Sabri Ülker Science Award Winners Announced

Sabri Ülker Science Award Ceremony held at the Metabolism and Life Symposium, which brought together experts in the field of metabolism from all corners of the world. At the symposium hosted by Sabri Ülker Foundation, chaired by Prof. Gökhan Hotamışlıgil and organized by Harvard Sabri Ülker Metabolic Research Center, this year's science award was presented to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elif Nur Fırat Karalar, faculty member at Koç University Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics. Sabri Ülker Foundation, which has gained recognition through its sustainable projects aimed at contributing to the future of public health and providing reliable and up-to-date information on nutrition, food and healthy living to all sections of society from credible sources, held the 7th edition of the Science Award ceremony, which ranks among the most prestigious awards in the scientific world. At the ceremony held during the Metabolism and Life Symposium, which is conducted every two years in partnership with Sabri Ülker Metabolic Research Center, which conducts research on genetics and complex diseases within Harvard University and is considered one of the most notable events in the scientific world, the name of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elif Nur Fırat Karalar, faculty member at Koç University Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, was announced by Sabri Ülker Foundation General Manager Begüm Mutuş.

Ali Ülker: We Will Continue to Support Independent Scientific Research

Yıldız Holding Board Chairman Ali Ülker, who delivered the opening speech of the digital symposium attended by special guests from academia, business and media, began his remarks by saying, "We are proud to continue supporting Turkish science and young Turkish science students internationally through the Sabri Ülker Science Award." Yıldız Holding Board Chairman Ali Ülker stated, "It is possible through legislative changes in our country to enable the development of independent scientific research and support the ecosystem. With these changes, the way can be paved not only for universities but also for independent research, thus increasing scientific productivity for our nation."  

Gökhan Hotamışlıgil: "We are working to strengthen the bonds of young Turkish scientists with each other and with our country."

In his speech, Hotamışlıgil noted that the shared vision of both Sabri Ülker Foundation and Sabri Ülker Metabolic Research Center is to encourage young Turkish scientists who will be the stars of the future worldwide and to create an effective scientific network with strong connections both among themselves and with our country. Hotamışlıgil stated: "Scientific competence is one of the most important building blocks for the security of our future and the welfare of humanity. I wish to express my gratitude to the Ülker community and Sabri Ülker Foundation for their contributions to the development and strengthening of the universal effectiveness of our scientific capacity," he said. Emphasizing that this is a long-term vision, Hotamışlıgil underscored that the young scientists who won the Science Award have already achieved tremendous successes. "I am delighted that Elif Nur Fırat Karalar is joining this distinguished group as an exemplary scientist and role model, and I believe that with her participation we are strengthened and have taken another step closer to our shared dreams," he said.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elif Nur Fırat Karalar: "I hope my work will inspire research that will shed light on the future"

The name of this year's Sabri Ülker Science Award recipient was announced by Sabri Ülker Foundation General Manager Begüm Mutuş. Speaking at the Science Award ceremony, 2021 winner Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elif Nur Fırat Karalar said, "I am very happy to be deemed worthy of the Sabri Ülker Science Award. I extend my endless gratitude to everyone, especially the highly esteemed Sabri Ülker Science Award Jury. I hope that my work, which has been deemed worthy of this award, will serve as inspiration for research that will shed light for future scientists."

Determining the foundations of developmental and metabolic disorders can guide diagnosis and treatment

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elif Nur Fırat Karalar, whose scientific career continues in the field of Molecular Biology and Genetics, investigates through her research how cellular structures known as centrosomes and cilia, which play critical roles in cell division and communication, are formed and function. Karalar and her team believe that all the answers they obtain will enable the development of new methods for diagnosis and treatment of disorders occurring in these structures. Simultaneously, in the work deemed worthy of the Sabri Ülker Science Award, Karalar and her team aim to determine the causes of developmental and metabolic disorders such as kidney dysfunction, blindness, obesity and diabetes, thereby guiding diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elif Nur Fırat Karalar completed her undergraduate degree at Bilkent University Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, then pursued her doctoral studies at University of California, Berkeley and postdoctoral work at Stanford University. Subsequently, in 2014 she established a research laboratory at Koç University Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, conducting studies on how centrosomes and cilia, which have important functions at the cellular and organism levels, are formed and function. These fundamental mechanisms in cell biology manifest disorders ranging from rare genetic diseases to cancer, and research in this field sheds light on new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Karalar also continues her work supported by ERC, EMBO Installation Grant and Young Investigator Program, Royal Society Newton Advanced Fellowship and TUBITAK in her "Cytoskeleton Research" laboratory. The Metabolism and Life Symposium Attracted Significant Interest The Metabolism and Life Symposium, organized by Harvard Sabri Ülker Metabolic Research Center, which also hosted the Sabri Ülker Science Award Ceremony and is chaired by Prof. Gökhan Hotamışlıgil, attracted significant interest. At the symposium, which covered developments in the scientific world, scientists discussed the resolution of molecular details of metabolic diseases and the use of these findings in the treatment and prevention of metabolic diseases. Among the symposium speakers was Roger Kornberg, who discovered the nucleosome, the basic unit of DNA helix on chromosomes, and won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work, as well as other prestigious scientists with expertise in the field.

Exciting Research at Sabri Ülker Metabolic Research Center

The Sabri Ülker Metabolic Research Center, which has been operational since 2015, continues to conduct scientific research to understand the mechanisms underlying chronic and metabolic diseases and to determine new therapeutic approaches to combat these greatest threats to public health worldwide. During the pandemic that affected the entire world last year, due to metabolic diseases being the most important risk factor in the course of COVID-19 and mortality rates, the Center also conducted research on this subject, investigating through which mechanisms the metabolic environment affects viral infection and its consequences. This year, the Center opened the way for potential new treatments with its research on "effects of endoplasmic reticulum stress and loss of function in obesity." Another important study conducted at the Center was pioneering research on high-resolution mapping of intracellular structures and how this structure affects metabolism, as well as the revelation of new hormone activity mechanisms that regulate metabolic balance.