January 4, 2025 - GTU Office of Press and Public Relations
Scientific evaluation results of the projects submitted for the second term of the 2024 TÜBİTAK 1001 Program are announced, six projects from Gebze Technical University (GTU) achieve to qualify for support.
The scientific evaluation process for the projects proposed to the Research Support Programs Directorate (ARDEB) under the "1001-Scientific and Technological Research Projects Funding Program," initiated by TÜBİTAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye), for the first term of 2024 has been completed, and the results have been announced. Five academics from Gebze Technical University (GTU) have had their projects accepted for support.
The researchers and research projects that have received scientific support under the "1001-Scientific and Technological Research Projects Funding Program" are as follows:
Prof. Yelda Özden-Çiftçi, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, GTU, has received support for her project titled "Biotechnological Production, Purification, and Determination of Cytotoxic and Neuroprotective Activities of the Alkaloid Coridine, a Potential Drug Active Substance for Parkinson's Disease."
According to the project proposal, Parkinson's disease occurs as a result of the death of cells in the midbrain, which play an important role in reward and movement, leading to a drop in dopamine levels below a threshold. One of the points focused on in the treatment of the disease is the inhibition of monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes (MAO-A and MAO-B), which normally metabolize excess dopamine in the brain. In this way, the degradation of dopamine, which is produced in low levels in the disease state, is prevented, and the existing dopamine level is preserved. However, the side effects of the currently used MAO inhibitors have led to the search for new inhibitors for the treatment of the disease.
In the preliminary studies for this proposed project, molecular docking studies on the MAO-B enzyme revealed that the plant secondary metabolite coridine alkaloid binds to the active site of the enzyme, similar to the existing inhibitors selegiline and rasagiline, interacting with some of the amino acids in this region and having similar binding scores. The preliminary data indicated that coridine, a molecule that has potential as an MAO-B inhibitor, is produced by the Corydalis spp. plant, which grows under the conditions in the country. The project aims to determine the enzyme activity effectiveness of coridine alkaloid, biotechnologically produce it (using cell suspension and root culture techniques), purify the relevant metabolite, and demonstrate its cytotoxic and neuroprotective effects on neuronal cells through in vitro studies.
The project will be carried out in collaboration with GTU, MBG, the Smart Agriculture Research and Application Center (GTU-ATAM), the Central Research Laboratory (GTU-MAR), the Plant and Bacterial Metabolite Biosynthesis Laboratory (GTU-MAR), Bingöl University, and Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, and includes university-to-university collaboration. The researchers involved from GTU include Associate Prof. Mine Gül-Şeker, Deputy Head of the MBG Department; Associate Prof. Özlem Akkaya, MBG Faculty Member; Lecturer İrem Yalım-Camcı (PhD), Associate Prof. Dilek Oral, Faculty Member at the Faculty of Forestry Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa; Asst. Prof. Veysel Süzerer from the Health Services Vocational School, Department of Pharmacy Services at Bingöl University; Asst. Prof. İnan Dursun from Bingöl University and the Central Laboratory Application and Research Center; and Asst. Prof. Arzu Temizyürek from the Faculty of Medicine, Altınbaş University, as the project advisor.
Prof. Leyla Çolakerol-Arslan, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, GTU, has received support for her project titled "Development of Heusler Alloy-Based Magnetoelectric Structures for Ultra-Low Power Consumption Magnetization Switching Applications."
The project will contribute to the design of magnetic memory systems with innovative approaches by selectively switching the magnetization in nano-disks using an electric field at room temperature. Co2MnAl disks of different sizes and thicknesses will be grown on ferroelectric lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT) ceramics, recently attracting great interest, to create a smooth interface. The magnetization, anisotropy, and domain structure of the Co2MnAl disks will be controlled by applying an electric field to the PMN-PT. Thus, the magnetic properties of the Co2MnAl nanostructures will be controlled through strain-mediated magnetoelectric coupling to achieve ultra-low power consumption magnetization switching. This proposed study will help in understanding the changes in the magnetic properties of ferromagnetic nanodisks induced by the inverse magnetostrictive effect of the ferroelectric layer for future device applications. Prof. Faik Mikailzade from the Department of Physics at GTU and Prof. İbrahim Burç Mısırlıoğlu from Sabancı University will participate as researchers, with Okan Özdemir (PhD) from the Institute of Nanotechnology at GTU providing support.
Prof. Serkan Aksoy, Department of Electronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, GTU, has received support for his project titled "Modeling Dispersive Superparamagnetic and Lossy Soils for Time Domain Electromagnetic (Zuem) Systems Using Time Domain Finite Differences Method."
