From September 16-18, 2024, Professor Henry Houlden and Dr Francesca Magrinelli from University College London (UCL) visited NDAL for an academic meeting and knowledge exchange. Over three intensive days, the visiting professors examined a total of 18 families.
The first group of families included cases with known genetic causes, leading to functional analysis to better understand disease mechanisms. From the second day onward, families with multiple affected members and clear genetic inheritance—yet unresolved despite current methodologies—were examined, and Long Read Sequencing (LRS) was proposed for further study.
In addition to neurological evaluations, the team addressed all inquiries from the families and collected various samples for further research. Turkish clinicians working with the patients were also present during parts of the meetings. The highly productive discussions and collaborations provided an excellent model for future engagements.
As part of the Chamber Talks programme by the Istanbul Research Institute, the talk titled The Cultivated Eye: From Arif Hikmet’s Lens to Architectural Practice brought together M. Baha Tanman and Müjde Dila Gümüş to examine Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu’s photography archive and architectural work, offering new perspectives on the exhibition The Photography Studio of an Adventurous Architect.
Pera Museum is hosting guided tours for Feelings in Common, led by curator Ulya Soley. The Guided Exhibition Tour with Curator will take place at Pera Museum on December 24, 2025 at 18:00 and December 27, 2025 at 15:00. The tour will be conducted in Turkish. Capacity is limited; tickets are available via Biletix or at the Pera Museum reception desk on the day of the event.
At the 9th Major Community Gathering, the Suna’nın Kızları communities came together to review the past year’s outcomes and align on project plans for 2026. Participants explored new ideas and collaboration opportunities on how the model and programs co-developed with 33 civil society organizations over the past four years can further support and reinforce one another.