Özyeğin University · Istanbul Research Center 2026 / 2030 Strategy

Pioneering health technologies
that heal, learn & scale

A research center working in medical imaging, personalized medicine, data-driven health, and emerging health technologies at Özyeğin University.

Global medtech market
695B
USD value of the global medtech industry in 2025.
Digital health CAGR
22%
Projected 2025–2030 CAGR for digital health — fastest-expanding healthcare segment.
Healthcare AI by 2030
111B
Projected USD market value of AI applications across diagnostics and care.
Türkiye import reliance
75%
Share of the USD 3.3B domestic market supplied by foreign manufacturers (end-2024).
01 · Purpose

A research hub
built for lasting impact

Özyeğin University
Faculty of Engineering · Istanbul
V · Vision

Research and translation in health technologies

We work on medical imaging, personalized medicine, data-driven health, and emerging technologies, and aim to translate research outcomes into clinical practice.

M · Mission

Four principles that guide our work

  • M·01Conduct research in medical imaging, personalized medicine, data‑driven health, and emerging health technologies.
  • M·02Translate research outputs into clinical applications and products.
  • M·03Train new researchers and contribute to Türkiye's health-technology landscape.
  • M·04Establish ÖzU as a research center in health technologies.
02 · Programs

Four pillars of health-technology research

Each pillar combines fundamental science with translational work.

01

Optical imaging
& biomedical applications

Biomedical OpticsLaser TechnologiesBiomedical Devices

Photoacoustic imaging, diffuse optical tomography, ultrafast laser systems, and computational diagnostics.

photoacousticDOTultrafastcomputational diagnostics
02

Personalized
medicine

BiomaterialsComputational Drug DeliveryWearable Sensors

Patient-specific drug delivery, biomaterials, and wearable monitoring systems.

MOFsbiomaterialswearablesmicrofluidics
03

Data-driven
health

Big DataArtificial IntelligenceHealth Informatics

AI-assisted diagnostics, health data analytics, bioinformatics, and computational cancer biology.

clinical AIbioinformaticscancer modeling
04

Emerging
technologies

RoboticsDigital TwinsHealth EthicsBrain Research

Rehabilitation and surgical robotics, digital-twin modeling of patients and clinical pathways, neuro-technology, and health ethics.

rehab-roboticsdigital twinsneuro-techethics
03 · People

Researchers advancing the frontier

A cross-disciplinary group working across optics, computation, materials, and clinical translation.

11
Researchers
Natali Çizmeciyan
Biomedical Optics & Lasers
Ultrafast laser systems and optical characterization for biomedical applications.
↗ Google Scholar
BD
Barış Demirbay
Neural Networks & Fluorescence Spectroscopy
Neural networks and microfluidic-based fluorescence spectroscopy; TRAST spectroscopy for cancer cell detection.
↗ Google Scholar
PE
Parviz Elahi
Biomedical Optics & Lasers
High-power 120 fs pulses at 1.23 GHz from single-mode Er/Yb-doped fiber MOPA systems; ultrafast fiber laser development in the 1–2.5 μm NIR range for biomedical applications.
↗ Google Scholar
İE
Co-Director
İlknur Eruçar
MOFs · Drug Delivery · Gas Adsorption
Drug delivery in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), uremic toxin separation, and biomedical gas adsorption.
↗ Google Scholar
FK
Fatemeh Kalantarifard
Optical & Quantum Sensing
Optical and quantum-based sensing and biomedical applications.
↗ Google Scholar
SS
Sueda Saylan
Biosensors & Memristive Devices
Cu/HfO₂-based memristive devices for gamma-ray detection; deep-learning-assisted memristive COVID-19 detection platform with RT-LAMP.
↗ Google Scholar
Polat Şendur
Multibody Dynamics & Biomechanics
Research focused on multibody dynamics, vibration, acoustics, and biomechanics.
↗ Google Scholar
ST
Suzan Tireki
Food Technology & Functional Foods
Bioactive compounds, microwave processing, product development and shelf-life investigation.
↗ Google Scholar
Director
M. Burçin Ünlü
Biomedical Physics · Optical imaging and Biomedical applications · Computational Biology · Proton Therapy
Biological and biomedical physics, medical physics and imaging, computational biology, and proton therapy.
↗ Google Scholar
SY
Seydi Yavaş
Biomedical Optics & Lasers
Ultrafast fiber laser systems for biomedical applications.
↗ Google Scholar
DY
Defne Yılmaz
Computational Oncology
Computational cancer biology and tumor modeling across multiscale dynamics.
↗ Google Scholar
04 · Networks

Partners & collaborators

We collaborate with domestic agencies, international research groups, and grant programs.

