3rd MBG Days Congress was held with the participation of the experts in the field
Molecular Biology and Genetics Days Congress held in Nermin Tarhan Conference Hall was completed, which was carried out by Üsküdar University Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences and Health, Culture and Sports Department. While many academicians who are experts in their fields participated in the congress that lasted for two days, the students in the congress showed great interest. The opening speech of the congress was made by Üsküdar University Vice Rector Prof. Muhsin Konuk. Stating that about 40% of the medicines sold in the pharmacy as of the day are obtained from plants, Konuk said that "Your duty is to increase this from 40% to 80%.".
Prof. Muhsin Konuk: “Take your blinders off to the world and the work field you do”
Üsküdar University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Muhsin Konuk, made the opening speech of the congress, which was intensively attended in the Nermin Tarhan conference hall. Konuk gave advice to young people and said that "All our students who joined us to listen to us and their professors, I respectfully greet you all. Welcome. Everyone has a working process. After this process, things will come to you. As we hand over this path to you, the most basic thing I want from you or recommend to you is not to look at the world and the field of work you do through blinders. You should have a very good goal. Gradually determine your workspace. Lock in the same way that the cat locks eye on the bird, and do not give up on it at all. I would like to mention these things to you as a recommendation from an elder brother, a father and a teacher. You have so much work to do... Nature, nature contains so many hidden treasures that we need to find these treasures, extract them and use them in the treatment of diseases. Fortunately, approximately 40% of the medicines sold in the pharmacy are obtained from plants as of today. Your duty is to increase this 40% to 80%. Tell the generations that come after you to do it 100%. Both have no side effects. It is all natural and it is more beautiful with everything. Penicillin, which you get from moldy cheese, and penicillin, which we obtain and use synthetically, are very different from each other in both bone marrow, kidneys and liver as side effects in our body. We need to walk to the natural. If we think about the whole universe, maybe each of us is as much as an atom. As a part of this universe, there are values that we need to add to this universe. I urge you to work on these values, and I ask you as an individual of this country to do so because we owe so much to this land where our flesh and bone are formed. This is the only way we pay these debts. I welcome you all again. I wish it to be a successful congress.".
Prof. Sevim Işık: “Neurological diseases are very difficult diseases that affect public health and affect not only the patient themselves, but also their family members”
Speaking about stem cell and exosome applications in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, faculty member of the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics Prof. Sevim Işık said; "I would like to thank our students, our club and our teachers for their valuable presentations. As we know, neurological diseases are very difficult diseases that affect public health and affect not only the patient themselves, but also their family members. These diseases can actually be divided into many different groups; however, I will continue my topic on 4 basic neurodegenerative diseases in particular; Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's and ALS... The mechanisms of these diseases are only being made by the perception of their cellular data. Why are cellular algae resorted to, what are exosome treatments? To summarize these diseases in general, the basis of these diseases is hereditary factors, genetic mutations that we receive from our family, side mutations and environmental factors combined, and these diseases affect the neurons in different regions of our brain.".
Those who participated as speaker in the first day of the congress which lasted for two days are as follows: Marmara University faculty member Assoc. Prof. Nihal Şehkar Oktay, Kadir Has University Asst. Prof. Nuray Söğünmez Erdoğan, İstanbul Technical University faculty member Prof. Aslı Tolun, İstanbul University faculty member Prof. Emine Şeküre Nazlı Arda, Yeditepe University Asst. Prof. Hüseyin Çimen, İstanbul University Assoc. Prof. Nurcan Orhan and Üsküdar University faculty member Prof. Sevim Işık.
Those who participated as speaker in the last day of the congress which was held with great interest are as follows: Marmara University Asst. Prof. Beste Tacal Aslan, Üsküdar University faculty member Prof. Korkut Ulucan, Acıbadem University faculty member Prof. Ali Osmay Güre, Biruni University faculty member Assoc. Prof. Abdulilah Ece, İstanbul University faculty member Assoc. Prof. Cüneyt Uçarlı, Yeditepe University faculty member Assoc. Prof. Ali Özhan Aytekin and our graduates Tolga Polat and Özlem Özge Yılmaz.
Prof. Korkut Ulucan: "One invention forms another invention's base"
Prof. Korkut Ulucan from Üsküdar University made the presentation titled 'Current Genetic Parameters Guiding Our Lives' and mentioned that genetics is in every aspect of our lives. Prof. Korkut Ulucan stated that "Genetics is in all areas of our life, and we are very lucky because we learn about life. Every time we read it, we realize how much work we actually have to do. In northern Norway, two large oil tankers collide and tons of oil flow into the sea, a massive environmental massacre. Immediately, two geneticists design a bacterium. They are actually designing bacteria that use petroleum as a raw material and they are supplying it to this region. It cleans up the oil in the sea within weeks, before it spreads too far, and when it runs out of oil, it destroys itself because there is no energy source. One invention forms the basis of the next invention.".
Prof. Korkut Ulucan: "As we understand human metabolism, the quality of life increases"
Prof. Korkut Ulucan stated that the quality of life increases as we understand human metabolism and said: "The nutrients of individuals will be special. The content is not at the same rate that everyone can metabolize or the damage that they can create in individuals. How lucky we are that smart drugs can now extend life for 4 – 5 years without reducing the quality of life even if the age progresses. It works like an endocrine organ and causes a lot of activity for us. Thus, please do your exercise at your regular time every day. Exercise is not something to be done by wearing very stylish shoes and sweatpants at latest model salons. Anything can be exercise as long as you are sweating. Jump rope at home, dance at home, this is an exercise because we always say all of them. Every day we pray and meditate. The benefits of these are increasing day by day. Every day, we are actually acquiring a lot of new information to be successful at the desired level, and at the end of these, we always say that exercise is treatment.".
