Member of Yale University Yale Genome Centre, Assist. Prof. Dr. Kaya Bilgüvar, Academic Member of Department of Medical Biology of Marmara University Dr. Can Erzik, visited Academic Member of Near East University Department of Medical Biology and Genetics and Head of Cancer Diagnosis-Research Centre, Prof. Dr. Nedime Serakıncı. As a result of the meeting, which continued throughout the day, they have signed a cooperation protocol which involves conducting joint projects and academic publications together.

According to the press info release issued by the Directorate of Press and Public Relations of Near East University, a cooperation protocol has been signed between Member of Yale University Yale Genome Centre, Assist. Prof. Dr. Kaya Bilgüvar; Academic Member of Department of Medical Biology of Marmara University, Dr. Can Erzik; and Head of Centre of Cancer Diagnosis-Research of Near East University and also Academic Member of Department of Medical Biology and Genetics of Near East University, Prof. Dr. Nedime Serakıncı. It was stated that initially they will be working on two projects which involve “New gene variants which have not been studied previously and Mendelian Genetics”.

Prof. Dr. Nedime Serakıncı: “One of the aims of our projects is to identify diseases which have not been diagnosed in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”.

Head of Centre of Excellence and Cancer Diagnosis-Research Centre of Near East University Prof. Dr. Nedime Serakıncı expressed that their aim in conducting a joint project was to identify diseases which have not been previously diagnosed in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). In this regard, she expressed that through their project they targeted to identify certain genetic syndromes and diseases by considering alleles in the gene pool of the TRNC and therefore evaluating risks for future generations.

The First and Only Database of TRNC is provided by Near East University Genetic Mutation Database...

It was expressed that the first and only genetic database of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was established in 2014 by Near East University, titled as Near East University Genetic Mutation Database (http://genetics-db.neu.edu.tr/) and Prof. Dr. Serakıncı was mastermind of the database.

Prof. Dr. Serakıncı further added to her statement by stressing that new projects will shed light on the genetic features of Turkish Cypriots and therefore, identify the genetic diseases at hand. She ended her words by expressing that the pilot studies of the two projects to be conducted jointly with the aforementioned parties have provided promising outcomes and that they were getting ready for further good results from their studies.