Main challenge of fighting with the HIV is to eliminate the latent viral reservoir from the body. This reservoir is resistant to antiretroviral drug therapy and can cause viral rebound if the treatment is stopped. The removal of the reservoir enables HIV eradication, is urgently desired in HIV-AIDS research. For this purpose, a strategy called “kick and kill” was proposed, based on the hypothesis that activation of latent HIV (“kick”) leads to cell death (“kill”) by physical damage and/or immune activation. However, in clinical tests “kill” process was found to be not enough to reach HIV eradication. To eradicate HIV from the body, my work has recently suggested a new strategy called “lock-in and apoptosis” instead of “kick and kill”. In development of this strategy, non-natural derivative of inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) named as L-HIPPO was designed based on the fact that the MA domain of Pr55gag which mediates membrane binding through its interaction with inositol phospholipid PIP2 in the host membrane. L-HIPPO was administrated to HIV infected HeLa cells as complex with a carrier α-CDE and suppressed membrane localization of HIV-1 Gag protein and induced strong apoptosis of the host cell containing the latent viruses. In contrast, α-CDE-L-HIPPO induced less apoptosis on T cell line. Besides, the complex of α-CDE-L-HIPPO is inapplicable for oral use. Toward this end, new L-HIPPO derivative with alternative carrier is required. An ultimate goal of this work is to develop new L-HIPPO derivative (Super-HIPPO) with more potent and efficient activities. My objectives to reach this goal are (1) to synthesize new L-HIPPO derivatives and alternative carriers, (2) to evaluate their activities, (3) to repeat design, synthesis and biological evaluation, if the activities are not enough, (4) to confirm the binding mode of MA-compound, and (5) to achieve personal development and career advancement by performing this study.

This project aims to develop an innovative IoT-supported geotextile-based sensor network and control system capable of monitoring key soil parameters such as moisture, temperature, nutrients (N, P, K), and pH level with the goal of enhancing precision agriculture, soil health and sustainable crop growth. The system, designed with a biodegradable, carbon-impregnated geotextile structure, will reduce the need for excessive fertilizers, pesticides and water while facilitating and improving nutrient retention, plant root respiration, soil health and crop yields. The first phase will focus on the development of a novel intelligent IoT supported geotextile multi-sensor network and control system (i-TexGeo), which will possess advanced sensing capabilities for comprehensive soil monitoring. In the second phase, the soil field studies covering implementation of i-TexGeo system will be realized across a diverse range of geographical areas, including Europe, Tunisia, and Turkey on a laboratory scale within the soil field laboratories of Agricultural Institutes and real-world agricultural environments with farmers. It focuses on the continuous monitoring and tracking of soil parameters, integrating interdisciplinary efforts across textiles, electronics, information technology, communication systems and agricultural sciences. By fostering collaboration among these fields, the project seeks to enhance precision agriculture through real-time data collection and analysis, ultimately promoting sustainable farming practices improving soil health and crop management. Through the integration of innovative geotextile based sensor technology together with IoT, the project will foster the development of a sustainable solution for modern smart precision agriculture, benefiting various segments of society, including farmers, agricultural communities, scientists, policymakers and consumers at large.