This project aims to investigate the effects of dispersive superparamagnetic (SPM) and lossy soils on the performance of Time Domain Electromagnetic (TDEM) systems, commonly used in geophysical surveys such as detecting groundwater and mineral deposits. The project will simulate these soils' effects using the Quasi-Static Time Domain Finite Differences (KS-ZUSF) method, which has not been applied to these models in commercial software. The new simulation method will be used to solve an electromagnetic problem in MATLAB for the first time. The solution obtained will provide valuable insights into the performance of TDEM systems and contribute to increasing the visibility of Türkiye in literature related to this subject.
Prof. Ümit Demir, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, GTU, has received support for his project titled "Development of Unsupported, Flexible, and High-Activity Innovative Electrocatalysts Containing Electrochemically Reduced Graphene Oxide-Wrapped Nimo, Ni(Oh)2@Nimo, Nimoox@Nimo, and Nis/Mos2@Nimo Nanoparticles and Electrochemical Hydrogen Production from Water."
The project aims to develop innovative, high-performance electrocatalysts for hydrogen production from water, an environmentally-friendly and sustainable energy solution. The goal is to develop low-cost, environmentally-friendly NiMo nanoalloy/electrochemically reduced graphene oxide composite electrocatalysts that are unsupported, flexible, and in paper form, capable of efficiently carrying out both water splitting reactions (HER and OER). The electrocatalysts are expected to show long-term durability and stability, providing a sustainable solution for energy conversion processes.
Assoc. Prof. İrem Kulu, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, GTU, has received support for her project titled "Development of EGFR-Hsp Targeted Anticancer Drug Candidate Molecules for Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer."
According to the project proposal, cancer continues to be a serious health threat worldwide, and especially lung cancer stands out due to its high mortality rates. The most common type of lung cancer, non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), constitutes 85% of all cases, presenting a significant problem. In recent years, small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting EGFR (Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor) have been used in the treatment of NSCLC, replacing platinum-based toxic therapies. However, the resistance that develops against these treatments requires the development of next-generation inhibitors. In the project, the design and synthesis of more effective and safe inhibitors for NSCLC patients who develop resistance to EGFR will be carried out, and the targeted activities of these inhibitors will be investigated.
One of the innovative molecular design strategies, fragment-based drug design, involves designing new molecules and synthesizing new molecules that could be more active by using known pharmacophore groups. The presence of a pyrimidine ring in FDA-approved and active drugs has driven the design of this study. In this project, the aminopyrimidine ring was combined with various N-heterocyclic rings such as indole, triazolopyrimidine, and triazolopyridazine to form new core structures. It is known that these molecules exhibit cytotoxic and proliferative effects against many cancer cells. The synthesis of new molecules created by the hybridization of the newly designed heterocyclic ring systems and chalcone structure, and their in silico and in vitro anticancer effects, will be investigated for the first time in this study.
Assoc. Prof. Melis Oğuz-Çevik, Department of City and Regional Planning, Faculty of Architecture, GTU, has received support for her project titled "The Role of Universities in the Reshaping of Small Towns."
The project aims to evaluate the effects of universities established in small and medium-sized towns (with populations under 750,000) after 2006 on the social, economic, and spatial structures of these towns from the perspectives of university students and local residents. The project will explore how universities influence urban land use, infrastructure, daily life, and socio-cultural fabric, broadening the scope of previous studies that primarily focused on economic sectoral developments.
The pilot study of the project titled "The Role of Universities in the Reshaping of Small Towns" (ÜniKent Project) was carried out with the support of the Department of City and Regional Planning at Amasya University and serves as a guide in the creation of the main contribution of the project. The research will be conducted in six cities in Türkiye, which (i) have a population of less than 750,000, (ii) host a university opened after 2006, (iii) have only one university, and (iv) are located in different NUTS regions of Türkiye. In this scope, the research process, including five work packages, will be repeated in six-month periods in the following cities: Siirt (Asst. Prof. Eda Koçak Gıyak from the Department of City and Regional Planning at Siirt University), Kırklareli (Asst. Prof. Mete Korhan Özkök from the Department of City and Regional Planning at Kırklareli University), Erzincan (Assoc. Prof. Suat Tüysüz from the Department of Geography at Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University), Burdur (Prof. Cem Ergun from the Department of Sociology at Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University), Karaman (Lecturer Abdullah Karaağaç (PhD) from the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning at Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University), and Uşak (Assoc. Prof. Özlem Avcı Aksoy from the Department of Sociology at Uşak University). A flow plan will be applied in which local adaptations are made in each city.
This study, which addresses the university-town relationship with a holistic approach, aims to fill the gaps in existing studies and contribute to the development of practical guides for urban services and local governments. Moreover, the civil interaction network created within the project will operate through regular online platforms and national workshops, enabling cities to share their experiences and contribute to the development of solutions that optimize the effects of universities in small towns. The results of the project are expected to reach wide audiences through academic publications, national workshops, social media posts, and a compilation book covering all field experiences at the end of the project. |