Prof. Muhsin Konuk from Üsküdar University announced that, through a study conducted with his PhD student Research Assistant İrem Gülfem Albayrak, they have discovered a new mechanism that plays a key role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Prof. Konuk stated, “Our next goal is to find a molecule, which is preferably plant-based, that can regulate this mechanism. If we succeed, that person will not develop Alzheimer’s.”
A promising breakthrough has come from Turkish scientists in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, which affects millions of people and still has no definitive cure. Üsküdar University Advisor to the Rector and Head of the Molecular Biology Master’s Program, Prof. Muhsin Konuk, announced that during a PhD study, they discovered a crucial cellular pathway that triggers the disease, and that they were able to halt this process.
How was the production of “toxic proteins” in the cell stopped?
Prof. Muhsin Konuk shared the details of the study carried out with his PhD student, Research Assistant İrem Gülfem Albayrak. He explained the process as follows:v“We were examining the formation of amyloid plaques that cause Alzheimer’s. There are proteins in the cell membrane that function as ion channels. The ions passing through these channels change the acidity (pH) balance inside the cell. When this acidity changes, the production of toxic proteins that cause Alzheimer’s is triggered. In our study, we succeeded in altering the gene expression of the protein that initiates this process, and we demonstrated how the harmful process could be prevented. This means we have discovered a new pathway in cellular metabolism.”
The next goal: developing a treatment
Following this major discovery, Prof. Konuk stated that the next step is to develop a treatment that can naturally regulate this mechanism. “Our next step is to find a drug molecule, which is preferably derived from plants or other organisms, that will ensure this protein functions healthily. If we can achieve this, we aim to prevent Alzheimer’s before it even begins. In other words, that person will not develop Alzheimer’s,” he said.
Advice for young scientists…
Emphasizing the great patience and dedication behind this achievement, Prof. Muhsin Konuk also offered important advice to young scientists.
He noted that the most important quality of a scientist is patience and the willingness to try repeatedly without giving up: “There should be no expectation of financial gain behind this work. The satisfaction that science gives to a person cannot be measured by anything else. You must pursue it with perseverance and lock onto the subject like a cat that locks onto its prey and never gives up. Those who receive fundamental training in molecular biology and genetics, and who have laboratory experience, will be very successful in this field. Believe me, this field will be one of the top 7–8 most promising areas in the years ahead,” he said.
Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)