.My research explores molecular communication—both within the human body and in the air—alongside computational biology models for tackling biofilm-related infections and plant bioacoustics/electrophysiology to monitor stress and communication in plants. By integrating concepts from communication engineering, biology, chemistry, and computer science, I aim to address real-world challenges with practical solutions.In addition to research, I am dedicated to education and outreach. I’ve taught various courses and labs at the Izmir Institute of Technology, covering communication systems, programming, and electronics. I also shared knowledge through educational videos on my YouTube channel, where I explained MATLAB programming and laboratory techniques for undergraduate students.Beyond academia, I’m passionate about making science more accessible. I volunteered with Epistem Türkiye, where I mentored students from underserved communities and contributed to outreach efforts as a writer and social media coordinator. I also write popular science essays for the Green Gazette and regularly share my thoughts on science, literature, and philosophy on my personal blog.

Awards

YUFE Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (2024-2027)

I was awarded a Young Universities for the Future of Europe (YUFE) Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship, which is co-funded by Horizon Europe’s Marie Sklodowska-Curie program, for my project "Healing Cities through Listening to Plants for Urban Agriculture (HERBAN)." This fellowship is hosted by the University of Essex, with Maastricht University as a co-host.

Doctoral Thesis Award from IEEE Turkey Section (2022)

I received the Doctoral Thesis Award from the Turkey Section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for my PhD thesis titled "Modeling and Analysis of Molecular Signals in Molecular Communication."

DAAD Short-Term Postdoctoral Scholarship (2021-2022)

I was awarded a postdoctoral scholarship by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to support my project "End-to-End System Modeling for Interhuman Airborne Pathogen Transmission Using Molecular Communication" at the Technical University of Berlin.

Research

My research spans a diverse range of interdisciplinary fields, all centered around understanding and leveraging natural communication systems. From the molecular dialogues between cells and bacteria to the acoustic and electrical signals used by plants, my work seeks to uncover the hidden languages of life. Central to these explorations is mathematical modeling, which I employ to decode and simulate these complex communication networks. By integrating concepts from communication engineering, biology, chemistry, and computer science, I develop innovative models and technologies with wide-ranging applications—from healthcare to smart agriculture.

Molecular Communication

What if we could harness the communication methods of biological cells to transmit information in innovative ways? This is the essence of Molecular Communication (MC), an interdisciplinary field that integrates communication engineering, biology, physics, and chemistry. My research explores both microscale and macroscale MC, where the aim is to develop systems that can transmit molecular signals over distances—either within the human body or through the air, much like how cells communicate.At the microscale, I've developed models for designing efficient nanomachine receivers that can accurately detect and reconstruct molecular signals. For macroscale MC, I have pioneered experimental systems using alcohol molecules as carriers to demonstrate how information can be transmitted through air, a novel concept that could revolutionize communication in environments where electromagnetic waves fail. My work also includes novel approaches to estimating distances and locating molecular sources using machine learning and fluid dynamics.The potential applications of my research are vast, ranging from targeted drug delivery systems within the human body to innovative communication networks that operate in environments where traditional technologies are ineffective.My collaborators are Baris Atakan (Izmir Institute of Technology), Damla Yagmur Koda (Bakircay University), and Andrew Eckford (York University),Selected Publications:
[1] F. Gulec, D. Y. Koda, B. Atakan, and A. W. Eckford, "Localization of a Passive Source with a Sensor Network based Experimental Molecular Communication Platform," IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological and Multi-Scale Communications, 2024. Journal, Open Access[2] F. Gulec and B. Atakan, "A Droplet-based Signal Reconstruction Approach to Channel Modeling in Molecular Communication," IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological and Multi-Scale Communications, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 64-68, 2021. Journal, Open Access[3] F. Gulec and B. Atakan, "Fluid dynamics-based distance estimation algorithm for macroscale molecular communication," Nano Communication Networks, vol. 28, pp. 100351, 2021. Journal, Open Access[4] F. Gulec and B. Atakan, "Distance estimation methods for a practical macroscale molecular communication system," Nano Communication Networks, vol. 24, pp. 100300, 2020. Journal, Open Access[5] B. Atakan and F. Gulec, "Signal reconstruction in diffusion-based molecular communication," Transactions on Emerging Telecommunications Technologies, vol. 30, no. 12, pp. e3699, 2019. Journal, Open Access