P·01

Domestic funding
& agencies

  • TÜBİTAK Projects
  • TÜSEB Health Research Programs
  • University-Industry Collaboration (ÜSİ)
  • Technology Transfer Office
P·02

International
research networks

  • Stanford University
  • Harvard Medical School
  • Hokkaido University
  • Tufts, Carnegie Mellon, Ruhr-Universität Bochum
P·03

International
grants & programs

  • Horizon Europe Health Cluster
  • ERC Individual & Synergy Grants
  • NIH & NSF Partnered Projects
  • MedTech Industry R&D Partnerships

Ongoing & funded projects

A selection of active research projects led by our faculty, supported by national and international programs. Where a public record exists, the project links to it.

Photoacoustic wave emission of metal-coated Janus particles via optical & magnetic methods
Natali Çizmeciyan · PI
TÜBİTAK 1001 · 124F389
Numerical modeling of fluorophore dark/transient states via microfluidic fluorescence spectroscopy
Barış Demirbay · PI
TÜBİTAK 3501 · 124F110
ENFiber — turning food-processing waste into sustainable fibers
Parviz Elahi · Suzan Tireki
COST Action CA24111
Smart pulsed-fiber-laser-assisted weed controller for greenhouses
Parviz Elahi · PI
TÜBİTAK 1001
AI-assisted image analysis of laser effects on seed germination & plant growth
Parviz Elahi · PI
TÜBİTAK 1002
Amorphous MOF-filled mixed-matrix membranes for natural-gas purification (AMOF_MEM)
İlknur Eruçar · PI
TÜBİTAK 1001
Renewable-sugar MOFs for uremic-toxin separation
İlknur Eruçar · PI
TÜBA-GEBİP 2023
EU4MOFs — European metal–organic-framework network
İlknur Eruçar · Group Leader
COST Action CA22147
Enhancing Raman spectroscopy: fiber-laser amplification with optical trapping
Fatemeh Kalantarifard · PI
TÜBİTAK 3501
TETRA — metamaterial-formalism approach to recognize cancer
Fatemeh Kalantarifard · member
COST Action CA23125
ENRICH — European network for radiation-detection-based research and innovation
Fatemeh Kalantarifard · member
COST Action CA24131
Methods & devices for rapid detection of COVID-19 and other pathogens
Sueda Saylan · co-inventor
US Patent 12,582,992
Ns-laser-lithography-assisted chemical etching method for high-aspect-ratio micro/nano structures
Sueda Saylan · PI · 2024–2026
TÜBİTAK 1001 · 223M151
Patient-specific TPMS cervical orthosis with variable stiffness
Polat Şendur · PI
TÜBİTAK 1001
Metamaterial solutions for low-frequency sound isolation
Polat Şendur · PI
TÜBİTAK 1505
Fix-Apro — fixing alternative proteins for integration into food systems
Suzan Tireki · partner
Horizon Europe MSCA-SE
Towards zero waste: analytical models for sustainable food supply chains
Suzan Tireki · researcher
TÜBİTAK ARDEB 1001
Plant-based milk analogs & gluten-free flours in halva production
Suzan Tireki · PI
ÖzÜ Seed Fund
Investigation of the functional food and biostimulant potential of duckweed within sustainable food and circular agriculture practices
Suzan Tireki · researcher
ADEP 2026
Integrated photoacoustic & magnetic-levitation device for microrobots
M. Burçin Ünlü · PI
TÜSEB 2025-B-01
Quantum technologies training for teachers
M. Burçin Ünlü · PI
TÜBİTAK 1001 · 323K345
Standoff bacteria detection via QCL photoacoustic spectroscopy & LDV
Seydi Yavaş
NATO SPS · €200K
Mathematical modeling of ECM-targeting therapies in solid tumors
Defne Yılmaz · PI
TÜBİTAK 3501 · 124F275
Effects of chemotherapy on the fetus via Raman spectroscopy & machine learning
Defne Yılmaz · PI
TÜSEB 2024-B-01
07 · Updates

News & events

2026 · Publication

Laser-driven motion of metallic Janus microparticles

Natali Çizmeciyan and Parviz Elahi reported temperature-driven motion of metallic Janus microparticles under nanosecond pulsed-laser exposure, in the Journal of Physics: Photonics.

