August 7, 2025 - GTU Office of Press and Public Relations

An important success is achieved as 12 projects from Gebze Technical University (GTU) qualifies for support in the first term of 2025 under TÜBİTAK 1001.

Within the scope of the "1001-Scientific and Technological Research Projects Funding Program" announced by TÜBİTAK (Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye), the scientific evaluation process of the projects proposed to the Research Support Programs Presidency (ARDEB) for the first term of 2025 has been completed and the results have been announced. Twelve academics from Gebze Technical University (GTU) have been awarded project support.

The academics and their research projects supported under the 1001-Scientific and Technological Research Projects Funding Program are as follows:

Prof. Ramazan Altundaş, Faculty Member, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science at GTU, has received support for his project titled “Selective Functionalization of N-Heterocyclic Triazolopyridazine and Triazolopyridine Rings.”

Heterocyclic compounds play an important role in the preparation of biologically significant compounds and new materials, and they are used as starting compounds. Therefore, the simple and rapid functionalization of heteroarenes is a key interest for organic chemists. Generally, functional groups are utilized in the synthesis or derivatization of an organic compound.

The project aims to develop new methods for the synthesis of more complex heteroarenes compared to starting compounds, which cannot be obtained through classical multi-step synthesis strategies. The selected heteroarenes will be regioselectively and sequentially functionalized, transforming them into important intermediates that can be used in drug active ingredient synthesis and drug discovery studies.

Prof. Arif Çağdaş Aydınoğlu, Faculty Member, Department of Geomatics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, and Director of the Institute of Transportation Technologies at GTU, has received support for his project titled “Development of Smart City Applications Using Artificial Intelligence Techniques in a Digital Twin Example Geographical Data Infrastructure: A Case Study of Public Transport Demand Forecasting and Resilience in Transportation.”

The “Digital Twin Data Model for Transportation” to be developed within the scope of the project aims to provide an innovative and holistic solution for urban mobility. The model includes a detailed 3D representation of transportation infrastructure, functional, and topological integration of transport networks, and combined evaluation of micro-mobility and public transportation data. It also includes unique elements such as urban resilience, procurement of road inventories necessary for autonomous vehicles, and interoperability with roadside sensors and other smart systems. Based on data acquisition in the application area, a sample digital twin data infrastructure will be created, and an original methodology will be developed on how large-scale geographic data can be used in smart city applications.

Two example scenarios will be evaluated to assess the applicability of the data model. The first application, “Public Transport Demand Forecasting,” will be developed using machine learning and deep learning techniques and will provide smart solutions for demand-focused transport planning. The second application, “Urban Resilience in Transportation,” will analyze the vulnerability of transportation systems under flood disasters, and system performance will be evaluated through simulations based on different scenarios. The GeoAI toolset to be developed within the project will operate in an open-source environment, enabling data preprocessing and automation of forecasting models. Additionally, a web-based data management platform and a virtual prediction interface, where all datasets and model outputs will be made accessible, will be developed. This original prototype platform will allow direct use of transportation forecasting models in field applications.

The project will involve experts in surveying, urban planning, and informatics from Gebze Technical University’s Institute of Transportation Technologies, Departments of Geomatics Engineering and Computer Engineering, as well as from Istanbul Technical University, Hacettepe University, and Abdullah Gül University. Thanks to this multidisciplinary collaboration, the project outputs are expected to have high academic and practical impact.

Prof. Esra Bilgin-Şimşek, Faculty Member, Department of Chemical Engineering at GTU Faculty of Engineering, has received support for her project titled “Comparison of Photocatalytic, Plasma and Plasma/Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Performance of MXene/Polyoxometalate-Based Catalysts, Experimental Optimization and Investigation of the Effect of Plasma on Catalyst Structure.”

Plasma-assisted hydrogen production stands out as a revolutionary method in the field of clean energy. In this TÜBİTAK project, it is aimed to operate at lower temperatures and higher energy efficiency compared to traditional methods using atmospheric pressure liquid phase plasma technology for the decomposition of water into hydrogen and oxygen. For the first time, MXene/Polyoxometalate (POM)-based catalysts will be tested both in single plasma systems and plasma-photocatalytic hybrid systems. The synergistic effect of high-energy species generated by plasma working with catalysts to enhance hydrogen production will be investigated in detail. Also, the effect of different reactants (methanol, ethanol, ammonia) on production performance will be revealed. This study will comprehensively address the interaction of plasma technology with MXene-based catalysts for the first time in the literature, providing an environmentally-friendly, sustainable, and highly-efficient solution for hydrogen production. The findings will guide advanced technology applications towards the hydrogen economy.

Prof. Tunahan Çakır, Faculty Member, Department of Bioengineering at GTU Faculty of Engineering, has received support for his project titled “Personalized Prediction of Splicing Defects From Alzheimer’s Disease RNA Sequencing Data and Determination of Disease Subtypes by Integrating This Information With Other Layers Provided by RNA Sequencing.”

