The kick-off meeting of the international collaborative research project (JPND124N070) titled "The role of HTT-Cis variants in the pathogenesis of Huntington's Disease", which was accepted to the Joint Program for Neurodegenerative Disease Research in 2024 was held at Koç University Hospital on July 1, 2024.
The event was attended by project partners from Germany (University of Bochum), Sweden (Lund University), Czech Republic (University of Prague) and Canada (University of British Columbia). After a presentation by A. Nazlı Başak, Director of the Neurodegeneration Research Laboratory, introducing Koç University and KUTTAM-NDAL, the project partners made their presentations.
Huu Phuc Nguyen (Ruhr University, Germany): Preclinical and clinical research at the Huntington's Disease Center Bochum
Jiří Klempíř (Charles University, Czechia): Clinical Practice and Research in Prague HD Center
A. Nazlı Başak (Koç University, Turkey): Huntington's Disease in Turkey
Åsa Petersén (Lund University, Sweden): Hypothalamic pathology and non-motor features in Huntington's disease and the spectrum of ALS/FTD disorders
Mahmoud A Pouladi (University of British Columbia, Canada): Modeling neurological disorders using human pluripotent stem cells and genome engineering
During the public meeting, participants discussed the goals of the project and current developments in Huntington's Disease research.
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.
The Istanbul Research Institute continues to offer free guided tours of the exhibition The Photography Studio of an Adventurous Architect: Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu 1893–1982, which sheds light on the life of one of the most unconventional architects of his time, spanning the late Ottoman and early Republican periods.
The catalogue Extraordinary Minas: The Story of Inspiration and Innovation in Kütahya Tiles and Ceramics examines the efforts of Kütahya masters in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to revive the disappearing craftsmanship of tile-making by focusing on a master and a group of his work, by presenting objects from the Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation Kütahya Tiles and Ceramics Collection.