Main challenge of fighting with the HIV is to eliminate the latent viral reservoir from the body. This reservoir is resistant to antiretroviral drug therapy and can cause viral rebound if the treatment is stopped. The removal of the reservoir enables HIV eradication, is urgently desired in HIV-AIDS research. For this purpose, a strategy called “kick and kill” was proposed, based on the hypothesis that activation of latent HIV (“kick”) leads to cell death (“kill”) by physical damage and/or immune activation. However, in clinical tests “kill” process was found to be not enough to reach HIV eradication. To eradicate HIV from the body, my work has recently suggested a new strategy called “lock-in and apoptosis” instead of “kick and kill”. In development of this strategy, non-natural derivative of inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) named as L-HIPPO was designed based on the fact that the MA domain of Pr55gag which mediates membrane binding through its interaction with inositol phospholipid PIP2 in the host membrane. L-HIPPO was administrated to HIV infected HeLa cells as complex with a carrier α-CDE and suppressed membrane localization of HIV-1 Gag protein and induced strong apoptosis of the host cell containing the latent viruses. In contrast, α-CDE-L-HIPPO induced less apoptosis on T cell line. Besides, the complex of α-CDE-L-HIPPO is inapplicable for oral use. Toward this end, new L-HIPPO derivative with alternative carrier is required. An ultimate goal of this work is to develop new L-HIPPO derivative (Super-HIPPO) with more potent and efficient activities. My objectives to reach this goal are (1) to synthesize new L-HIPPO derivatives and alternative carriers, (2) to evaluate their activities, (3) to repeat design, synthesis and biological evaluation, if the activities are not enough, (4) to confirm the binding mode of MA-compound, and (5) to achieve personal development and career advancement by performing this study.

JaNet investigates the economic and sociopolitical role of the Janissaries in the 18th and early 19th centuries through their examination as a complex of interconnected networks in the ‘extended Mediterranean’ (including major Black Sea and Danubian ports). By studying the Janissary corps, the project brings forward a radically new historical analysis concerning, on the one hand, the role of Muslims in the Ottoman and wider Mediterranean commercial economy – a role largely ignored by the bibliography – and, on the other, the processes that led to the creation of diasporas and the dissemination of people and ideas among various Muslim communities in the area. According to our thesis, in the period under examination, the Janissary corps became one of the main channels for the participation of various Muslim social strata of the Ottoman periphery in the Empire’s developing credit market and commercial life, as well as a gateway for their involvement in local and imperial politics. Moreover, it became a platform for the exchange of people, goods, and ideas between different localities covering a vast geographical area. When examined from a Mediterranean perspective, this view allows us to look beyond the information provided by Europe-centered sources and to drastically redefine the sociopolitical and financial role of Muslims in the area, an approach which historical analysis sorely lacks. The project uses a comparative approach to examine a large number of port-cities in North Africa, Egypt, the Aegean, the Adriatic, the Danube, and the Black Sea. The research team – composed of the PI, three senior researchers, five post-doctoral fellows, and two PhD candidates – will study a variety of unpublished sources in Ottoman Turkish, Arabic, Greek, Russian, French, and English. The team will produce a main monograph, a collective volume, several articles, two PhD dissertations, four workshops, one international conference, and a website.

Taking its name from the European Green Deal, GREEN NIGHT stands on the main pillars and policy areas of the strategy with a general outlook on how science can support the aims and targets set out for Europe?s near future. The current global climate emergency urges an immediate and large-scale response from the countries. For the first time, climate change and environmental issues are seen to have migrated to the center of global policymaking. As a result, GREEN NIGHT highlights the importance of raising awareness of the general public, especially young people, on the necessity of the green transformation for the future of our planet. GREEN NIGHT acknowledges that it is essential to protect and restore natural ecosystems for sustainability. Doing so, GREEN NIGHT will focus on main action areas of energy, food, waste, and transportation, and demonstrate the leading role that sciences have in how to achieve this transformation. GREEN NIGHT project brings together four of the ten higher education institutions in Izmir, Turkey as well as the provincial directorate of national education. The consortium represents the scientific research ecosystem and educational management in ?zmir. The HEIs cooperate in local, national and international research projects, joint social responsibility campaign and activities all of which create strong institutional linkages between HEI partners. IZMEM, being the highest local public body responsible for the coordination of educational activities in preprimary, primary and secondary level in ?zmir, brings the public educational expertise into the project. The night activities will be carried out in four campuses around the city, each with its general theme selected from the main topics. Scientists and researchers from a wide range of disciplines will be able to create workshops, seminars, demonstrations, hands-on experiments, games, competitions, shows, or simulations.