One of the genetic mechanisms involved in Alzheimer’s disease is splicing defects caused by incorrect cutting of RNA molecules encoded by genes. This leads to loss of function of related proteins. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) data, commonly used in the literature to determine gene expression levels, also allows detection of such splicing defects. However, all applications in the literature have focused on identifying genes with splicing defects at the group level of Alzheimer’s patients. No patient-specific approach has been realized.

The first aim of this project is to identify genes with splicing defects in a patient-specific manner from patient RNA sequencing data for the first time. For this purpose, Alzheimer’s RNA-Seq datasets including about 700 patients widely used in the literature will be utilized. This will contribute to elucidating molecular mechanism differences among patients and understanding the heterogeneous nature of Alzheimer’s disease. Patient-specific splicing defect information will be combined with the list of abnormally expressed genes and genomic variant information obtained from the same datasets in a previous TÜBİTAK 1001-supported project conducted by the project leader. Then, this information will be mapped onto active molecular interaction networks in the cell to demonstrate the benefit of extracting three different information layers from a single RNA sequencing data and using them together.

The second aim of the project is to identify different disease subtypes for Alzheimer’s disease by using this information obtained from patient-specific RNA sequencing data with a deep learning approach. Identifying subtypes of Alzheimer’s disease, which has a heterogeneous structure, has the potential to support better understanding of the disease and development of subtype-specific treatments.

Prof. Ferruh Özcan, Faculty Member, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science at GTU, has received support for his project titled “Role of Hypothalamic SIK2 in Energy Balance and Obesity: A Potential Therapeutic Target.”

Energy homeostasis plays a critical role in regulating metabolic processes. Opposing neurons expressing pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) and agouti-related peptide (AgRP) located in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus integrate peripheral and central nervous system hormonal and neural signals to activate decision-making neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) to balance energy intake and expenditure. POMC neurons are an important component of this system, especially responsible for transmitting anorexigenic signals. Recent studies have shown that inflammation-related insulin and leptin resistance and associated functional disorders developing in these neurons due to high-energy nutrient consumption play a critical role in the neuronal etiopathogenesis of obesity. In this context, determining the effects of Salt-Inducible Kinase 2 (SIK2), a member of the AMPK-related kinase family, on neurons responsible for nutrition and energy balance at the organism level will provide further insights into neurobiological mechanisms regulating energy balance, appetite, and metabolism. The results of this study could open the way for identifying pharmacological drug targets with anti-obesity effects and developing drugs with high commercial potential. The unstoppable increase in obesity has currently raised the global anti-obesity drug market to approximately 15-20 billion dollars. If this trend continues, the obesity pandemic will remain the greatest risk and threat humanity faces in terms of both national economies and human health.

Prof. Yunus Zorlu, Faculty Member, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science at GTU, has received support for his project titled “Development of Semiconductor Photocatalysts Based on Visible Light-Activated BODIPY-Sensitized Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) for Pharmaceutical Active Ingredient Removal.”

The widespread use of pharmaceutical substances such as antibiotics, antidepressants, and anti-inflammatory drugs, along with increasing health problems, leads to accumulation and release of these substances into the aquatic environment. These substances, which are not sufficiently removed in wastewater treatment plants, mix into natural water resources, causing the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Antidepressants and anti-inflammatory drugs disrupt the hormonal and physiological balance of aquatic organisms, damaging ecosystem balance. Effective removal of these pharmaceutical residues is critically important for protecting ecosystem health and reducing long-term adverse effects on human health. The project proposes an original solution based on the production of singlet oxygen (^1O2) by BODIPY-sensitized MOF-based semiconductor photocatalysts. The capacity of BODIPY-based MOFs to produce ^1O2 will be systematically used for the first time in environmental applications, enabling effective removal of hard-to-eliminate pharmaceutical residues and making a significant contribution to the literature. The project team includes postdoctoral researcher Elif Özcan (PhD), Prof. Cengiz Yatmaz, Lecturer Aysun Bulut (PhD) from Altınbaş University's Department of Pharmacy, and two graduate students.

Assoc. Prof. Hadi Khanbabazadeh, Faculty Member, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at GTU, has received support for his project titled “A New Method for Reducing Seismic Damages Caused by Fault-Pipeline Intersection.”

Permanent deformations caused by secondary effects triggered by earthquakes have been observed to cause severe damage to lifeline systems such as energy pipelines in many earthquakes. Especially in cases where faults intersect pipelines at steeper angles, it has been observed that local buckling occurs before other collapse modes due to deformation concentration near the fault-pipeline intersection. This means that the pipeline reaches damage state at lower fault movement without ovalization of the pipeline cross-section or reaching tensile deformation limits. This project plans to propose a new, effective, inexpensive, and feasible design method to reduce seismic damage caused by fault-pipeline intersections. A patent application has been filed for the proposed method, and a fully positive international research report (PCT No: PCT/TR2023/051119) has been obtained. The project aims to ensure 100% effective protection of continuous steel pipelines used in natural gas and oil transportation against strike-slip faults.

