Project Partners

Marmara University is one of the oldest (founded in 1883) and biggest institutions in Turkey, with 19 faculties, 12 institutions located in 8 campuses. Marmara University over 78.000+ students and 3200+ faculty members.

Marmara University has a significant role in educating a high number of pioneers for industry who needs to be innovative, collaborative and global in skills. Internationalization plays an important role in Marmara University’s strategic development goals in order to reach a high-quality, innovative, investigative, global and contemporary education approach. In order to achieve sustainable high standards of international education, Marmara University provides multilingual education in 5 different languages; Turkish, English, French, German and Arabic.

Our university strives to become an internationally known university that directs social development with its leadership in education and research, by focusing on strong integration and international cooperation with various partners from all over the world, and attaches importance to the continuous development of its network of effective international relations with new partners.

Our university especially educates students who do science in the fields of technology (nanotechnology, chemical and physical technologies, production technologies), global change (environmental and health research), human sciences and social sciences, and cares for them to have a global vision and the future of their careers. Our university also places emphasis on the relationship between research and industry. Thus, it tries to train expert and young staff that will respond to the requirements of the global job market and the society’s need for scientific researchers.

With the same vision Center for Nanotechnology & Biomaterials Application and Research (NBUAM) at Marmara University was established in 2008. This center determines nanotechnology as a strategic work area thanks to researcher manpower and adopting the Marmara University’s innovative vision approach which gives importance to scientific studies from past to present. The main goal of the center is to train engineering and medicine students who will be able to work in biomedical and nanotechnology sector.

Prof. Dr. Oguzhan Gunduz, Project Lead

Oguzhan Gunduz is an professor and director of NBUAM at Marmara University, Turkey. His working areas are Biomaterials, Nanotechnology, Tissue Engineering, Orthopedic Biomaterials Design, Multi-Scale Mechanical Characterization, Drug Delivery Systems, 3D Bioprinting, Biocompatible Hydrogels and Nano-grafts. He is highly qualified and expertise in teaching and supervising research projects in his field. He has also published more than 200 papers and obtained 2 international patents and submitted 2 more patents. He received his PhD degree in the field of Mechanical Engineering from University College London in 2013. He has been teaching at Metallurgical and Materials engineering since 2002. He has supervised more than 20 MSc and PhD thesis. He has authored/co-authored over 200 research papers, 10 book chapters, 2 patents, and 3 patent applications, and over 100 national and international conference papers. In addition, he took part in the establishment of two startup companies, namely Nanortopedi Inc. and Inomtech Inc. on the development of innovative biomaterials and collaborating with R&D, departments of variety of leading health companies on biomaterials, tissue engineering, and drug delivery systems.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nazmi Ekren, Distance Learning Lead

Assoc. Prof. Nazmi Ekren is one of the key personels in the Marmara University (Turkey) side. NAZMİ EKREN received the B.S. degree from the Electrical Engineering Department, Yildiz Technical University (YTU), Istanbul, Turkey, in 1987, and the M.S. degrees from the Marmara University in 1989 and PhD degrees from the Istanbul University in 1996. He is currently an associate professor at the Marmara University. His research interests PV systems, fabrication at Nano level and lighting. He works on tissue engineering applications, 3D-bioprinting, electrospinning. He will will coordinate the development Distance Learning platform for this project.

Assist. Prof. Dr. Songul Ulag, 3D Printer Lecturer

Songul Ulag is a researcher at the Center for Nanotechnology & Biomaterials Application and Research (NBUAM) of Marmara University. She received her PhD from Marmara University in the field of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering in 2021. She is currently an assistant professor at Marmara University. Her research interests are 3D bioprinting technology, biomaterials, nanotechnology, and artificial cornea. She has publications on these subjects in SCI-indexed journals. She has 25 original papers, 3 patent applications, 3 national projects, 2 book chapters, and 8 international conference papers. She will contribute to this project with her teaching experiences on project training with 3D printing.

Sema Gunduz, Project Manager

Sema Gunduz is Project Development and Support Responsible at Marmara University. She is responsible from project management and organisation. Previously she has participated in variety of EU project development, she has 8 years EU project experience. She is also a PhD student in Management and Organisation at Marmara University, Istanbul. She is expert on project writing, consortium building, organisation of project activities especially dissemination activities. She also has publications in marketing field and presented her research in conferences, and she is also translating business books. She is contributing this project with her experiences in project management and project success evaluation.

Beyza Topçu, Project Communication Specialist

Beyza Topçu graduated from the Beykent University of Biomedical Engineering department in 2020. She is a master’s student at Marmara University of Bioengineering department and a researcher at the Center for Nanotechnology and Biomaterials Applications and Research. She is interested in biomaterials, drug delivery systems, 3D printing techniques, nanotechnology, and tissue engineering. Additionally, she is a coordinator at a science platform named Bioinforange which was created by voluntary students in 2020.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON

University College London (UCL) is an international university and a leading provider of international education, with more than 13,000 staff and 42,000 students from 150 different countries. UCL was rated 2nd in the UK for research power in the Research Excellence Framework 2021. UCL is ranked 8th in the 2023 QS World University Rankings. UCL has 11 faculties, including Institute of education (IOE), which is a world-leading centre for research and teaching in education and social science – ranked number one for education worldwide since 2014 in the QS World University Rankings by Subject. UCL faculties are leading various educational and research projects worldwide with sustainability at its core. UCL has an excellent track record in designing and delivering various projects internationally. UCL has successfully participated in various international projects funded by international agencies including EU, British Council, various developing counties in south Asia, Africa, south America and north America.

