This year, Beta Thalassemia, Huntington's, and DMD disease were investigated in the competition.
Students conducting research that could offer solutions for the treatment of rare diseases with a genetic basis gathered at the RaDiChal 2023 competition.
This year, 32 teams participated in the RaDIChal (Rare Disease Challenge) competition, which consists of semi-final and final stages, initiated by the RaDIChal team established with undergraduate students under the leadership of Dr. Cihan Taştan, TRGENMER and RaDiChal Coordinator at Üsküdar Üniversitesi.
The target diseases for this year's RaDiChal, which began in 2020, were determined as Beta Thalassemia (Mediterranean anemia), Huntington's, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, and Üsküdar Üniversitesi Rector Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör also attended the RaDiChal 2023 final program, which was held for the 4th time this year at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Central Campus Nermin Tarhan Conference Hall by Dr. Cihan Taştan and his team.
Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal: 30% pass away before reaching 5 years old…
TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal highlighted the importance of studies on rare diseases, stating that the goal of achieving success together is also the starting point of TÜBİTAK's work.
Prof. Dr. Mandal stated that according to the World Economic Forum's 2023 report, 7,000 rare diseases are currently defined, 80% of which are genetically inherited, and 50% of these occur in childhood, adding, “30% of children with these diseases pass away before reaching the age of 5.”
One in every 16 people has a rare disease
Prof. Dr. Mandal stated that they see this competition as a contribution to bringing hope to the hopeless, noting that 95% of rare diseases still have no cure.
“One in every 16 people has a rare disease,” said Prof. Dr. Mandal, expressing that these diseases affect many people.
Prof. Dr. Mandal also pointed out that rare diseases have increased since last year, and drug development in this area has increased by 10.7%.
Emphasizing the importance of people from multiple disciplines coming together to produce solutions, Prof. Dr. Mandal explained that developments in genome editing have also provided significant progress for fast and accurate diagnosis, precise treatment, and easier access to these opportunities for rare diseases.
Referring to the work of Nobel laureate scientist Aziz Sancar on molecules for brain cancer, Prof. Dr. Mandal highlighted the importance of basic sciences in healthcare.
Drugs also need to be developed
Prof. Dr. Mandal also stated that the drugs developed for rare diseases are lagging behind research, emphasizing that scientific progress is not enough, and drugs must be developed at the same rate.
Prof. Dr. Mandal also provided information about TÜBİTAK's ongoing research programs for students and academics, explaining that there are 134 scholarship holders related to rare diseases in the intern researcher program, and a total of 36 projects by university students on rare diseases are also supported.
Recalling that a Biotechnology Innovation Competition is organized within the scope of TEKNOFEST Technology competitions, Prof. Dr. Mandal noted that 4,369 general applications were made to this competition this year.
Following his speech at the program, Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal was presented with a plaque by Dr. Cihan Taştan, TRGENMER Coordinator, on behalf of RaDiChal.
One needs to dream first to make discoveries
Speaking at the opening of the program, Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that those who make discoveries in science are people who see laboratories in their dreams, adding that these individuals can make discoveries when they find the right environment.
Prof. Dr. Tarhan expressed that luck lies at the intersection of intelligence and opportunity, stating, “There is a psychological dynamic behind the emergence of productive thinking, which is a characteristic observed in those who make discoveries in science; there, one first needs to have developed their dreaming abilities.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that abstract thinking ability is related to the level of human brain development, and said, “They dream, but not whimsical dreams, rather purpose-oriented dreams… The person incubates with dreams. During the incubation period, people ruminate mentally. While doing other things, they think about the subject they dreamed about.”
3 apples that changed human history
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, describing the process of Newton's discovery of gravity, which revolutionized science, stated that the emergence of discoveries begins with a dream and continues with mental effort.
“Three apples changed human history: Adam's apple, Newton's apple, and Apple's apple,” said Prof. Dr. Tarhan, explaining that discoveries emerge through mental focus.
In science, the impact of discoveries emerges later…
Advising the students participating in the competition, Prof. Dr. Tarhan said, “In science, the impact of discoveries emerges later; just contribute to the literature.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan also noted that gene therapies are a field awaiting new discoveries, pointing out that new drugs have not been found in their own fields either.
Prof. Dr. Tarhan also referred to epigenetics, stating that genetic science will change treatment parameters in the future.
Following his speech at the program, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan was presented with a plaque by Dr. Cihan Taştan, TRGENMER Coordinator, on behalf of RaDiChal.
This is exactly what ideal university student life is about…
At the opening program, Üsküdar Üniversitesi Rector Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör said, “I am proud on behalf of our university; important things are happening here. You are not just students, not ordinary students, but also pursuing goals that will contribute to humanity and the world we live in. This is exactly what ideal university student life is about.”
Prof. Dr. Güngör stated that universities are generally not just educational institutions but should always be supported by scientific production, adding, “Because universities are important centers of science. We are trying to create an understanding with this awareness.”
32 teams participated in RaDiChal 2023 and 19 teams made it to the final
Üsküdar Üniversitesi TRGENMER Coordinator Dr. Cihan Taştan reminded that naming the competition RaDiChal was related to their work on very rare diseases.
Taştan stated that “diseases that occur in one out of 2,000 people or much rarer are called rare diseases,” and added that in the RaDiChal competition, they have encouraged students to develop treatment-oriented projects by selecting 3 different rare diseases each year since 2020.
Dr. Cihan Taştan noted that 19 teams made it to the final in this year's competition, which saw 32 teams participate, and said, “This year, we selected Beta Thalassemia (Mediterranean anemia), Huntington's, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) from among rare diseases.”
Many of the projects will become products and treatments
Taştan reminded that the RaDiChal competition started in 2020 and extended his thanks to Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan for contributing to RaDiChal's transformation from a theoretical competition into a practical one in a laboratory setting.
Taştan noted the following:
“When we establish our infrastructure that can lead to clinical application in the coming years, RaDiChal will no longer remain just a competition but will continue to evolve into a clinic, a product. Different teams were formed from different universities. These projects will not stay here with this competition. As the projects turn into experiments, many of them will become products and treatments. The development of these genetic treatment designs by our teams, their production in our laboratories, and their ability to transition to clinical use give us hope in making treatments that are inaccessible to most people much more accessible.”
RaDiChal Laboratory opened
Meanwhile, within the scope of the program, the opening of the RaDiChal Laboratory was also held with the participation of TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, and Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör.
Following the opening speeches, the opening presentations were given by Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Muhsin Konuk, TRGENMER Director Dr. Cihan Taştan, Turkish Huntington's Disease Association President Naim Özdemir, Can Health Foundation General Manager Perihan Kılınç, and SB Venture Investments Banu Korgül.
In the program, where team presentations were also made, the RaDiChal 2022 Champion presented their work. The program concluded with an Honor Lecture followed by the Award Ceremony.
