Molecular-scale modelling of dynein microtubule bonding and powerstroke

• Project Coordinator: Assoc. Prof. Dr Mert Gür 
• Supporting Organisation: TÜBİTAK 2247-A 
• Summary: With this Project, Assoc. Prof. Gür seeks to provide unique atomic insight into functional mechanisms and motility of the nano-scaled biological engines, known as dynein motor proteins, that use fuel (ATP molecule) to generate mechanical movement to transport intracellular cargos. Abnormalities and defects in dynein motor protein function have been associated with numerous neurodegenerative diseases and disorders, including ALS, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Furthermore, the dynein motor protein’s unique structure and advanced machinery make it an interesting bio-nanomachine for nanotechnological applications. By understanding their mechanism of action at the atomic level, Assoc. Prof. Dr Mert Gür aims to provide crucial information about how these motors carry out their cellular roles and to open up new avenues for using these motors in nanotechnology applications.

• Project Coordinator: Assoc. Prof. Dr Mert Gür 
• Supporting Organisation: TUBITAK-NSF Joint Research Program Grant
• Summary: The Project aims to elucidate the dynein mechanisms regulating ciliary beating via all-atom molecular dynamics simulations and hence the molecular mechanism of self-coordinated oscillations of motile cilia. Motile cilia are whip-like structures protruding like bristles from the cell surface and generating a periodic beating waveform. The core structural component of the cilium is the axoneme, which has a ring of nine outer microtubule doublets surrounding two central microtubules. Dyneins are located between the microtubule doublets and enable ciliary beating.  Ciliary beating powers the swimming of many small organisms. Ciliary beating generates fluid flow in the intestines and lungs and mediates cell signalling.

Embedding Lattice Structures into Yacht Hulls and Its Hydrodynamic and Structural Optimization

• Project Coordinator: Assoc. Prof. Dr Erkan Günpınar
• Supporting Organisation: TÜBİTAK (Turkey)-CNRST (Morocco)
• Summary: This project aims at developing a yacht hull embedded with lattice structures and hydrodynamic /structural optimisation. Dr Günpinar’s research group is responsible for geometric modelling and will strive for yacht hulls and embedding lattice structures into them.  Dr Badr’s group will strive for the overall optimisation of the models.  The project develops a new yacht hull and optimisation framework called MYISDO, which is based on ModiYacht and ISDO. 

Control of Earthquake Vibrations with a New Semi-Active Magnetorheological Liquid Column Damper (MRP-LCD)

• Project Coordinator: Prof Dr Tahsin Engin
• Supporting Organisation: TÜBİTAK 1001
• Summary: This project aims to develop a unique Tuned Liquid Column Damper (TLCD) system that can be semi-actively controlled with a magnetorheological (MR) liquid to reduce the risk of earthquakes in structures. For the first time in the literature, semi-active control of TLCD will be performed with a piston design using MR fluid. As a result, a unique earthquake vibration damping system will be developed that can be easily applied to existing or new structures at a low cost and can provide a 30% improvement in the shear force index.

• Project Coordinator: Prof. Dr Levent Trabzon
• Supporting Organisation: TÜBİTAK – MID UZBEKISTAN, Project number: 221N138
• Duration: 2022-2023