Turkish Columbia graduate to teach the body to heal itself

NEW YORK

Özgenur Çelik, one of the top 25 Turkish graduates from Columbia University, is making waves in the United States with her groundbreaking work in biomedical engineering with her project to teach the immune system to heal itself.

After graduating from Columbia's Biomedical Engineering Department, Çelik enrolled in the master's program at the Emory University-Georgia Institute of Technology, one of the best biomedical engineering Ph.D. programs of 2023.

Working meticulously in the laboratory, Çelik shared insights into her project: "I focused on nanodrug technology and smart drug delivery systems with Prof. Dr. Kam Leong during my undergraduate studies. Instead of chemotherapy, I explored nano-therapy systems that intelligently and precisely deliver cancer drugs only to the body's needed areas. Today, in collaboration with Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology, we are loading RNA messages into nanodrugs, seeking solutions for various diseases. Our aim is to teach the immune system what to do and enable it to self-heal."

Notably, Çelik was recognized as one of the most accomplished Turkish graduates in the U.S. in 2022 when she completed her biomedical engineering degree at Columbia University. She aspires to be a role model for young girls interested in scientific pursuits, stating, "If this process brings Nobel or prestigious science awards, that would be fantastic." Çelik's groundbreaking work exemplifies the global impact of Turkish talent in biomedical research.