Prof. Dr. Ekrem Kadri Unat Multidisciplinary Laboratory is a shared education and research center designed to combine theoretical knowledge with practical competence in basic medical sciences and to meet the experimental and analytical needs of multiple medical disciplines.
What is the Prof. Dr. Ekrem Kadri UNAT Multidisciplinary Laboratory? / What is Its Purpose?
Core Purpose: The primary purpose of the Prof. Dr. Ekrem Kadri Unat Multidisciplinary Laboratory is to transform the theoretical medical knowledge acquired by Faculty of Medicine students throughout the academic year into practical and laboratory applications, thereby reinforcing and making this knowledge more permanent.
Key Features: Thanks to its “multidisciplinary” structure, the laboratory provides the flexibility to conduct experiments, microscopic examinations, and biochemical analyses from different departments of basic medical sciences within a single physical space. This integrated approach enables students to develop a holistic understanding of the connections between human biology, pathogens, and metabolic processes.
Academic Contribution: As one of the most important laboratory components of preclinical medical education, this unit supports students in gaining proficiency in scientific research methodologies, learning basic laboratory safety protocols, and developing their analytical thinking skills.
Devices and Technical Equipment Available in the Laboratory
The Prof. Dr. Ekrem Kadri Unat Multidisciplinary Laboratory has a modern instrumentation infrastructure that fully supports the basic sciences curriculum in medical education. The main devices and equipment groups used in the laboratory include:
- Light Microscopy Systems: High-resolution microscopy systems used in Medical Microbiology, Medical Biology, and Genetics courses to examine cellular structures, histological specimens, and microorganisms.
- Spectrophotometers and Centrifuges: Centrifugation and absorbance measurement systems used in Medical Biochemistry practicals for qualitative and quantitative analyses of blood, urine, and other biological fluids, as well as for the separation of cellular components.
- Physiological and Biophysical Monitoring Sets: Measurement units used by the Departments of Physiology and Biophysics to perform electrical, mechanical, and biosignal measurements in humans and model organisms, including basic practices such as ECG and EMG simulations and monitoring of membrane potentials.
- Biosafety Cabinets and Incubators: Environmental control and safety systems used in Medical Microbiology practicals for the cultivation, growth, and isolation of microorganisms under sterile conditions.
- Supporting Laboratory Equipment: Precision balances, pH meters, vortex mixers, hot plate magnetic stirrers, and automatic pipette sets used to ensure accuracy in experiments and solution preparation.
Research and Application Areas
The laboratory offers a broad range of practical and research activities in five major fields of basic medical sciences within the preclinical stage of medical education:
- Biophysics Applications: Experimental analysis of physical mechanisms in living systems, membrane transport processes, and bioelectrical potentials.
- Physiology Practices: Monitoring the functioning mechanisms of tissues, organs, and systems such as the respiratory, circulatory, and nervous systems, as well as homeostatic balance.
- Medical Biology and Genetics Research: Cellular-level examination of cell division, nucleic acid isolation simulations, chromosome analyses, and mechanisms of inheritance.
- Medical Biochemistry Analyses: Detection of biochemical reactions related to carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism, enzyme activities, and metabolite levels in body fluids.
- Medical Microbiology Applications: Morphological examination of human pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites; application of staining techniques such as Gram staining; and practical training in sterilization and disinfection methods.
Contributions to Students and the Healthcare Sector
- Holistic Perspective on Basic Medical Sciences: By experiencing different disciplines that form the foundation of medical science under the same laboratory roof, students can more easily understand the cellular and biochemical causes underlying clinical manifestations of diseases.
- Precision Laboratory Manipulation Skills: Students develop a broad range of manual skills and technical adaptability, from using microscopes and performing automated pipetting to calibrating equipment and safely handling biological materials.
- Strong Preparation for Clinical Education: Through the practical training they receive in the laboratory, medical students develop a high level of professional readiness in interpreting laboratory test results, selecting appropriate diagnostic tools, and developing scientific data literacy during their clinical rotations.