Read the paper →
2024 · Grant

TÜBİTAK 3501 grant for microfluidic fluorescence modeling

Barış Demirbay leads a TÜBİTAK 3501 project (124F110) on numerical modeling of dark and transient electronic-state transitions of fluorophores via microfluidic fluorescence spectroscopy.

More →
May 2026 · International

Two faculty appointed to CA24111 COST Action working groups

Asst. Profs. Parviz Elahi and Suzan Tireki joined ENFiber — a European COST Action transforming food-processing waste into sustainable fibers, aligned with the EU Green Deal and circular economy.

Read more →
2026 · Publication

GHz-rate micro-LIBS at nanojoule pulse energy

Parviz Elahi and colleagues reported micro-laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy using GHz repetition-rate pulses at nJ pulse energy, in the Journal of Physics: Photonics.

Read the paper →
2025 · Publication

AI paradigms for next-generation MOF research

İlknur Eruçar co-authored a perspective on artificial-intelligence paradigms for next-generation metal–organic-framework research in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Read the paper →
2026 · Publication

Sensing with laser-trapped fluorescent nanodiamonds

Fatemeh Kalantarifard co-authored work on near-infrared laser-trapped fluorescent nanodiamonds for sensing, published in Diamond & Related Materials.

Read the paper →
2024 · International

TETRA COST Action — recognizing cancer with metamaterials

Fatemeh Kalantarifard takes part in TETRA (CA23125), a European COST Action developing a metamaterial-formalism approach to recognize cancer.

Read more →
2025 · International

ENRICH COST Action — radiation-detection research network

Fatemeh Kalantarifard joined ENRICH (CA24131), a European COST Action building a network for radiation-detection-based research and innovation addressing societal challenges.

Read more →
2026 · Patent

U.S. patent granted for rapid pathogen detection

Sueda Saylan and co-inventors were granted U.S. Patent 12,582,992 for methods and devices that enable rapid detection of COVID-19 and other pathogens.

View patent →
2026 · Publication

NACK — a neck-assistive cervical kit

Polat Şendur and colleagues published the design, development and functional evaluation of NACK, a neck-assistive cervical kit, in the ASME Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics.

Read the paper →
2026 · Publication

Health properties of quince and persimmon vinegars

Suzan Tireki co-authored a research article on phenolic and bioactivity properties of quince and persimmon vinegars published in European Food Research and Technology.

Read the paper →
2026 · Accepted

Anti-diabetic and antioxidant properties of Vitex Agnus-Castus vinegar

Suzan Tireki co-authored a research article on phenolic contents, antioxidant capacity and enzyme inhibition activity of Vitex Agnus-Castus vinegar and it has been accepted for publication in Chemistry & Biodiversity.

More →
2025 · Publication

Spherification physics in Physics of Fluids

Suzan Tireki published a study on basic spherification as a culinary gelation process — estimating diffusion coefficients and the appearance quality of beverage pearls.

Read the paper →
April 2026 · Appointment

Invited Collaborative Researcher at Hokkaido University

M. Burçin Ünlü was appointed Invited Collaborative Researcher at the Global Center for Biomedical Science and Engineering (GCB), Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, for 2026–2027.

Visit GCB →
2025 · Publication

Electromagnetic levitation of single cells (Electro-LEV)

Naside Gözde Durmuş's group at Stanford — with center researcher M. Burçin Ünlü among the co-authors — introduced Electro-LEV, combining electromagnetic and magnetic levitation for dynamic 3-D control and label-free sorting of single cells, in PNAS.

Read the paper →
2025 · Preprint

Deep-learning magnetic-levitation device for high-throughput sorting

A Stanford team led by Naside Gözde Durmuş, with co-author M. Burçin Ünlü, reported a 3D-printed magnetic-levitation device with deep-learning-assisted particle tracking for high-throughput sorting.

Read the preprint →
2026 · Submitted

Femtosecond-laser microfabrication of glass microfluidics

Seydi Yavaş and colleagues submitted work on single-platform femtosecond-laser microfabrication of multilayer glass microfluidic chips to Optics Express.

More →
2026 · Award

Best Poster Award at the APS Global Physics Summit

Defne Yılmaz received the Division of Biological Physics Best Poster Award at the 2026 APS Global Physics Summit for her tumor drug-transport modeling.

More →
Join us

Let's work together in health technology

Researchers, clinicians, industry partners, and funders are welcome to reach out for collaboration.