Prof. Dr. Deepak Kalaskar, Project Lead

Dr Deepak Kalaskar is Professor of Bioengineering at University College London (UCL) Division of Surgery and Interventional Sciences. His research focuses on design and development of novel medical devices, implants and regenerative therapies using 3D technologies (3D imaging, scanning, and printing) for various Musculoskeletal conditions. Following his PhD from the University of Manchester (UK), he worked at various Universities in UK and Belgium in stem cells, nanomaterials, medical device development and bioprinting before joining UCL in 2012. Currently, he is co-chair and director of the postgraduate MSc course in Burns, Plastic and Reconstructive surgery at University College London (UCL) and the Royal Free Hospital, London. He is actively involved in clinically translational research. He is working closely with number of industries for the development of new products and processes required for clinical translation. He is the editor of 3 books in the field of 3D printing in Medicine (Elsevier), Nanomedicine (Open Press) and Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (UCL Press). He has also contributed to over 100 scientific publications in internationally peer reviewed journals. He has contributed to studies and policy documents in 3D printing & 3D Bioprinting and reviewed them for UK patent office, UK Parliamentary Department of Science & Technology (POST). His invited media reports and expert opinions are published in English, Spanish and Italian languages for various international science and technology magazines. He also runs international bioprinting research platform https://www.bioprintingresearchplatform.org/ to enhance global collaborations and early career research training.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Stephen Hilton, VR Development Lead

Dr Stephen Hilton is an Associate Professor at University College London School of Pharmacy with over 15 years’ experience in embedding new technologies into research and education. His research focuses on the applications of new technology in Pharmacy and Chemistry specialising in 3D printing and digital technologies. Dr Hilton is the inventor of the IKA FLOW continuous flow reactor that as developed with 3D printing and sold commercially in partnership with IKA (https://www.ika.com/en/Products-Lab-Eq/FLOW-System-csp-919/) Dr Hilton’s award winning research (Pearson and UCL Provost award) into Virtual Reality education has featured on the BBC news (https://youtu.be/zoONKG4KIak) and more recently has grown into a new approach towards digital collaboration with Universities in India (https://indouk-iscc.net/) funded by BEIS (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2022/feb/vr-tech-brings-ucl-science-lab-schools-uk-and-india). Dr Hilton’s team have extensive experience in designing and running VR based training across the world and is a leading expert in the application of digital VR technologies in a chemistry setting. This has been funded by Health Education England (HEE), BEIS in a collaboration between 12 universities in India and the UK using VR to collaborate and funding from industry into 3D printing and its applications. Dr Hilton also has a clinical trial running with the Royal Free hospital into patient personalised devices using 3D printing which is aligned with this proposal.

Dr. Blanka Hilton, VR Trainer and Outreach Coordinator

Dr Blanka Hilton is a lecturer in applied bioscience in the Division of Global and Lifelong Learning at the University of Kent and an honorary lecturer at UCL in the division of Biosciences. Blanka is the MSc program director in the department for industrial apprentices and has been instrumental in integrating Virtual Reality into the course curriculum at Kent and has also received a Pearson education award for her work with VR. She has led the use of 3D printing for chemistry education at UCL as part of university outreach programs for disadvantaged schools. She has recently pioneered the use of VR with Schools in North Kent and demonstrated their potential to MPs from the UK parliament. In her current role, she liaises extensively with apprentices from industry across the UK and abroad where VR will be used to improve company participation and remote training.

Ms. Menaka Singh, 3D Printing Technologist

Menaka Singh completed her master’s degree in biomedical engineering from National Institute of Technology, Allahabad, UP. She is continuously contributing to development of new medical technologies for medical fraternity which has improvised the patients and physicians’ lives through academic-industry collaboration. During her tenure as research fellow, she supervised one bachelor thesis. Her research works revolves around multiple disciplines such as Orthopaedics patient specific jigs, Micro-neurosurgical device for micro-neurosurgeries, imaging technologies and Endo division (ESD procedures).She has 2-Research Publication, 2 Patent(Examination Phase), 1 Certificate of registration of design under class 24-02. Presently she is working with Boston Scientific, R&D India in Endo-Division, New product development. She will contribute to this project using her expertise required during various phases of medical device research and development.

Dr. Abir Dutta, 3D Printing Technologist

Abir Dutta completed his doctorate from Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur in 2021. His domain of research is spanning from orthopaedic biomechanics of lower extremities, spine, and maxillofacial implant design, along with tissue engineering and biomaterials towards hard tissue analogues using several aspects of additive manufacturing. Presently, he is a post-doctoral research fellow at Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science, University College London, UK. He will contribute to this project using his expertise in solid modelling in biomechanics and additive manufacturing.

INDUSTRY PARTNERTS

Serhad Mühendislik (Turkey) , which was established in 1986 and stepped into the construction sector, has been serving mainly on static projects for a while. Today, the firm is trying to enlarge its targets with architectural projects and other services.

Kazlıçeşme R&D Centre and Test Laboratory was established in 2007 within the body of İskefe Holding. In 2011, it received approval from the Ministry of Agriculture and completed the accreditation process. Kazlıçeşme R&D Centre focuses on developing latest technologies for high quality, pure and standardized collagen. It is committed to contribute to the advancement of science by improving the most advanced applications and the purest form of collagen.

Axolotl Biosystems is an Istanbul-based company specializing in tissue engineering tools such as 3D bioprinting systems, melt electrowriting devices and charge bioreactors. Over the past five years, Axolotl Biosystems has installed its instruments in more than ten countries, including the United States and China.