3.3.1 Current collaborations with health institutions
ABOUT BOĞAZİÇİ LIFESCI
"Providing the production of knowledge and technology to understand and improve life" Established in 2009 at the Kandilli Campus along the Bosphorus strait, the Center for Life Sciences and Technologies rests on approximately 7500m2, comprising two units Research and Innovation and Deep Tech Facility. The former comprising a Polymer Pilot Production Facility and an Advanced Genomic Analysis Unit and the latter unit is focused on accelerating research/development activities of SMEs active in the Life Sciences domain. BULifeSci has 3 centers, which are: In-vivo Medical Device Development Unit, Test Analysis Unit and Experimental Animal Production and Care Unit/Vivarium. Read More
For a list of existing collaborations and projects with local, national and global health organisations to improve health and well-being
Boğaziçi LifeSci brought together scientists working in the field of targeted treatment technologies
The second Targeted Treatment Technologies Symposium was organized by Boğaziçi University Life Sciences and Technologies Center (Boğaziçi LifeSci). TUBITAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, who participated in the symposium online, said that the work in the field of health carried out at Boğaziçi LifeSci is a “catalyst” for the development of the ecosystem in Turkey. Read More
Boğaziçi University: “Health at the Top of Everything” Initiative
In 2022, Boğaziçi University, in cooperation with the General Secretariat and Occupational Health and Safety Coordinatorship, conducted health screenings for the first time for 400 employees. “Healthy Personnel, Healthy Work” The screening was organized with the aim of protecting the health of employees, informing them about the issues they should pay attention to while working, and taking precautions against existing and potential health problems. Read More
Boğaziçi University Expands the Geography of International Cooperation
Boğaziçi University Deepens Ties with the University of Chicago
On November 22, 2022, Boğaziçi University inked an MoU with the University of Chicago, expanding opportunities for exchanges, collaborative research, and cultural initiatives. This partnership enhances our global presence and reaffirms our commitment to international engagement. Read More
Boğaziçi University Expands International Network with ADA University in Azerbaijan
On October 7, 2021, Boğaziçi University reached a significant milestone with the signing of its first MoU in Azerbaijan with ADA University. The MoU, signed by our Vice Rector, Prof. Gürkan Selçuk Kumbaroğlu, lays the foundation for academic collaboration, enabling student exchanges, joint research projects, and cultural partnerships between the two institutions. This represents a momentous achievement in Bogazici University's commitment to expanding its global network and fostering international relationships. Read More
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Boğaziçi University Signs MoU with Beihang University in China
We are pleased to announce a new partnership with Beihang University in China. During a visit by our Vice Rector Prof. Gürkan Selçuk Kumbaroğlu, an MoU was signed, creating opportunities for academic exchange, research collaboration, and cultural exchanges. This initiative strengthens our global presence and promises exciting prospects for our academic community. Read More
New Agreement Between Bogazici University and the University of Göttingen
Bogazici University and the University of Göttingen have signed a new Erasmus agreement, enabling student and faculty mobility at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. This collaboration enhances international academic opportunities and strengthens ties between our institutions. Read More
Strengthening Global Collaborations - Vice Rector Prof. Gürkan Selçuk Kumbaroğlu's Visit to China
Our Vice Rector Professor Gürkan Selçuk Kumbaroğlu recently undertook a significant visit to Northeastern University in China, celebrating their 100th anniversary and exploring avenues for future collaborations. Read More
New MoU with with Alisher Navo’I Tashkent State University in Uzbekistan
On December 21, 2021, Bogazici University celebrated a significant achievement with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Alisher Navo’I Tashkent State University. Read More
https://lifesci.boun.edu.tr/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/EoI_BULifeSci_final_17oct2022.pdf
https://lifesci.boun.edu.tr/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/brasur-draft.pdf
https://ntcp.bogazici.edu.tr/tr/hakkimizda
https://1004.tubitak.gov.tr/sites/default/files/2024-02/22AG016_Bog%CC%86azic%CC%A7i_U%CC%88niversitesi_NTC%CC%A7P_Platformu.pdf
Prof. Dr. Rana Sanyal Receives Prestigious Award from the European Innovation Council
Prof. Dr. Rana Sanyal, a faculty member of the Chemistry Department at Boğaziçi University and co-founder of RS Research, has been awarded the ‘Women Innovators’ award, the most prestigious category of the ‘European Women Innovators Award’ presented by the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). The award was announced on 18 March 2024 during Research and Innovation Week in Brussels.