Infectious Disease Spread Modeling

How can communication networks and molecular communication techniques shed light on the spread of infectious diseases? My research delves into this intersection, inspired by the need for accurate models to understand pandemics like COVID-19.To address this, I developed innovative approaches using communication models to simulate how pathogen-laden droplets from coughs and sneezes contribute to disease transmission. I proposed analytical and numerical end-to-end system models that consider pathogen-laden cough/sneeze droplets as the input and the infection state of the human as the output. Additionally, I introduced a communication engineering approach that integrates different disciplines such as epidemiology, biology, and fluid dynamics to model airborne transmission among humans.This part of my research is crucial for enhancing public health strategies. By improving our understanding of airborne pathogen spread, these models can inform effective prevention and control measures during outbreaks.My collaborators are Baris Atakan (Izmir Institute of Technology) and Falko Dressler (Technical University of Berlin)Selected Publications:[1] F. Gulec, F. Dressler, and A. W. Eckford, "A computational approach for the characterization of airborne pathogen transmission in turbulent molecular communication channels," IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological, and Multi-Scale Communications, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 124-134, 2023. Journal, Open Access[2] F. Gulec, B. Atakan, and F. Dressler, "Mobile human ad hoc networks: A communication engineering viewpoint on interhuman airborne pathogen transmission," Nano Communication Networks, vol. 32, p. 100410, 2022. Journal, Open Access[3] F. Gulec and B. Atakan, "A molecular communication perspective on airborne pathogen transmission and reception via droplets generated by coughing and sneezing," IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological and Multi-Scale Communications, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 175-184, 2021. Journal, Open Access

Computational Biology

How can we harness the intricacies of bacterial communication to tackle the challenges of biofilm-related infections and antibiotic resistance? My research in computational biology explores this question through stochastic modeling of biofilm dynamics and disruption. By developing models that simulate biofilm formation and the effects of quorum sensing (QS) mechanisms, I address how bacteria communicate and form complex structures that contribute to disease. My work introduces a stochastic model of biofilm formation, incorporating bacterial quorum sensing as a dynamic factor influencing biofilm development and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production. In a related study, I explore the use of QS mimickers to disrupt biofilms, offering a model that simulates biofilm disruption through targeted QS intervention. These models provide realistic insights into bacterial behavior and offer innovative strategies for combating biofilm-related problems in medical and environmental contexts.I have an ongoing study to model the population growth of biological organisms by using gambling strategies.My collaborators are Andrew Eckford (York University), Nigel Wallbridge (Vivent Biosignals), and Takhmina Iliiasova (York University).Selected Publications:
[1] F. Gulec and A. W. Eckford, "A Stochastic Biofilm Disruption Model based on Quorum Sensing Mimickers," IEEE Transactions on Molecular, Biological and Multi-Scale Communications, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 346-350, 2023. Journal, Open Access[2] F. Gulec and A. W. Eckford, "Stochastic modeling of biofilm formation with bacterial quorum sensing," in ICC 2023 - IEEE International Conference on Communications, 2023, pp. 4470-4475. Conference, Open Access

Plant Bioacoustics, Plant Electrophysiology, and Phytobiome Communication

Can we ‘listen’ to plants as they respond to their environment, signaling stress or communicating with each other? In my new research field of plant bioacoustics and electrophysiology, I aim to develop real-time, cost-effective techniques to monitor plant stress by capturing airborne sound signals emitted by plants. Furthermore, the potential of inter-plant communication, paving the way for smarter, more sustainable urban agriculture with optimized water use, reduced pesticides, and improved crop yields will be explored.In a recent study, I explore the phytobiome—an intricate network of organisms and environmental factors surrounding plants—through the lens of molecular communication. By modeling these interactions, we can uncover new insights into plant behavior and enhance sustainable agricultural practices.My collaborators are Vahid Abolghasemi (University of Essex), Tracy Lawson (University of Essex), Hamdan Awan (Munster Technological University, Andrew Eckford (York University), Nigel Wallbridge (Vivent Biosignals),Selected Publications:[1] F. Gulec, H. Awan, N. Wallbridge, and A.W. Eckford, “Phytobiome: A molecular communication network within and around the plant”, 8th Workshop on Molecular Communications, 2024. Conference

teaching

Izmir Institute of Technology

YouTube

I published four videos to explain the Matlab programming language and two videos on how to use the experimental kits for the Logic Design laboratory on my YouTube channel for undergraduate students.

Outreach and Service

Reviewerships

Conference Roles

Memberships

Community Engagement

Private schools can offer better opportunities, but state schools are constrained by limited government budgets for education. In order to address this issue and promote science, especially among young people, my experience (2020-2022) as a volunteer at Epistem Türkiye, which was a volunteer organization in Turkey to engage Turkish students with low socioeconomic status in science. This gave me the opportunity to work as a social media coordinator of the organization and to be the writer/editor of popular science articles for the organization’s website. In order to promote Epistem Türkiye to a wider audience, I gave two talks about this organization on two different YouTube channels (Video1, Video2). In addition, I was a supervisor in a basic scientific project (BDY) as a volunteer at Epistem Türkiye. In this project, I and other two supervisors guided a group of high school students with weekly online meetings to design an experimental setup to observe the hunting behavior of a spider with a camera, to process recorded images by using programming tools, and to report their findings.In addition, I supervised a team of undergraduate students (Team Harpia) for the Teknofest Unmanned Air Vehicle competition (2019-2020) when I was a research/teaching assistant at Izmir Institute of Technology.These experiences were invaluable for mentoring and teaching in an interdisciplinary team coming from different social classes, different cultural backgrounds, and gender identities.

Societal Outreach

I wrote popular science essays for the Green Gazette in Turkey as a guest columnist to extend the reach and impact of science to a broader society.
I also write regularly on my personal blog about a range of topics, including science, art, literature, and philosophy. You can find links to these essays in the Essays section.

Essays

News