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BioScenerio
BioGate'23

Our Story

The journey of the Galen Team from an idea to a powerhouse of innovation.

The ITU GALEN Project Team is a student community consisting primarily of Istanbul Technical University (ITU) students, producing innovative and interdisciplinary research projects in the fields of biotechnology, life sciences, ecology, geology, and synthetic biology. Since its founding in 2013, GALEN has represented ITU in both national and international competitions, proudly showcasing its work and earning recognition on global platforms. Composed of undergraduate students from diverse disciplines—including Molecular Biology and Genetics, Food Engineering, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Geological Engineering, and Chemistry the team embraces collaborative innovation and scientific problem-solving. In addition to competing, GALEN contributes to the scientific community by organizing events such as the BioGate Competition, first held in 2023, and continues to shape the future of science through its multidisciplinary efforts.

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OUR MISSION

As the Galen Team, our mission is to develop innovative biotechnological solutions to current problems, while enhancing the engagement of young people in the scientific world and providing a favorable environment for the maturation of valuable ideas within a multidisciplinary setting.

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OUR VISION

GALEN aims to develop innovative, original, and sustainable solutions to pressing global issues through engineering and synthetic biology approaches. The team is dedicated to fostering the next generation of multidisciplinary scientists and engineers, providing a collaborative environment for idea development, and promoting scientific education and research innovation in Türkiye.

BIOSCENARIO will be held on 4–5 October, 2025

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What is BioScenario?

An interdisciplinary case-study event hosted at ITU Ayazağa Campus, BioScenario'25, encourages participants to analyze and propose solutions to realistic global crises.

Artificial Pandemic

Participants are expected to develop multidimensional solutions—including diagnosis, treatment, control, and social management—for a scenario involving a global pandemic caused by a virus.

Ecological Balance

Following a volcanic eruption, participants are expected to examine biodiversity loss and the process of ecological succession through systemic analyses at both macro and micro scales, focusing on the reconstruction of a devastated ecosystem.

Our Achievements

A timeline of our success and recognition in various competitions.

2016

🥉 iGEM Bronze Medal

ITU iGEM won the bronze medal at the iGEM competition with their Methamphetamine Biosensor project.

International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM)
2023

🥉 GOGEC Bronze Medal

The CELL-TECH team won the bronze medal at the GOGEC competition with their project "Selestrol Biotransformation via Recombinant Glycosyltransferases for Potential Use in Cancer Treatment."

Global Open Genetic Engineering Competition (GOGEC)
2023

🥈 GOGEC Silver Medal

The BIOCRABS team won the silver medal at the GOGEC competition with their project on the early diagnosis of lung cancer using volatile organic compounds.

Global Open Genetic Engineering Competition (GOGEC)
2023

🥇 SensUs Gold Medal

The Beeomarkers team returned from the Netherlands with a gold medal for their sensor detecting traumatic brain injury using GFAP.

SensUs
2024

🏆 GOGEC Gold Medal

The WANNABEEZ team won the gold medal and the Best Project Value award at the GOGEC competition with their project "Paper-Based Aptasensor Design for Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's from Blood."

Global Open Genetic Engineering Competition (GOGEC)
2025

🌍 AGU Presentation

The GeoMegh team's abstract, titled "Detection of Surface Ruptures Formed After 6 February 2023 Türkiye Earthquakes Using Machine Learning Methods," was accepted at session T026, "Tectonic Settings and Earthquake Potential of Strike-Slip Fault Zones," at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting, one of the world's oldest and most prestigious Earth and Space Science conferences held in the USA.

American Geophysical Union (AGU)
2025

🥈 GOGEC Silver Medal

The CASPER team won the silver medal at the GOGEC competition with their project "Ecosystem Restoration Using Recombinant DNA Technology."

Global Open Genetic Engineering Competition (GOGEC)
2025

🚀 Innovation Boost First Place

Kidylink members won first place at the Innovation Boost competition organized by the ITU Entrepreneurship Club with their project.

ITU Entrepreneurship Club - Innovation Boost
2025

💰 TÜBİTAK 2209 Funding Approval

The Casper team's project "Synthesis of Silver and Selenium Nanoparticles from Pantoea agglomerans Bacteria and Investigation of Their Antimicrobial Effects" was approved for funding under TÜBİTAK 2209-A University Students Research Projects Support Program.

TÜBİTAK

R&D Projects Team

We are redefining what's possible in health technologies.

Sponsorship

Support our innovative projects and become part of the future of biotechnology.

Our Success Story

In 2023, our Beeomarkers team returned from the Netherlands with a gold medal for their sensors detecting traumatic brain injury using GFAP. That same year, our team participated in the SensUs competition with the support of AXA Sigorta.

AXA Sigorta

Collaboration Options

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Competition Registration Fee Support

Covers registration fees for national and international competitions such as iGEM and SensUs.

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Project Materials Support

Provides consumables and other necessary expenses for competitions; covers travel and accommodation costs for SensUs (Netherlands) and iGEM (USA).

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Promotion & Marketing Sponsorship

Supports the creation of digital materials to increase the team's visibility.

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Apparel Sponsorship

Covers clothing expenses to enhance team visibility and recognition.

Join Our Team

Become part of our innovative team and contribute to cutting-edge biotechnology research.

Apply Now

ITU GALEN TEAM 25-26 TERM

Dr. Çiğdem Yılmaz Çolak
Asst. Prof. Çiğdem Yılmaz Çolak
Team Advisor
Neşe Kaya
Team Leader
Zehra Oyit
Vice Team Leader
Beyza Nur Karabörk
Social Media Team Leader
Sudenaz Geçer
Bioscenario Team Leader
İlke Hızal
Sponsorship Team Leader
Onur Yıldırım
Beetectives Team Leader
Sena Yatkın
Casper Team Leader
İrem Kurt
Former Team Leader
Esma Serra Küçükyavuz
Team Member
M. Cansu Tohumcu
Team Member
Halil Öz
Website Builder

Visit Us

📍 Istanbul Technical University

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Address

Dr. Orhan Öcalgiray Moleküler Biyoloji- Biyoteknoloji ve Genetik Araştırmalar Merkezi (MOBGAM)

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