Prof. Sanyal emphasised that this award is a source of inspiration for young scientists and highlighted the importance of making women's contributions to science and technology visible.
RS Research, a biotechnology startup founded by Prof. Sanyal and her partner Sena Nomak, develops smart drugs that enable targeted chemotherapy in oncology. In collaboration with the Boğaziçi University Life Sciences Centre and leveraging the infrastructure of the Technology Park, the company has advanced the first domestically developed new drug candidate from the laboratory to the Phase 1 clinical trial stage in Turkey.
Groundbreaking Research Being Conducted at Boğaziçi LifeSci
(26 April 2024 – Ministry of Industry and Technology)
Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır emphasised that groundbreaking research is being conducted at Boğaziçi University's Life Sciences and Technologies Research Centre (Boğaziçi LifeSci) and that these studies are leading the way for Turkey's health technology ecosystem.
At the centre:
o Over 100 scientific projects are being carried out.
o 1,200 high-impact publications have been produced.
o Over 20 international patents have been obtained.
- Prof. Dr. Rana Sanyal and her team developed the first domestically produced drug candidate, which was developed entirely in Turkey and approved by the Ministry of Health.
- This achievement is considered one of Turkey's first ‘Turcorn’ (billion-dollar valuation) candidates in the health sector.
- The project was implemented with 5 million euros in EU funding and includes Turkey's first pre-clinical animal imaging centre and clean room infrastructure.
Boğaziçi University Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Naci İnci also stated the following:
- LifeSci is a large research ecosystem comprising over 50 academics from 13 departments, 380 postgraduate students, and 30 technical staff.
- The centre works across a wide range of fields, including micro/nano devices, smart drug delivery systems, vaccine technologies, and algae-based food supplements.
- Boğaziçi is the only Turkish university represented at the EU level in Brussels and is a member of the UniLion network.
- The new EU project CHIRON-T3 aims to significantly increase Turkey's R&D capacity in the field of health.
EU Commissioner Iliana Ivanova congratulated Prof. Dr. Rana Sanyal on receiving the European Women Innovators Award and announced that the EU will continue to support and strengthen its collaborations in the field of health.
These developments highlight that Boğaziçi LifeSci is a strategic and innovative research centre not only in Turkey but also at the European level.
https://haberler.bogazici.edu.tr/tr/news/bilim/4/sanayi-ve-teknoloji-bakani-kacir-bogazici-lif/2811
Boğaziçi LifeSci Brings Together Scientists Working in the Field of Targeted Treatment Technologies
The 2nd Targeted Treatment Technologies Symposium, organised by the Boğaziçi University Life Sciences and Technologies Centre (Boğaziçi LifeSci), was held on 24-25 May 2024 at the Kandilli Deep Technology Hub.
The event brought together academics, industry representatives and investors from Turkey and abroad.
TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, who joined the symposium online, emphasised that Boğaziçi LifeSci acts as a ‘catalyst’ for the health research ecosystem in Turkey. He also stated that the centre has achieved success not only through funding but also by establishing effective partnerships and a strong research environment.
Centre Director Prof. Dr. Rana Sanyal stated that Boğaziçi LifeSci has undertaken projects that attract attention with national and international collaborations in the field of targeted treatment technologies and that they are open to all stakeholders who wish to join this ecosystem.
Prof. Dr. Cengizhan Öztürk stated that more than 100 health-based research projects are being carried out at the centre and that the studies, supported by advanced technology infrastructures such as Cleanroom, Vivarium and Imaging Unit, are funded by TÜBİTAK, the EU and various government agencies.
At the symposium, leading scientists from Turkey and abroad delivered presentations, particularly on targeted treatment technologies that could revolutionise cancer treatment. Participants included academics from China, Switzerland, and Turkey. The event contributed to the advancement of research in this field at the global level by promoting the exchange of scientific knowledge.
MR Project Aiming to Enhance Turkey's Computational MRI Imaging Capabilities Begins at Boğaziçi
Prof. Dr. Esin Öztürk Işık, a faculty member at Boğaziçi University's Institute of Biomedical Engineering, and her team aim to enhance Turkey's competence in computational magnetic resonance (MR) imaging through a competitive Twinning Project supported by the European Commission's Horizon Europe programme. The project will begin in June 2024 and last for three years.
Within the scope of the project, new computational MR techniques will be developed to contribute to the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), students will be trained through summer schools and winter workshops, and early-career researchers will be supported with short-term training opportunities in Amsterdam and Bremen.
