ISÜ's Groundbreaking Medical Research

Istinye University Makes Progress on Multiple Healthcare Research Fronts Istinye University (İSÜ) has presented its original research in areas recognized as the science and professions of the future—"stem cells", "3D medicine and artificial organs", "cancer research", and "artificial intelligence"—through a press conference held over just three years of operation. Attending the conference were İSÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Melih Bulu, director of Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering (İSÜKÖK) and İSÜ Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Erdal Karaöz, director of Neurological Sciences (İSÜCAN) and Faculty of Medicine Dean Prof. Dr. Sacit Karamürsel, and director of Molecular Cancer (İSÜMKAM) and Health Sciences Faculty Dean Prof. Dr. Engin Ulukaya.

Among the World's Top 500 Universities

Opening remarks by university Rector Prof. Dr. Melih Bulu emphasized that despite only four years having passed since the university's establishment, the institution draws on a quarter-century history of the "MLPCareGrubu" which produced the values of Medikal Park and Liv Hospital. Bulu stated, "We can be considered an established educational institution with a healthcare background and we have all departments related to health, but we are never an educational institution that limits itself to healthcare education. We are a complete university. We offer undergraduate, graduate and doctoral education in many fields ranging from social sciences to economics, from engineering to fine arts. I also wish to announce that we have entered the world's top 500 universities in the very near future. We justly take pride in achieving such success in just four years."

Artificial Skin Models Produced in 3D Bioprinters

University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Erdal Karaöz stated that they began their work with the decision to be a university that produces knowledge rather than merely consuming it, and spoke about the research activities of the Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering (İSÜKÖK) R&D center he directs: "At İSÜKÖK, we are conducting very different studies ranging from the 'Obtaining Artificial Skin from Decellularized Matrix' method—which can be defined as taking tissues from different organisms, stripping them of cells belonging to that organism, then seeding them with human skin and stem cells and converting them to human skin—to the method of 'converting a person's own skin cells into dopamine-producing neurons for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.' First, I wish to mention our work on 'artificial skin models produced in 3D bioprinters,' which is a TÜBİTAK collaboration, where diseases such as skin cancer caused by UV radiation and other chemicals can be tested. In this project, thanks to 3D technology, we will prevent the use of human or animal subjects generally used in such studies. After creating human skin in 3D, we aim to examine how various factors, starting with UV radiation, cause disease without using laboratory animals or humans."

Our Work on Modifying the Genetic Structure of Stem Cells Is Truly Vital

Karaöz continued his remarks by addressing another original research initiative at the university: "Our work on modifying the genetic structure of stem cells is truly vital. Many organs in our body contain stem cells. These cells have the ability to leave their location and repair damaged cells in cases of disease or injury. Today, thanks to stem cell therapies applied to patients, significant progress and improvements are being seen in both hereditary and newly emerged diseases. However, there are still problems with these cells being destroyed by the body's immune system or, after being given to patients, in finding the cells they will repair. Our goal is to change the genetic structure of these cells in the stem cell research we will conduct, making their use easier, preventing their destruction by the immune system, and enabling them to find their destination more quickly and effectively. Through this, the use of stem cells will increase and treatment of many diseases will become possible."

Entirely Domestically and Nationally Synthesized Original Cancer Drug Compound

Prof. Dr. Engin Ulukaya, director of Molecular Cancer (İSÜMKAM) and Health Sciences Faculty Dean, began his remarks by sharing current information about the original cancer drug compound at İSÜ which has obtained US and EU patents, announcing that they have reached the animal testing stage in their work on the entirely domestically and nationally synthesized original cancer drug compound, and stated: "Testing must be conducted on at least two animals closest to humans. Each animal costs 800 thousand dollars. We are continuing our search for funding."