Organized by the Bursa Uludağ University (BUÜ) R&D Coordination Office, the sixth “Uludağ Thematic Coffee Days” event brought together academics and industry stakeholders under the theme “Interdisciplinary Approaches in Cancer Research.” The event emphasized the evolution of cancer treatment and the importance of multifaceted collaboration.
Held in the BUÜ Rectorate Hall A, the event was attended by Vice Rector Prof. Dr. İrfan Kırıştıoğlu, R&D Coordinator Prof. Dr. Esra Karaca, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Prof. Dr. N. Funda Coşkun, distinguished speakers, academic and administrative staff, as well as students.
“CANCER TREATMENT MUST INCLUDE SOCIAL DIMENSIONS”
BUÜ Vice Rector Prof. Dr. İrfan Kırıştıoğlu noted that cancer treatment has historically evolved from tumor removal to genetic-level targeted therapies, emphasizing that this transformation necessitates a multidisciplinary approach. He highlighted that despite major scientific efforts, success rates remain low in some cancer types. Therefore, beyond surgery and medication, the approach must also incorporate patients’ psychosocial well-being, quality of life, artificial intelligence, and fields such as biosystems engineering.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS INCREASE THE INCIDENCE OF LUNG CANCER!
Dean of the BUÜ Faculty of Medicine Prof. Dr. Funda Coşkun stated that cancer remains an important issue despite the passage of years, and that, due to its multifactorial nature, its prevalence continues to rise. Touching on her own field—chest diseases and lung cancer—Prof. Dr. Coşkun explained that due to factors such as Bursa's industrial structure, air pollution, and high tobacco consumption, the region has a high prevalence of lung cancer. She emphasized the importance of preventive medicine, innovative diagnostic stages, and supporting treatment pathways in the fight against cancer, noting that this field requires collaboration across all disciplines such as biology, physics, chemistry, and engineering.
“BUÜ IS STRENGTHENING INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION”
R&D Coordinator Prof. Dr. Esra Karaca stressed that the main purpose of these events is to foster new collaborations and generate future project ideas between academics and external stakeholders. Karaca stated that they closely monitor participant feedback and that satisfaction levels are quite high. She added that Bursa being an industrial city and the university’s wide range of research fields provide an advantage in determining themes and attracting interest from industry partners.
IMPACTFUL PRESENTATIONS FROM EXPERT GUESTS
The program, followed with great interest by academics and industry representatives, featured presentations by:
BUÜ Faculty of Science and Letters Dean Prof. Dr. Bilgen Osman; Tuğçe Kuştur from the Turkish Cancer Society’s Health and Education Commission; BUÜ Faculty Member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Önder Aybastıer; R-Kare Biotechnology Co. General Manager Murat Yazıcı; BUÜ Faculty of Medicine Lecturer Dr. Berkcan Doğan; Medcem Medical Laboratory Services Lab Specialist Elif Nihan Çetin; BUÜ Faculty of Science and Letters Prof. Dr. Serap Çelikel Kasımoğulları; BUÜ Faculty of Medicine Prof. Dr. Şehime Gülsün Temel; BUÜ Faculty of Science and Letters Prof. Dr. Ferda Arı; BUÜ Faculty of Engineering Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gıyasettin Özcan; BUÜ Faculty of Science and Letters Dr. Lecturer Ömer Ünsal; Textile Engineer Mihriban Akyol; and Trakya University Faculty of Medicine Prof. Dr. Oğuzhan Doğanlar.
The event concluded with a question-and-answer session.