The new MRI imaging technique called ‘blood-brain barrier arterial flow labelling,’ which will be used in MS diagnosis, has the potential to detect the disease at an early stage. The project will involve collaboration with academics from the radiology and neurology departments of Acıbadem University.
The team, selected from 848 applications through a competitive process, will continue its work with the support of the Boğaziçi University Technology Transfer Office.
https://haberler.bogazici.edu.tr/tr/news/bilim/4/turkiyenin-bilisimsel-mr-goruntuleme-yetkinli/2831
Boğaziçi University Scientists Achieve Great Success at TÜRKPATENT ISIF'24 Awards
Within the scope of TEKNOFEST 2024, Boğaziçi University scientists achieved significant success at the 9th International Invention Fair (ISIF'24) organised by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT). At the event, which saw participants from 13 countries, researchers from Boğaziçi University won a total of 9 awards, including two gold and six silver medals.
- Prof. Dr. Nesrin Özören and Ali Can Salihlioğlu received the ‘Best Academic Invention Award’ for their study titled ‘An Antigen Delivery Method’; Prof. Dr. Özören also won a gold medal for her research on ‘ASC Speckles in Cancer Immunotherapy.’
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özgür Kocatürk, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Albert Güveniş, and Dr. Sefa Zülfikar from Biomedical Engineering won a gold medal for their project titled ‘An Oral Device for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome.’
- Other silver medal winners included many faculty members and researchers from the departments of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, and Biomedical Engineering.
These awards reinforce Boğaziçi University's strong position in scientific research and innovation and its international achievements.
Faster and More Accurate Cancer Diagnosis Now Possible with New Artificial Intelligence Model
Assistant Professor Dr. Mehmet Turan and his team from the Department of Computer Engineering at Boğaziçi University have developed two new models that accelerate cancer diagnosis processes and increase their accuracy using artificial intelligence and deep learning technologies. These studies were published in the prestigious scientific journal Medical Image Analysis.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Turan states that with the models named ‘PathoSeg’ and ‘PathopixGAN,’ they have brought a significant innovation to diagnostic processes in pathology, which have been based on microscope examinations for years. The ‘PathoSeg’ model increases diagnostic accuracy by quickly and accurately segmenting cancerous cells and tissues, thereby reducing the workload of doctors. The analyses provided by the model, especially in critical stages such as early detection of metastasis, contribute significantly to patient care.
‘PathopixGAN’ solves the data imbalance problem frequently encountered in histopathology data by generating realistic artificial images. This enables superior performance in the diagnosis of even rare pathological structures.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Turan emphasized that they aim for the models they developed to become a reference point in the field of pathology worldwide, stating that the integration of these technologies into clinical applications will support faster, more reliable, and personalized treatment options.
https://haberler.bogazici.edu.tr/tr/news/bilim/4/yeni-yapay-zeka-modeliyle-kanserin-daha-hizli/2878
2024 Sustainability Report SDG-3 (Related Section)
Boğaziçi LifeSci: ‘To ensure the production of knowledge and technology to understand and improve life’
Established in 2009 within Boğaziçi University on an area of approximately 7500 m2, the ‘Life Sciences and Technologies Application and Research Centre’ (Boğaziçi LifeSci), which operates in 3 locations, namely the main centre located in the ‘Kandilli Science, Technology and Research Building’ in Kandilli Campus, North Campus and Sarıtepe Campus, is one of the few research centres in Turkey where research focusing on groundbreaking technologies of the future in the fields of life sciences, health and biotechnology can be carried out at a very advanced level.
With its infrastructure consisting of six units including Medical Device Development (Clean Room) Unit, Experimental Animal Care and Production Unit (Vivarium), Test-Analysis Unit, Targeted Treatment Technologies Experimental Animal Imaging Unit, Pilot Production Facilities, Microalgae Biorefinery, Boğaziçi LifeSci gathers all stages of research from scientific idea to clinical trials under a single centre. Within the centre; micro and nano devices, molecular imaging methods and analyses, robotic devices, materials for biosensing platforms, smart drug delivery systems, vaccine delivery technologies, food supplements from algae, as well as world-class scientific research projects for the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases including cancer are carried out.
With its strong infrastructure, Boğaziçi Lifesci aims to create and disseminate services not only for internal and external academic projects, but also for companies and international projects, especially SMEs. With the ‘R&D Support Laboratories Project for Increasing the Global Competitiveness of Life Sciences SMEs’ within the scope of the Competitive Sectors Programme carried out by the Ministry of Industry and Technology with the co-financing of the European Union & Republic of Turkey, the Centre accelerates the research and development activities of SMEs and entrepreneurs operating in the field of life sciences with a focus on technology, innovation, and added value. One of the important priorities of the Centre is the rapid transfer of scientific research and new technologies to the national industry. With the support of the Istanbul Development Agency, the Centre, in cooperation with other academic and industrial institutions, provides infrastructure for major projects aimed at developing the health industry, supporting entrepreneurship and improving the quality of human life by creating innovative approaches and products.
