💰 Research Funding

Below is a summary of funded projects led or contributed to by Elitaş Lab, showcasing our multidisciplinary research at the intersection of microbiology, microfluidics, biosensing, and biomedical engineering.

🏆 Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Award

Project Title: Development of Microfluidic Chip to Monitor the Metabolic Activity of Bacteria Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy for Pre-Antibiotic, Antibiotic, and Post-Antibiotic Treatments
Funding: €60,000
Duration: 18 months (2024–2026)
Role: Principal Investigator
Summary:
This award supports the development of a novel microfluidic-NMR system for real-time monitoring of bacterial metabolism during antibiotic treatment stages. The research aims to improve the precision of antibiotic therapy design.

🔬 TÜBİTAK 1001 (222Z005)

Project Title: Determination of Dielectric Properties of Glioblastoma and Its Microenvironment Cells Using Dielectrophoresis, and Separation of GBM Cells from Co-cultured Cells
Funding: ₺1,248,000
Duration: 36 months (2023–2025)
Role: Principal Investigator
Summary: This study investigates the dielectric behavior of glioblastoma and its surrounding cells using dielectrophoresis, aiming to develop techniques to isolate cancer stem cells from complex co-cultures.

🌱 TEKFEN COMPANY – UNIVERSITY (SUNUM) 2244

Project Title: Development of a Biosensor for Detecting Potato Virus Y (PVY1) in the Field
Funding: ₺350,000 + VAT
Duration: 18 months (2020–2022)
Role: Researcher
Summary:
In collaboration with TEKFEN, this project developed a portable biosensor for detecting PVY1 in agricultural environments, contributing to rapid diagnostics and improved crop management.

🌍 H2020-MSCA-IF-2017 (786645)

Project Title: Development of a Microfluidic Microbial Ecology Device and Mathematical Model to Study Antibiotic Response of Individual Cells
Funding: €145,845.60
Duration: 24 months (2019–2021)
Role: Principal Investigator
Summary: This EU-funded project combined microfluidics and mathematical modeling to investigate microbial responses at the single-cell level, enhancing our understanding of antibiotic resistance dynamics.

🧠 TÜBİTAK 3501 (217S616)

Project Title:
Understanding the Role of Macrophages in the Brain-Tumor Microenvironment Using Microfluidic, Dynamic Cell-Culture Assays and Pattern Recognition Algorithms
Funding: ₺184,999
Duration: 30 months (2018–2020)
Role: Principal Investigator
Summary: This research explored tumor-immune cell interactions using microfluidic models and machine learning techniques, with implications for immunotherapy in brain cancer.

🧪 TÜBİTAK 1005 (118Z217)

Project Title:
Development of a Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)-Diagnostic Biosensor for Soybean-Supplemented Foods
Funding: ₺126,239
Duration: 12 months (2018–2019)
Role: Principal Investigator
Summary: This project developed a biosensor for detecting GMOs in soybean-derived food products, contributing to food safety and consumer health assurance.

🧬 TÜBİTAK 2232

Project Title: Desing and Development of National Microfluidic Devices Compatible with Microscope for Performing High-Efficiency Drug Tests on Patient Samples
Funding: ₺30,000
Duration: 12 months (2015–2016)
Role: Principal Investigator
Summary: This work focused on designing microscope-compatible microfluidic platforms for efficient drug testing, promoting personalized approaches in medical diagnostics.