FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

Department of Genetics and Bioengineering

Welcome

WHY GENETICS AND BIOENGINEERING?

Genetics and Bioengineering is an extensive and rapidly developing new branch of engineering. It forms a bridge between biological sciences, modern engineering and medicine. This new and thrilling field combines engineering, science and medical sciences with advanced diagnostics and treatment methods, vaccine production, artificial tissue and organ generation, individual drug design and production of transgenic plants. The main goal is to develop technologies on  beneficial strategies applied on various disciplines. People with undergraduate degrees in this field have substantial knowledge of genetics and bioengineering practices. They also develop the ability to interpret, analyse and present complex data with a vision that has been shaped from an engineering perspective. This is why they could work not only in the biotechnology industry, but almost in all diverse areas where analytical intelligence and the ability to form and reflect the big picture are required. Studying in this exciting field is definitely prestigious, exciting and versatile for young and visionary people whith an interest in adapting science to the modern world.

GENETICS AND BIOENGINEERING IN TURKEY AND THE WORLD

As can be seen on the graphs below, biotechnology companies are among the top in terms of creating venture. Indeed, biotechnology received more than twice the investment of 2013, even in the first two months of 2018. This example demonstrates that Genetic and Bioengineering practices create future-oriented technologies and markets that are growing rapidly. To be able to enter this formation at a moment where the acceleration is very high (as it is now), could undoubtedly create a unique opportunity to achieve global success. The situation in our country is basically the same, and again another graph clearly indicates the growing importance of Genetics and Bioengineering in Turkey. Many job opportunities and descriptions have emerged in Turkey both in the pharmaceutical industry and in biotechnology. In terms of opening up abroad, Genetics and Bioengineering discipline inhabits a wide range of academic scholarships and job opportunities compared to many other scientific fields. Graduates can work in academia, industry (health and pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agriculture, food, etc.), clinical medicine and diagnostic centers, national and international research laboratories, stem cell and gene therapy laboratories, forensic medicine, IVF centers and R&D departments..etc. Since they are engineers, they can participate in almost every business field such as biogas, fermentation and food industry, etc., as experts. In addition, many Genetics and Bioengineering graduates choose to continue further in their academic careers  to specialise in a particular field - before advancing further in business.

EDUCATIONAL PROCESS

The undergraduate program of our university includes training and research programs based on the application of engineering principles to medical problems and biological systems. This training was designed to combine basic sciences with medical engineering perspectives. Our department has a multidisciplinary education program, which offers advanced technology education within its well-equipped laboratories. The aim is to teach the students the solution of medical and research problems with the fine analytical mind of an engineer. In the first two years of this training program, students study basic sciences such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and molecular biology. As of the third year, students are heavily focused on Genetics and Bioengineering with a theoretical background complemented by laboratory studies where advanced computer and bioinfirmatics solutions are also introduced.  With the broad experience of our academic staff, who also studied abroad, our students focus on specific areas such as gene engineering, cell and tissue engineering, basic bioengineering, microbial biotechnology, regenerative medicine, molecular biology, bioinformatics, immunology and epigenetics, protein chemistry, cancer biology and stem cell biology.

RESEARCH PROJECTS AND INTERNSHIPS

During the education in our department, undergraduate students are provided with the opportunity of participating actively in research and innovation environment. Students are required to prepare a graduation project with the help of their advisors for the last two semesters of their education and also present their work effectively. In addition, students who have showed outstanding success throughout the academic year have the opportunity to participate in international/national projects carried out by the academic staff of our university. Our students usually start their voluntary internships as early as their second years. In their last summer, they choose to perform their mandatory internships abroad in major institutions. The Department of Genetics and Bioengineering has been one of the most successful department of Erasmus internships and our students have done their internships abroad successfully by the guidance of our strongly experienced academic staff.

Our students were accepted to summer research internships by high standard international institutions including University of Cambridge, Imperal College London and King's College London as well as pharmaceutical giants including Novartis. 

OUR GRADUATES

 We can easily exemplify their global success with headline news articles:

FOR DETAILED INFORMATION

We recommend you to watch the talk (in Turkish) of our faculty member for further and detailed information on Genetics and Bioengineering vision and job areas:


OUR FACULTY MEMBERS

GENETICS AND BIOENGINEERING FACULTY

Prof. Zeynep Fırtına Karagonlar
Cancer stem cells and drug resistance
Post-doctorate: University of Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Doctorate: University of Delaware, U.S.A.
Undergraduate: Sabancı University

Asst. Prof. Cihangir Yandım
Interdisciplinary biology of aging and cancer
Post-doctorate: Institute of Cancer Research, U.K.
Doctorate: Imperial College London, U.K.
Undergraduate: Bilkent University

Asst. Prof. Pınar Gördesli Duatepe
Nano-biotechnology and biofilms
Doctorate: Washington State University, U.S.A.
Undergraduate: Hacettepe University

Asst. Prof. Işınay Yüzay
Polymer science and nanotechnology
Post-doctorate:  Michigan State University, U.S.A.
Doctorate: Michigan State University, U.S.A.
Undergraduate: Ege University

Assoc. Prof.  Mine Güngörmüşler
Biosystems and bioprocess technology
Post-doctorate: : Manitoba University, Canada
Doctorate: Ege University
Undergraduate: Hacettepe University

Asst. Prof. Yağmur Kiraz Durmaz
Drug resistance in Cancer
Doctorate: Izmir Institute of Technology
Stony Brook University, NY, U.S.A. 
Undergraduate: İstanbul University

Lecturer Dr. Gülizar Çalışkan Bilgin
Nanobiotechnology
Doctorate: Ege University
Undergraduate: Ege University

AFFILIATE FACULTY

Assoc. Prof. Osman Doluca
Alternative DNA structures
Post-doctorate: RTA Laboratories
Doctorate: Massey University, New Zealand
Undergraduate: Istanbul Technical University

Asst. Prof.  Burçak Alp
Tissue engineering and biomaterials
Post-doctorate: University College London, U.K.
Doctorate: Manchester University, U.K.
Undergraduate: Hacettepe University

Asst. Prof.  Gizem Ayna Duran
Autophagy and Cancer
Post-doctorate: Dokuz Eylül Medical School
Doctorate: University of Debrecen, Hungary
Undergraduate: Ege University

Asst. Prof. Yalın Kılıç
Molecular diagnostics
Doctorate: Dokuz Eylül Medical School
Undergraduate: Hacettepe University Medical School

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