DETUAM: A worldwide center
In this news, you will get to know an advanced center equipped with high technology, providing the same quality of service as the developed countries of the world in Turkey. Health Sciences University (SBU) Experimental Medicine Application and Research Center (DETUAM) is a center that was established in 2017 and has started to provide R&D and analysis services actively since 2020. This center provides services with two units, “Validebağ Research Park” (VAP) and Experimental Animals Laboratory (DEHAL). 22 people, including 18 researchers and 4 technical personnel, work at the center. Researchers consist of faculty members with expertise in molecular biology and genetics, biotechnology, biochemistry, food engineering, microbiology, tissue engineering, biomaterials and organic chemistry. Headed by Prof. Dr. Saban Tekin does it. The answer to the question “What subjects are researches on in this center” has a very broad content. Research topics; cancer, vaccines, genetic and rare diseases, infectious diseases, food technology, biological and synthetic drug design and development, bioimplants and nanotechnology. There are many TÜBİTAK, TUSEB and TAGEM projects carried out by researchers at DETUAM.
“ONE OF THE RARE LABORATORIES IN THE WORLD”
University of Health Sciences Rector Prof. Dr. Cevdet Erdol
Rector of the University of Health Sciences, who brought the center to Turkey. Dr. Cevdet Erdöl says that the most important difference of Validebağ Research Park from other centers is that it has a superior infrastructure in terms of laboratory equipment and devices, and gives important information about some of the applications in the center: “For example, a special production called ‘Turkish Light Source Laboratory”. “Our laboratory, which is equipped with the Single Crystal XRD system, is the only one in our country and one of the rare laboratories in the world in terms of its technological infrastructure. Apart from this, we have a very advanced ‘Next Generation Sequencing’ (YND) laboratory. This is a special center that serves researchers with its device and equipment infrastructure.”
GOAL: CONTRIBUTION TO PHARMACEUTICALS, VACCINES AND MEDICAL DEVICES
Pointing out that the most important goal of DETUAM is to contribute to human health and the country’s economy by developing and producing scientific original knowledge, value-added products or technologies in fields such as drugs, vaccines and medical devices that our country needs through interdisciplinary studies in the field of health. Dr. Cevdet Erdöl draws attention to the fact that it is aimed to provide services in DNA sequencing, testing and analysis of medical products (drugs, etc.) and devices, especially related to cancer and rare diseases. Here are three of those important applications.
TURKISH LIGHT SOURCE LABORATORY
“The Turkish Light Source Laboratory serves the purpose of revealing the mechanisms and structures of drug molecules binding to the target, especially in biological drug development. It is stated that this laboratory provides an important infrastructure needed by research pharmaceutical companies. The center is still in collaboration with researchers from Koç University on some drug molecules. joint projects are carried out.
ADVANCED IMAGING SYSTEMS
prof. Dr. Cevdet Erdöl says that thanks to the advanced imaging systems in DETUAM, the responses of living cells to drugs can be measured and displayed in a very short time. Thanks to this system (Operetta), the pharmacological effects of many drug candidates on cells can be analyzed in a very short time.
NEW GENERATION DNA sequencing SYSTEM
“Next Generation DNA Sequencing” (YND) is a system used to reveal the sequence of the DNA molecule in a very short time and with high accuracy with a special technology. This technology is especially important in the diagnosis of cancer and rare diseases. Thanks to YND technology, mutations in DNA related to cancer and rare diseases can be determined. With the system, it is possible to diagnose early cancer, as well as to prepare personalized effective treatment protocols and prevent unnecessary drug use in the treatment of cancer patients. It is stated that this system is also used extensively in detecting variants by sequencing the COVID-19 virus during the pandemic. It is pointed out that one of the most used areas is the metagenomic analysis of the intestinal flora of the system.
HOPE FOR WHICH DISEASES
YND has an important place in the discovery of new genetic diagnostic markers, especially in the diagnosis of cancer and rare genetic diseases. It is also seen as a hope for the development of new and more effective treatment solutions in cancer treatment.
The existence of genetic material is sufficient for this technology, which can be applied not only to humans but to all living things. This system is especially used in the development of more productive breeds in agriculture and animal husbandry.
prof. Dr. Cevdet Erdöl said, “As YND laboratory systems require very expensive devices and equipment, the number of full-fledged laboratories in our country is limited. There are no advanced system devices in genetic diagnosis centers in Turkey, therefore some samples are sent abroad. device- Illumina) systems and supporting components, it can respond to all kinds of sequencing needs. Especially for the protection of personal genetic data, it is now possible to carry out all sequencing processes in our country without sending samples abroad. YND laboratory provides the sequencing service needed by our country’s researchers and genetic diagnosis centers. In order to provide this service to all public and private hospitals, studies are continuing to include our laboratory in the scope of genetic diagnosis laboratory.”
