You are cordially invited to attend the seminar organized by the Department of Chemistry.
Title: Micro/Nanoscale Marvels: Exploring the Sublime Minutiae and Complex Architectures of Unseen Worlds
Speaker: Dr. Fatih İnci, UNAM
Date: 15/10/2024, Tuesday
Time: 12:30 (Turkiye Time)
Place: SBZ14
Micro/Nanoscale Marvels: Exploring the Sublime Minutiae and Complex Architectures of Unseen Worlds
Abstract: The future of biology and medicine is poised at the intersection of engineering, chemistry, nanotechnology, and materials science. Notably, the realms of micro/nano-scale technologies and biomedical engineering have undergone remarkable growth and advancement in the past decade. The integration of cutting-edge technologies at the micro- and nano-scale—termed as “disruptive innovation,” presents tremendous opportunities to address unmet needs and overcome key challenges in the fields of biology and medicine. In this talk, Dr. Fatih Inci explores state-of-the-art micro- and nano-scale technologies as precise solutions to improve human health and beyond. In this context, the platforms developed in his lab manipulate biomolecules, cells, cell dusts (extracellular vesicles: EVs), and pathogens in small volumes. Among biomarkers focused on by his team, EVs emerge as crucial carriers of information in cellular communication. Initially perceived as artifacts or cell debris, EVs are now recognized for their essential roles in the development and propagation of various diseases, as well as taking serious roles in disease diagnosis and therapeutics in precision health. However, isolating these nano-sized entities in a size-dependent manner presents a significant challenge in EV research. Conventional methods are often costly, prone to the loss of differently sized EVs or susceptible to contamination, thereby compromising the quality of subsequent investigations. His team’s approach harmonizes microfluidics and biosensing strategies to isolate and identify EVs from clinically relevant specimens. This development establishes a diagnostic and screening scheme for point-of-care settings, enabling individuals to easily self-monitor their health status for precision health applications. Detecting these minuscule yet impactful EV markers represent not only a game-changer in medicine, but also opens up new avenues for precision health and clinical management.
Keywords: Extracellular vesicles, microfluidics, metamaterial sensor, disease diagnostics.
Short Bio: Fatih Inci is an assistant professor at Bilkent University, Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology (UNAM). Earlier, he worked as an academician and postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School-Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Harvard-MIT. His scholarly pursuits are centered around advancing microfluidics, biosensing, and microneedle technologies for biomedical applications. He has published 78 papers, 13 book chapters, and 3 editorials, as well as edited 3 books (2 books in-progress). He also holds a notable portfolio of 23 national and international patents, including two licensed products. His research has not only graced the covers of 12 esteemed journals but has also received acclaim from prestigious institutions and organizations that include National Institutes of Health (NIH)–National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and Science–AAAS, as well as renowned press agencies including Nature Medicine, AIP, JAMA, Newsweek, and Popular Science. Actively engaged in research projects, he has played pivotal roles in securing over 50 grants, accumulating a substantial total budget exceeding $8 million USD from national and international entities. In addition, his contributions have earned him 40+ national/international awards and accolades, from organizations such as from National Science Foundation (NSF), Junior Chamber International, The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA), Science Academy, European Molecular Biology Organization-European Science Foundation, Horizon 2020-European Commission, Harvard Medical School-Brigham & Women’s Hospital, American Chemical Society, METU Mustafa Parlar, Association of Science Heroes, Doktorclub, Istanbul University, and Istanbul Technical University.