Translational Biology and Nanobiotechnology Research Laboratory

Translational studies are carried out in the laboratory, investigating the mechanisms involved in acute and chronic lung injury and repair, pulmonary fibrosis, miRNA and LncRNA biology, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition at the molecular level. Additionally, the focus is on discovering effective molecules and new therapeutics in the pathogenesis and treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary emphysema, and lung cancer. For these purposes, data obtained from experiments on various human lung epithelial and mesenchymal cell lines are compared with data obtained from lung biopsies from lung disease animal models and patients. In our projects funded by TUSEB, TÜBİTAK, and BAP, cell differentiation, cell death, cell proliferation, protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interactions, TGF-β and Wnt signaling pathways are investigated with transcriptomic, protein, in silico, molecular and biochemical analyses. As a result of these studies, one European patent was registered, one European and one national patent application was completed, and articles were published in international journals. The present collaborations: Faculties of Medicine of Istanbul-Cerrahpaşa University, Koç University, Health Sciences University, Istanbul University Faculty of Pharmacy and Kartal-Koşuyolu Training and Research Hospital.

Within the scope of nanobiotechnology, experiments are being carried out to provide targeted cancer treatment by applying substances that cause cell death to the cells with nano formulations in Insulinoma INS-1 cells, which are benign pancreatic beta-cell tumors, and various aggressive pancreatic cancer cells. In this way, it is aimed to minimize the side effects of current cancer treatments. Within the scope of numerous joint studies carried out with Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa, Istanbul University and Bezmialem University Faculty of Pharmacy, active substances loaded into synthesized nanoformulations are applied to cancer cells and the molecular mechanisms of cell death occurring in the cells are studied. Young researchers are also able to gain experience through postgraduate studies in this field. In addition, exosomes, which are natural nanoparticles that carry proteins, lipids and nucleic acids between cells and have many functions between cells, are also studied. A master's thesis on the treatment of pancreatic cancer was made with exosomes isolated from pancreatic islet-derived progenitor cells, which were characterized in our Primary and Stem Cell Research laboratory, and was published in an international journal, and future projects are planned in this context.



Istanbul University, Faculty of Science, Biology Department, Molecular Biology Section, 34134, Vezneciler, Fatih/ISTANBUL

Total resource (BAP): 1.656.121,01 TL