About us

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK) granted the “Development of a new Immobilized Metal Affinity Chromatography (IMAC) Sorbent for Phosphopeptide Enrichment for Monitoring the Diagnosis, Course, and Treatment of Osteoarthritis and Implementing the Omic Mapping of Synovial Fluid in Proteomic, Metabolomic and Lipidomic Studies” project in relevance to the EU COST CA21110 – “Building an open European Network on OsteoArthritis research (NetwOArk)” Action.

The academic studies of the project team members can be accessed by clicking on the photographs included in the short biographies.

Chondromis.org is offical webpage of the project.

Project Team:

  • Dr. Serhat ALADAĞ [1]*
  • İlayda DEMİRDİŞ [2]**
  • Elif ÜSTÜN [3]***
  • Res Asst. Burcu GÖKÇAL KAPUCU [4]****
  • Dr. Batuhan Erhan AKTAŞ [5]****
  • Dr. Merve GİZER [7],[8]****
  • Res Asst. Dr. Ozan KAPLAN [6]****
  • İdil YET [9]****
  • Melis ŞARDAN EKİZ [10]****
  • Prof. Dr. Petek KORKUSUZ [8],[11]****
  • Prof. Dr. Mustafa ÇELEBİER [6]****
  • Prof. Dr. Ömür ÇELİKBIÇAK [10],[12]****
  • Prof. Dr. Süleyman Ali TUNCEL [4]****
  • Prof. Dr. Feza KORKUSUZ [5]*****

Affiliations:

  • [1] Hacettepe University, Department of Bioengineering, Ankara, Türkiye.
  • [2] Hacettepe University, Department of Biology, Ankara, Türkiye.
  • [3] Hacettepe University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ankara, Türkiye.
  • [4] Hacettepe University, Department of Chemical Engineering, Ankara, Türkiye.
  • [5] Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Sports Medicine, Ankara, Türkiye.
  • [6] Hacettepe University, Department of Basic Pharmacy Sciences, Ankara, Türkiye.
  • [7] Hacettepe University, Department of Stem Cell Science, Ankara, Türkiye.
  • [8] Middle East Technical University, MEMS Center, Ankara, Türkiye.
  • [9] Hacettepe University, Department of Bioinformatics, Ankara, Türkiye.
  • [10] Hacettepe University, Department of Chemistry, Ankara, Türkiye.
  • [11] Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Ankara, Türkiye.
  • [12] Hacettepe University, Advanced Technologies Application and Research Center, Ankara, Türkiye.

Role in Project:

  • * PhD Scholar (15/03/2024 – 01/12/2024)
  • ** MSc Scholar
  • *** BSc Scholar
  • **** Researcher
  • ***** Principal Investigator
Dr. Serhat Aladağ received his PhD degree in the Department of Bioengineering at Hacettepe University. He received BSc and MSc degrees in Biomedical Engineering from Erciyes University in 2013 and 2017, respectively. Serhat Aladağ, who works as Quality Manager at the National Control Laboratory of the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency, has studies in the fields of laboratory quality management systems, biopotential signal processing, clinical engineering, feature extraction and biomedical instrumentation. His main research ares are osteoarthritis specific biomarkers identification, bioaffinity chromatography, metabolomics, lipidomics and proteomics.
Elif Üstün has been pursuing her undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Pharmacy at Hacettepe University since 2022. Her scholarly interests lie in the area of analytical techniques in pharmaceutical sciences. She aims to further explore the application of these techniques in the development and assessment of treatment methods.
İlayda Demirdiş graduated from Başkent University, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics in June 2021. She started her master’s degree in Molecular Biology Department of Hacettepe University Biology Department in February 2023 and is still continuing her education. Her research interests include molecular biology, metabolomics and nanobiotechnology.
Burcu Gökçal Kapucu is a research assistant at Hacettepe University, Department of Chemical Engineering.  She completed her undergraduate education and master’s degree in Chemical Engineering at Hacettepe University. She continues her doctorate in the same department.   She is engaged in the synthesis of porous micro and nanoparticles, emphasizing structural customization for applications in materials science. Her research extends to biotechnological applications, exploring diverse uses of these particles in diagnostics and biomolecular interactions. Additionally, she focuses on surface modification techniques and the design of functional materials to enhance performance in various contexts.
Batuhan Erhan Aktaş, MD, is a third-year medical resident specializing in the Department of Sports Medicine at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine. He earned his medical degree from Gazi University Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Aktaş is actively engaged in research, with a focus on the biomechanics of the musculoskeletal system, exercise physiology, ultrasound imaging, and sports injuries. His dedication to advancing knowledge in these areas is evident through his participation in clinical and research studies.
Dr. Merve Gizer received her Ph.D. degree in the Department of Stem Cell Sciences at Hacettepe University, and she is also a researcher at the Middle East Technical University MEMS Center. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from the Department of Biology and her M.Sc. from the Department of Bioengineering at Hacettepe University.  During her M.Sc. degree, she focused on stem cell-assisted osteogenesis topics. She is currently working on male infertility using human induced pluripotent stem cells derived primordial germ cells and spermatogonial stem cells.