Established in March 2022 within the Boğaziçi University Life Sciences and Technologies Application and Research Centre, the EU Relations and International Funds Unit is the first and only EU-specialised unit within a Turkish university, offering various synergies for stakeholders to maximise their impact through innovation, impact and collaboration. It works with organisations of various sizes, from early-stage start-ups to the largest international organisations.
For More Information
https://lifesci.boun.edu.tr/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/brasur-draft.pdf
https://lifesci.boun.edu.tr/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/EoI_BULifeSci_final_17oct2022.pdf
For a list of existing collaborations and projects with local, national and global health organisations to improve health and well-being:
https://lifesci.boun.edu.tr/projects/
Boğaziçi LifeSci brought together scientists working in the field of targeted treatment technologies
Boğaziçi University Life Sciences and Technologies Centre (Boğaziçi LifeSci) organised the second Targeted Treatment Technologies Symposium in 2024, the first of which was held in 2023. TÜBİTAK President Prof Dr Hasan Mandal, who participated in the symposium online, said that the work carried out in the field of health at Boğaziçi LifeSci is a ‘catalyst’ for the development of the ecosystem in Turkey.
For More Information
Boğaziçi University Life Sciences and Technologies Application and Research Centre EU Horizon Days was launched
In EU Horizon Days, which was organised as an event series in cooperation with Boğaziçi University and TÜBİTAK, the calls under the titles of ‘European Research Council (ERC)’, ‘Health’, ‘Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area’ were examined in detail, and networking opportunities were provided with industry professionals and experts in the field.
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NeurotechEU - The European University of Brain and Technology
The European University of Brain and Technology, supported under the umbrella of the European Universities Initiative, of which Boğaziçi University is one of the founding partners, was launched on 16 December 2020. Boğaziçi University contributes to the consortium established under the name ‘NeurotechEU’ with its units and programmes operating in all fields including science, social sciences and educational sciences under the theme of Neurosciences and Technologies. Boğaziçi University, which will lead the technological innovation work package within the framework of the cooperation, aims to create added value within the scope of university- industry cooperation.
For More Information
Neurotechnological Solutions Platform (NTÇP)
The Platform for Neurotechnological Solutions to Challenges Threatening Human Function (NTÇP) is a high-tech centre of excellence focused on neurotechnology. The aim of NTÇP is to provide high-tech solutions to the challenges that widely affect the brain, limbs, individual and society such as neurological diseases, joint amputation, cerebral palsy, stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, aging, educational-cognitive problems, and to develop outputs with high added value, economic and social impact suitable for industrial processes. The partners of the platform are Istanbul University, Clinical Research Excellence Application and Research Centre (IUKAMM), Sabancı University, Integrated Manufacturing Technologies Application and Research Centre (TÜMER), Bilkent University, National Magnetic Resonance Research Centre (UMRAM), Yeditepe University, Translational Medicine Application and Research Centre (YUTTAM), and Karel Kalıp Sanayi A.Ş., leading companies in the electronics, communication, medical device and energy industries. Karel Elektronik Sanayi A.Ş. and ASPİLSAN Enerji A.Ş.
For More Information
https://ntcp.bogazici.edu.tr/tr/hakkimizda
Boğaziçi University Expands the Geography of International Collaborations
Boğaziçi University has signed important agreements with various universities in order to strengthen international cooperation. On 7 October 2021, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with ADA University in Azerbaijan, on 21 December 2021 with Alisher Navo'i Tashkent State University in Uzbekistan, on 22 November 2022 with the University of Chicago, and on 27 September 2023 with Beihang University in China, laying the foundations for academic cooperation, student exchanges, joint research and cultural projects. A new Erasmus agreement was signed between Boğaziçi University and the University of Göttingen, enabling student and faculty mobility at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and extensive discussions on joint research, faculty and student exchange programmes and cultural initiatives were held during the important visit of our Vice Rector Professor Gürkan Selçuk Kumbaroğlu to Northeastern University in China in 2023. These collaborations strengthen Boğaziçi University's global presence and reinforce its commitment to international relations.
For More Information
https://intl.bogazici.edu.tr/?q=bogazici-university-deepens-ties-university-chicago
