The 'Nanoparticle Workshop in Flow Cytometry' was organized by Üsküdar University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, and TRGENMER. During the workshop, where it was emphasized that characterizing exosomes after isolation is crucial, experts underlined that exosomes and lipid nanoparticles are not newly discovered methods. In addition, it was highlighted that the vesicles of Lipidomic profiles are also very important. It was noted that half of the studies conducted so far have been on cancer.
The event was attended by Dr. Cihan Taştan, Director of TREGENMER, Lecturer at Üsküdar University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics; Prof. Dr. Sevim Işık, faculty member at Üsküdar University, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics; Gülhis Akar, Senior Development Specialist at Beckman Coulter Company; and Dr. Mustafa Öztatlıcı from Gaziantep Islamic Science and Technology University.
Students from the Department of Pharmacy and the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics gathered at the Nermin Tarhan Conference Hall, Central Campus of Üsküdar University, where the event took place.
Dr. Cihan Taştan: “Characterizing exosomes after isolation is very important”
Dr. Cihan Taştan, Lecturer at Üsküdar University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, shared his presentation titled 'Development and Application Areas of Transgenetic Exosome Products' with the participants. Taştan pointed out that it is not possible to collect exosomes only from cells; “We mostly work by genetically modifying these cells. If you can make a genetic modification in cell types, and after doing so, you focus the gene you will produce on the exosome, you can change not only the surface of the exosome but also the cargo it will carry. To do this, you must complete your DNA design. You can transfer it into the cell sometimes with permanent methods and sometimes with normal transfection methods. Of course, it is not possible to collect exosomes only from cells. Here, rather than the production of exosomes, their characterization after isolation is very important. Because it is important to perform characterization processes such as whether each exosome you collect is full inside, and whether the relationships in the cells where the carrier system will bind are correctly present.” he said.
“Exosomes and lipid nanoparticles are not newly discovered methods”
Dr. Cihan Taştan, Lecturer, mentioned that articles on exosomes have rapidly increased in recent years; “Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, with studies on how genetic materials like mRNA can be packaged and their stability increased to create an immune reaction, we have started to see more exosomes in recent years. Of course, exosomes and lipid nanoparticles are not newly discovered methods. Their history goes back to the 1960s. In those years, it was shown that the first discovered or isolated exosomes later carried antigens, and that these exosomes were not actually used solely as a delivery agent. Of course, with their discovery and the subsequent idea that they could also be used to kill cancer, a way emerged for us to isolate exosomes from natural killer cells or other immune system cells and use them in treatments such as cancer.” he said.
Prof. Dr. Sevim Işık: “Exosomes carry the characteristic features of the cell”
Prof. Dr. Sevim Işık, faculty member at the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, informed the participants with her presentation titled 'Exosome Applications'. Prof. Dr. Sevim Işık stated that the biggest problem in brain diseases is sending cells to the brain; “When you look at exosomes, we call them natural drug delivery systems. Before that, liposomes could already do this job. We could direct them in a targeted way as a delivery system, but the advantage of exosomes is that they carry the characteristic features of the cell you have. If it's a stem cell or, for example, an immune system cell, it also adds its therapeutic property. You enrich it. Naturally, it's already a targeted delivery system... For example, in brain diseases, we face the biggest problem when sending cells to the brain. They cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, or they cross it very limitedly. Due to their small structures, you can send them in any direction you want, like guided missiles. Therefore, it is a very important field.” she said.
Dr. Mustafa Öztatlıcı: “Vesicles of lipidomic profiles are also very important”
Dr. Mustafa Öztatlıcı from Gaziantep Islamic Science and Technology University delivered his presentation titled 'Extracellular Vesicles: Nano-Messengers in Intercellular Communication'. Dr. Mustafa Öztatlıcı emphasized that vesicles are not only obtained from mammalian cells; “Vesicles are not only obtained from mammalian cells. They are also obtained from fungi, algae, and plants. Therefore, communities working in this field name them Extracellular Vesicles. After a study in 2007 identified that they carry micro RNA and mRNA, interest in this field has been steadily increasing. We can obtain these vesicles in many fluids in our body. The vesicles of lipidomic profiles are also very important. Interest in this field has been increasing since the publication in 2007.” he said.
Gülhis Akar: “Half of the studies conducted so far are on cancer”
Gülhis Akar, Senior Development Specialist at Beckman Coulter Company, shared her presentation titled 'CytoFLEX and Extracellular Vesicle Studies' with the participants. Stating that EVs are very important; “These topics are interesting for us and for you. Because all cells are produced by systems. They are cargo elements that carry interfaces, proteins, mRNAs, antigens for us to examine physiology and pathology… Due to their size and scope, they can be used in all kinds of research. These are rare structures that cross the blood-brain barrier. Generally, half of all research conducted so far, which is equivalent to half of all studies, focuses more on cancer, meaning more work is done on cancer. Currently, 61 clinical trials involving EVs are ongoing. As a company, we are on the side of how EVs look and how they are used. The topic of EVs is very important and, in my words, a trend.” she said.
The event concluded after a group photo session.