Selected Projects from the International Food Biosafety and Biotechnology Research and Extension Center:

In order to ensure sustainability in the field of food biosafety and biotechnology, the following projects are underway at our International Food Biosafety and Biotechnology Research and Extension Center.

• Risk Analysis of Genetically Modified Crops: Perspective from Omics Technologies

This project describes how GMO risk assessment can be made with new technologies. The fact that risk assessment can be conducted through new technologies will bring economic and scientific gains to our country. This project is also supported by HU BAP (Hacettepe University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit).

• Rapid GMO Detection with Using Aunps and its Implementation to the Matlab

Rapid developments in agricultural productivity are urgently needed to meet human food needs and ensure sustainability. New technologies are needed to address food safety challenges for food safety, plant, animal and human health. These problems are particularly important not only for the world’s major food needs, but also for the developing world, which does not have the complex monitoring and analytical tools needed to implement the most advanced approaches to agricultural production and sustainability. To deal these problems, we are developing field applicable DNA nanosensors for GMO detection to quickly identify DNA-based properties. To do this, we integrate and use two new technologies developed at MSU. First, we developed nanosensor-based assays for DNA signatures that are fast, sensitive, highly specific, inexpensive and adaptable to various GMO event targets.

• Functional Food Properties of Turkish Wheat Varieties

This project, carried out in collaboration with Hacettepe University, Michigan State University and Republic of Turkey Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, is the first to investigate the functional food properties of Turkish wheat varieties. The aim of this project is to investigate the variety of indigenous wheat in Turkey, the use of wheat in our country in human nutrition with effects on human health and to create an environment in which sustainable production issues are investigated in wheat.