Prof. Ali Osmay Güre: "If you can stop the inflammation, there is a chance you will not get sick"
Acıbadem University faculty member Prof. Ali Osmay Güre, who made his presentation on 'Our Primary Goal Should Be Inflammation', gave information about Inflammation. Prof. Güre stated that "Inflammation is a very old subject, and in medical schools or anywhere they teach: There are 5 main symptoms, pain, warmth, redness, bloating, and loss of function. For example, these things happen when you break your arm, but not only when you break your arm, but also when you have the flu, it happens in your throat. If you have bipolar disorder, this is what happens in your brain. Regardless of which disease this is, most diseases are a group of symptoms that we call classical diseases, which are in the infrastructure of diseases that can happen to all of us. There is no disease that does not have inflammation in its infrastructure, therefore, I suggest that you should study inflammation because there is a chance you will not get sick if you can stop or modify the inflammation. By studying inflammation, it is possible to get a knowledge that can make some changes in your daily life in order not to be treated but not to be sick after you become ill.".
Asst. Prof. Beste Tacal Aslan: "Biotechnology is in a constant development..."
Delivering her presentation titled 'The Effect of Gene Variants on Human Health', Asst. Prof. Beste Tacal Aslan informed on gene variants. Dr. Aslan said: "Day by day, a new technology and a new technological innovation are added to our lives. We need to be familiar with innovations by following the agenda. Biotechnology is in a constant development. Thus, you need to read it quickly. The Human Genome Project is breaking new ground in our lives. During the research period that paves the way for these genetics, not only the human genome but also primitive organisms are studied to complete genetics and understand their mechanisms.".
Dr. Aslan: "Advances in gene therapy also reduce costs in the field of MBG"
Mentioning the developments in gene therapy, Asst. Prof. Beste Tacal Aslan said that "As advances in gene therapy occur, costs in molecular biology and genetics are decreasing. For example, it is now equivalent to 2 million dollars for a person when we say gene therapy. It is not possible for a person to pay for it. However, when we look at it, these are the first stages. By the day, maybe 20 to 30 years from now, why would not be something used as widely as an antibiotic, a vaccine? Yes, $2 million is very expensive, however, hope that it will become a common treatment method day by day.".
Assoc. Prof. Ali Özhan Aytekin; "Our most basic resource is biotechnology and bioengineering"
Assoc. Prof. Ali Özhan Aytekin made his presentation titled 'Bacterial cellulose production and modification of fiber properties' and stated that: “The basis of engineering is to produce a product and present this product. You need to provide what kind of product is needed. Our most basic resource to turn this knowledge into a product is biotechnology and bioengineering. Cellulose is used as a thickener in the food industry. In terms of food consumption, it is a bit costly, therefore, it is a little difficult to say that we should use cellulose in the continuation of this. Of course, academic studies are done, of course they should be done, however, it is also necessary to think about the industry side of this."
"Our main goal was athletic performance"
Üsküdar University graduates Tolga Polat and Özlem Özge Yılmaz made their presentations titled National Sports Genome Project. Tolga Polat said that "When we finally understand genes from the Human Genome Project, some have to do with muscle, some have to do with inflammation, and some have to do with tendons. Our main goal was athletic performance. We are focused on achieving success in athletic performance more quickly by cutting time without losses.". Özlem Özge Yılmaz said; that "What we call athletic performance here has a huge impact on genetic and environmental factors. In fact, we aim here for the individual to reach their maximum goal at the optimal level according to the results of the genetic analysis. 50 percent of them are ours. Our genetics, training and nutrition are among the factors that support this. We provide not only team sports but also individual counselling. We issue special genetic analysis reports to them. In the same way, we also take the disability profile to measure the disability susceptibility."
Assoc. Prof. Nihal Şehkar Oktay, who participated in the congress, made her presentation titled 'Cellular Oxidative Stress'.
Another participant, Asst. Prof. Nuray Söğünmez Erdoğan shared her presentation titled 'Cell Puzzles: Ways to Map the Mammalian Brain with Transcriptomic Approaches' with the participants.
Prof. Aslı Tolun gave information about the presentation titled 'Genetic Research in Humans'.
Prof. Emine Şeküre Nazlı Arda, who is another speaker of the congress, made her presentation titled 'Protein Oxidation and Its Effects on Human Health'.
Asst. Prof. Hüseyin Çimen informed the participants about 'Cancer Metabolism and Mass Spectrometry – Proteomics'.
Another participant, Assoc. Prof. Nurcan Orhan, made her presentation titled 'Traumatic Brain Injury Research'.
The information of the other participants who presented on the second day of the congress is as follows;
Prof. Abdulilah Ece made his presentation on 'From Biology to Chemistry, from Chemistry to Medicine, Computer-Aided Drug Design in Multidisciplinary Studies'.
Assoc. Prof. Cüneyt Uçarlı gave information about 'Current genome editing practices to create stress tolerance in plants'.
Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)