Sabancı University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM) has received grant funding under TÜBİTAK 1004 - Center of Excellence Support Program on The Technology Acquisition Roadmap, with a Proposal titled “NANOSIS”.
NANOSIS is a virtual cluster aiming to develop final products and by-products involving novel nanotechnological components, products, and systems for “fast, economical diagnosis and monitoring for the health sector.”
NANOSIS Platform consists of 15 projects under 5 different Research Programs has brought together 24 institutions and organizations and 106 researchers under the leadership of SUNUM. The Platform involves the development of miniaturized, easy-to-use, robust sensors at various levels of sensitivity suitable for industrial applications, that are based on nanomaterials.
The NANOSIS Platform which is one of the largest budget initiatives to be funded so far within the body of Sabancı University, was primarily designed at the intersection of “health and electronic components”. However, the outcomes of the 15 projects leading to different end products and byproducts, both horizontally and vertically, have the potential to be applied to different industrial sectors.
Specific prototypes that will be developed for rapid and economical diagnosis and monitoring include diagnostic kits, biosensors to be used in the field (at home, farm, field, and common use areas). The applications include determination of the type of contamination / infection by molecular methods for concepts such as preventive medicine or health at home.
In addition to health-related products, the product prototypes to be developed are expected to create added value to a wide range of applications and commercialization areas, as well as to socio-economic, technological, ethical, and social reflections in the agriculture, food, automotive, defense, consumer electronics, building, and technical textile sectors.
The five research programs under the sub-titles of “Nanomaterials, Nanostructures and Systems”, aim to trigger the assimilation of new technologies and increase competencies and skills with cross-disciplinary and cross sectoral collaboration leading to the development of high technology products with high added-value:
Research Program 1 (Coordinator: Yeditepe University): Development of nanotechnological sensors for the detection of infectious agents in the liquid phase.
Research Program 2 (Coordinator: Arçelik A.Ş.): Development of nanotechnological sensors detecting contamination in aerosol and gas phases.
Research Program 3 (Coordinator: Kordsa Teknik Tekstil A.Ş.): Development of nanotechnological sensors using wearable technologies for monitoring health data.
Research Program 4 (Coordinator: SUNUM): Development of unique materials and functional surfaces for the detection of special agents at low concentrations.
Research Program 5 (Coordinator: Sabancı University): Development of protein-based microfluidic biochips for diagnosis.
TÜBİTAK 1004 Program
The TÜBİTAK 1004 Program aims to enable research infrastructures to specialize and become centers of excellence by collaborating with R&D / Design centers and public R&D units. It has nationally traceable targets in alignment with national targets and policies. Its goal is to support research programs with high commercialization potential.