The 3rd Molecular Biology and Genetics Days Congress, organized under the leadership of Üsküdar University's Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences and the Department of Health, Culture and Sports, at the Nermin Tarhan Conference Hall, has been completed. Many expert academics in their fields participated in the two-day congress, and student interest in the congress was intense. The opening speech of the congress was delivered by Üsküdar University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Muhsin Konuk. Stating that approximately 40% of the drugs sold in pharmacies today are derived from plants, Konuk said, "Your task is to increase this 40% to 80%."
Prof. Dr. Muhsin Konuk; "Don't Look at the World and Your Field of Study with Blindfolds"
Üsküdar University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Muhsin Konuk, who delivered the opening speech of the congress with intense participation at the Nermin Tarhan conference hall and offered advice to young people, said: "All our students who have joined us to listen to us and their professors, I greet you all with respect and love. Welcome. Everyone has a working process. After this process, the work will come to you. As we hand over this path to you, the most fundamental thing I ask or advise you is not to look at the world and your field of study with blindfolds. You must have very good goals. Gradually define your field of work. Lock onto it like a cat locks onto a bird, and never give up. I want to state these as advice from an elder brother, a father, and a mentor. There is so much work for you to do… Nature, the environment, harbors so many hidden treasures, and we need to find, extract, and use these treasures in the treatment of diseases. Thankfully, approximately 40% of the drugs sold in pharmacies today are obtained from plants. Your task is to increase this 40% to 80%. And you, tell the generations after you to make it 100%. It has no side effects. It is completely natural, more beautiful in every way. The side effects in our body of penicillin obtained from moldy cheese and the synthetically obtained and used penicillin are very different in terms of bone marrow, kidneys, and liver. We absolutely need to move towards natural options. If we consider the entire universe, perhaps each of us is like an atom. As a part of this universe, there are values we need to add to it. I recommend you work on these values, and as a citizen of this country, I ask this of you. Because we owe so much to these lands where our flesh and bones were formed. We can only repay these debts in this way. I welcome you all again. I wish you a successful congress."
Prof. Dr. Sevim Işık; "Neurological Diseases Are Very Difficult Diseases Affecting Not Only the Patient but Also Family Members"
Prof. Dr. Sevim Işık, a faculty member of the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, speaking about stem cell and exosome applications in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, said: "I would like to thank our students, our club, our professors for their valuable presentations. As we know, neurological diseases are very difficult diseases that significantly affect public health, impacting not only the patient but also family members. We can actually divide these diseases into many different groups, but I will specifically continue with four fundamental neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's, and ALS… The mechanisms of these diseases, only their cellular data perception is being done. Why are cellular algae used, what are exosome therapies? Generally, to summarize these diseases, at their core are hereditary factors, genetic mutations inherited from our family, side mutations, and environmental factors combining to affect neurons in different regions of our brain."
On the first day of the two-day congress, Marmara University faculty member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nihal Şehkar Oktay, Kadir Has University Dr. Lecturer Nuray Söğünmez Erdoğan, Istanbul Technical University faculty member Prof. Dr. Aslı Tolun, Istanbul University faculty member Prof. Dr. Emine Şeküre Nazlı Arda, Yeditepe University Dr. Lecturer Hüseyin Çimen, and Istanbul University Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nurcan Orhan, along with Üsküdar University faculty member Prof. Dr. Sevim Işık, participated as speakers.
On the last day of the Congress, which saw intense participation, Marmara University Dr. Lecturer Beste Tacal Aslan, Üsküdar University faculty member Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan, Acıbadem University faculty member Prof. Dr. Ali Osmay Güre, Biruni University faculty member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdulilah Ece, Istanbul University faculty member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cüneyt Uçarlı, Yeditepe University faculty member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali Özhan Aytekin, and our graduates Tolga Polat and Özlem Özge Yılmaz, participated as speakers.
Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan; "One Invention Forms the Basis for the Next"
Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan from Üsküdar University, who presented on 'Current Genetic Parameters Shaping Our Lives,' discussed how genetics is present in every aspect of our lives. Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan said: "Genetics is in every area of our lives; we are very fortunate because we are learning about life. Every time we read, we realize how much work we have to do. Two large oil tankers collide in northern Norway, spilling tons of oil into the sea, a major environmental catastrophe. Immediately, two genetic experts design a bacterium. They actually design a bacterium that uses oil as a raw material and release it into the area. Within weeks, it cleans up the oil in the sea before it spreads too much, and when the oil runs out, it self-destructs because there is no energy source. One invention forms the basis for the next."
Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan; "Life Quality Increases as Human Metabolism is Understood"
Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan, stating that life quality increases as human metabolism is understood, said, "Individuals' nutrition will be special. The content that everyone can metabolize or the damage these can cause in individuals is not at the same rate. Now, smart drugs can extend life by 4-5 years without significantly reducing quality of life, even as we age; how lucky we are. It works like an endocrine organ and causes many activities in us, so please do your exercise at your regular time every day. Exercise is not about state-of-the-art gyms, elegant shoes, or tracksuits, but any activity where you can sweat profusely. Jump rope at home, dance at home, this is also exercise because we say it all: the benefits of daily prayer and meditation are increasing every day, and every day we are actually gaining a lot of new information to be successful at the desired level, and in the end, what we always say is that exercise is therapy."