Assoc. Prof. F. İnci Özdemir, Faculty Member, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science at GTU, has received support for her project titled “Development of Geobacillus Kaustophilus L-Asparaginase for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treatment by In-Silico Analysis and PEG-Encapsulation Approaches.”

L-asparaginases are enzymes important not only in food applications but also in the health sector. This enzyme, which is not produced in our country and is obtained from abroad at high cost, has limited therapeutic use due to low pharmacokinetic properties and high immunogenicity in its current form. In this project, to be carried out with contributions from Prof. Melike Fırlak from GTU's Department of Chemistry, Asst. Prof. Ahmet Tülek from Iğdır University, and Burak Servili (PhD), it is aimed to increase the activity of thermophilic Geobacillus kaustophilus L-asparaginase (GkASNaz) with specific mutations under physiological conditions (37°C, pH 7.4), followed by PEGylation and encapsulated-PEGylation. As a result of these studies, besides developing a lower-cost and domestically produced L-asparaginase, an important step is expected to be taken towards its use in the health field.

Asst. Prof. Tuğçe N. Gevrek-Civan, Faculty Member, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science at GTU, has received support for her project titled “Preparation of Lectin Capture and Release Platforms by Polymerization on Filter Paper.”

The project will prepare modified filter papers that can capture glycoproteins and then release them from the surface upon external stimulation. For this purpose, hydrophilic polymers containing boronic acid groups on the side branches will be grown from polymer initiator-bound filter papers. Using monomers with dipolar properties or polyethylene glycol groups will give the paper surfaces anti-biofouling properties, while the use of boronic acid-containing monomers will allow only target biomolecules to be immobilized on the surfaces. Modified filter papers containing different ratios of reactive groups will be prepared by changing the ratios of reactive and hydrophilic monomers, and the controllability of the amount of immobilized glycoprotein on the surface will be investigated in relation to the amount of reactive groups present. Thus, low-cost bio-sensing platforms allowing advanced analysis will be obtained and their potential for product development will be researched in the long term. Prof. Amitav Sanyal from Boğaziçi University's Center for Targeted Therapy Technologies serves as consultant in the project.

Asst. Prof. Ahmet Anıl Dindar, Faculty Member, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at GTU, has received support for his project titled “Monitoring and Risk Assessment of Urban Areas Against Earthquake Disasters.”

This project is a 36-month applied research project to be carried out in cooperation with Kocaeli and Yalova Universities and the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics - OGS and University of Trieste from Italy. Within the project, dynamic characteristics of structures in an urban area under earthquake hazard will be determined, and then continuous vibration and risk analyses will be conducted on the digital twin model of the region to be created based on data from monitoring systems. If successfully completed, the outputs of this project will have widespread impact globally.

Asst. Prof. Ahmet Güneş, Faculty Member, Institute of Defense Technologies at GTU, has received support for his project titled “Development of a Maneuvering Mathematical Model Suitable for ONR Tumblehome Ship by Experimental Estimation of Hydrodynamic Coefficients and Parameters.”

The project aims to derive the kinematic model of the ONR Tumblehome warship. Accordingly, hydrodynamic coefficients and propeller parameters will be determined using sensor fusion and Bayesian parameter estimation methods, both through simulations and tests on the constructed model ship. In addition, reinforcement learning approaches suitable for static environments will be developed for data selection, and original artificial intelligence models based on deep reinforcement learning will be developed for determining optimal autonomous maneuvers.

Asst. Prof. Seyed Yaser Nabavi Chashmi, Faculty Member, Department of Aeronautical Engineering at GTU Aerospace Faculty, has received support for his project titled “Artificial Intelligence-Based Automatic Landing System of VTOL UAVs in Engine Failure Scenario.”

The stability and control of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is critical as any control system failure may result in disaster, especially for their operation in urban areas. UAVs must be designed to operate not only in normal flight scenarios but also in emergencies such as engine failures or sensor data loss. Effective control of a UAV under engine failure involves immediate detection of the failure before the UAV becomes uncontrollable, followed by stabilization and control of the system.

The aim of this research is to use advanced capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) in regression and classification to control and plan UAVs in engine failure scenarios. This research goes beyond theoretical study by integrating AI-based algorithms with real-world applications. Developed algorithms will be rigorously tested on hardware and validated through real flight scenarios to ensure practical applicability and reliability.

The impact of this project lies in addressing critical challenges related to the increasing reliance on UAVs, especially multirotor types, for applications such as transportation, cargo delivery, search and rescue, disaster management, and security. As their widespread integration into urban areas becomes inevitable, this project aims to improve UAV operations by reducing operational risks and costs in these environments. This work contributes to safer flights for both people and property, increases public confidence, and promotes wider adoption of UAVs in urban applications.

For the list by TÜBİTAK, please visit: https://tubitak.gov.tr/en/announcement/tubitak-ardeb-1001-programme-evaluation-results-projects-submitted-1st-term-2025-have-been-announced

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