Dr. Ozan Kaplan received his PhD degree in the Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Analytical Chemistry  at Hacettepe University. His undergraduate from chemistry department, M. Sc. From analytical chemistry. His main research areas are mass spectrometry based metabolomics, lipidomics and proteomics where he employ method development and  bioinformatical approaches to address various research questions.
Idil Yet received her PhD in Bioinformatics from King’s College London/University of London in 2016. Before that, she was trained as a statistician and a computer scientist. She received a health informatics master degree from Middle East Technical University which she later on also worked as a postdoctoral fellow on detecting aneuploidies using single-cell sequencing.  She is currently affiliated at Hacettepe University at the Department of Bioinformatics. Her research focuses on GWAS and analysing several -omics and integrating them using AI/machine learning techniques. 
Dr. Melis Şardan Ekiz has been lecturer at Hacettepe University Advanced Technologies and Research Center since 2019. She graduated from the Department of Chemistry at Middle East Technical University in 2008 and gained her PhD degree in Material Science and Nanotechnology from Bilkent University in 2016. She is experienced in performing mass spectrometric analyses. Her qualifications include conducting mass-based omics studies and designing self-assembled peptide nanomaterials. She focuses on the development of smart materials that mimic the structure and function of natural biomacromolecules through the programmed self-assembly of synthetic peptides into supramolecular architectures.  
Petek Korkusuz received her MD degree from Gazi University Faculty of Medicine; completed her residency in Histology and Embryology at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine. She received her Ph.D. from Gazi University Faculty of Medicine Department of Medical Pharmacology. She is a full time Professor in Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine Department of Histology and Embryology. Her cross-appointments are in Nanomedicine and Nanotechnology, Bioengineering, Stem Cell Sciences and Oral Biology departments. Her research is focused on biomaterials and stem cells for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, cannabinoids, cancer biology and male infertility based on somatic and germ stem cell niches.
Mustafa Çelebier is a Full Time Professor at Hacettepe University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Analytical Chemistry. He graduated from Ankara University, Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry. He has two master’s degrees and one Ph.D. degree in Analytical Chemistry. His research focuses on pharmaceutical analysis using HPLC, CE, and LC-MS. He performs LC-MS based metabolomics and proteomics applications on biological samples. He received the Hacettepe University Young Scientist Award in 2017 and the Turkish Pharmacists Association Young Scientist Incentive Award in 2019.
Ömür Çelikbıçak, Ph.D., serves as a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Hacettepe University. His academic journey is deeply rooted in Hacettepe University, where he attained his Bachelor of Science, Master of Science in Chemistry, and Doctorate in Physical Chemistry. His research expertise primarily revolves around the application of mass spectrometry in diverse fields such as Proteomics, Metabolomics, and Lipidomics. In addition to his profound interest in analytical techniques, Dr. Çelikbıçak has made significant contributions in the synthesis and characterization of synthetic polymers, particularly focusing on their development as smart materials. He is also renowned for his innovative methods in the purification and enrichment of biomolecules, utilizing the unique properties of these advanced materials.  
Süleyman Ali Tuncel is a full professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Hacettepe University. He completed his undergraduate education, master’s degree and doctorate degree in Chemical Engineering at Hacettepe University.   Receiving the TÜBİTAK encouragement award in 1998, Prof. Tuncel has extensively contributed to the fields of biotechnology, sensor technologies, and micro-nanotechnology. In his biotechnological applications, he employs advanced affinity techniques for isolation and detection of trace biomolecules, including the development of ELISA systems targeting tumor markers and blood protein determination. In the domain of nanocatalytic applications, Prof. Tuncel directs efforts toward energy production and water treatment, engaging in projects with international collaborations. His active synthesis of nanocatalysts for the degradation of organic pollutants and exploration of water oxidation catalysts for hydrogen generation highlights significant contributions to biomedical and environmental research.

Feza Korkusuz MD attended medical specification in Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology at Gazi University Medical Faculty, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology between 1987 and 1992 after graduating from Ankara University Faculty in Medicine in 1986. Between 1989 and 1990 he studied in Osaka University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopedic Surgery from where he graduated with a postgraduate diploma. His clinical and research studies focused on Spine Surgery, Sports Medicine and Basic Research. In 1994 and in 2001 he became Associate Professor and Professor. In 1999 and 2000, he received the METU Prof. Dr. N. Parlar Foundation young investigator and the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) Promotion Awards. In 2008, he became an active member of the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons (ABJS), and since 2006 he has been the corresponding and deputy editor of Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. In 2017, he became an active member to the Turkish Academy of Science (TUBA). He was the Advisor to the President of TÜBİTAK between 2018 and 2021. He currently is the Chairman of the Department of Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Sports Medicine.