Prof. Dr. Ali Osmay Güre; "If You Can Stop Inflammation, You Have a Chance Not to Get Sick"
Prof. Dr. Ali Osmay Güre, a faculty member at Acıbadem University, who presented on 'Our Primary Goal Should Be Inflammation,' provided information about inflammation. Prof. Dr. Güre said: "Inflammation is a very old topic and is taught in medical faculties or anywhere else as follows: it has 5 main symptoms, which are pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function. For example, these occur when you break your arm, but not only when you break your arm, it also happens in your throat when you have the flu. If you have bipolar disorder, it happens in your brain as well. Regardless of the disease, most diseases, which we call classic diseases, those that can happen to all of us or are likely to happen, have a group of symptoms underlying them. There is no disease without inflammation as its underlying cause, which is why I recommend studying inflammation; if you can stop or modify inflammation, then you have a chance not to get sick. By studying inflammation, it is possible to gain knowledge that might allow you to make some changes in your daily life to avoid getting sick, rather than being treated after becoming sick."
Dr. Lecturer Beste Tacal Aslan; "Biotechnology is in a Constant State of Development..."
Dr. Lecturer Beste Tacal Aslan, who presented on 'The Effect of Gene Variants on Human Health,' provided information about gene variants. Dr. Aslan said: "Every day, a new technology, a new technological innovation is added to our lives. We need to stay abreast of developments by following the agenda. Biotechnology is in a constant state of development, so you need to read and follow quickly. The Human Genome Project is entering our lives by breaking new ground. During this research period that paved the way for genetics, not only the human genome but also primitive organisms are being studied to complete genetics and understand its mechanisms."
Dr. Aslan: "Developments in Gene Therapy Also Reduce Costs in the MBG Field"
Dr. Lecturer Beste Tacal Aslan, discussing developments in gene therapy, said: "As developments occur in gene therapy, costs in the field of molecular biology and genetics are also decreasing. For example, when we talk about gene therapy, it currently costs around 2 million dollars for one person. It is not possible for an individual to pay this. But when we look at it, these are the initial stages. Perhaps in 20-30 years, why shouldn't it be as widely used as an antibiotic or a vaccine? Yes, 2 million dollars is very expensive, but I hope that it will become a common treatment method over time."
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali Özhan Aytekin; "Our Most Fundamental Resource is Biotechnology and Bioengineering"
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali Özhan Aytekin, who presented on 'Bacterial cellulose production and modification of fiber properties,' said: "At the core of engineering is producing a product and presenting it. You need to identify what kind of product is needed. Our most fundamental resource for transforming this knowledge into a product is biotechnology and bioengineering. Cellulose is used as a thickener in the food industry. From a food consumption perspective, it is a bit costly, so it is somewhat difficult to advocate for continued use of cellulose. Academic studies are, of course, being conducted and should be, but one must also consider the industrial side of this."
"Our Main Goal Was Athletic Performance"
Tolga Polat and Özlem Özge Yılmaz, graduates of Üsküdar University, gave their presentation titled 'National Sports Genome Project'. Tolga Polat said: "When we understood the genes at the end of the Human Genome Project, some were related to muscles, some to inflammation, some to tendons. Our main goal was athletic performance. We focused on achieving success in athletic performance faster and without loss by shortening time."
Özlem Özge Yılmaz added: "Here, in what we call athletic performance, genetic and environmental factors have a huge impact. We actually aim for the individual to reach their maximum goal at an optimal level based on the results of their genetic analysis. 50% of these are ours. Our genetics, training, and nutrition are among the factors that support this. We provide not only team sports but also individual consulting. We prepare special genetic analysis reports for them. Similarly, we also create injury profiles to measure injury susceptibility."
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nihal Şehkar Oktay, who participated in the organized congress, delivered her presentation titled 'Cellular Oxidative Stress'.
Another participant, Dr. Lecturer Nuray Söğünmez Erdoğan, shared her presentation titled 'Cell Puzzles: Mammalian Brain Mapping Pathways with Transcriptomic Approaches' with the participants.
Prof. Dr. Aslı Tolun, on the other hand, provided information about her presentation topic 'Genetic Research in Humans'.
Another speaker at the congress, Prof. Dr. Emine Şeküre Nazlı Arda, delivered her presentation titled 'Protein Oxidation and Its Effects on Human Health'.
Dr. Lecturer Hüseyin Çimen, on the other hand, provided participants with information about 'Cancer Metabolism and Mass Spectrometry – Proteomics'.
Another participant, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nurcan Orhan, delivered her presentation titled 'Traumatic Brain Injury Research'.
Information about other participants who presented on the second day of the congress is as follows;
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdulilah Ece delivered his presentation on 'From Biology to Chemistry, from Chemistry to Medicine, Computer-Aided Drug Design in Multidisciplinary Studies'.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cüneyt Uçarlı, on the other hand, provided information about 'Current genome editing applications for creating stress tolerance in plants'.
Photo: Mukadder Güneş / ÜHA
Photo: Eda Keçeci / ÜHA