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  • Article
    Enhanced Doxorubicin Cytotoxicity on Breast Cancer Spheroids by Aptamer Targeted Co-Delivery With Hyaluronidase
    (Wiley, 2025) Kavruk, Murat; Demirel, Dide Su; Bonyadi, Farzaneh; Guner, Buket Cakmak; Dursun, Ali Dogan; Vakifahmetoglu, Cekdar; Ozalp, Veli Cengiz
    Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent solid tumors in women and can be classified into subtypes based on molecular characteristics, such as hormone receptor status and HER2 expression. Aptamers, highly specific affinity molecules, are extensively studied for targeted drug delivery using nanocarriers to enhance anti-cancer efficacy. This study focused on HER2-responsive co-delivery of doxorubicin and hyaluronidase via aptamer-gated mesoporous silica nanoparticles to improve therapeutic outcomes in solid tumors. SK-BR-3 spheroids are employed as a model for resistant tumor environments in solid tumors. Previous research is shown that conjugating cytotoxic drugs with nanoparticles or cells enhances drug penetration into tumor spheroids. In this work, doxorubicin is loaded into mesoporous silica nanoparticles and capped with HER2-specific aptamers, while the particle surface is functionalized with hyaluronidase. This dual-functionalized nanocarrier system achieves an approximate to 8.5-fold increase in cytotoxicity compared to aptamer-targeted delivery lacking hyaluronidase. The enhanced effect is attributed to hyaluronidase-mediated loosening of the spheroid structure, facilitating nanoparticle penetration and localized release of doxorubicin at high concentrations on HER2-positive cells.
  • Article
    Biotechnological Preparedness for Novel Pandemics: Diagnostic Performance of IVDS Against SARS-CoV
    (Wiley, 2025) Kavruk, Murat; Ercan, Meltem; Borsa, Baris Ata; Ozalp, Veli Cengiz; Hernandez, Frank J.
    Although the COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges and negative impacts around the world, some of which will persist into the future, its technological challenge has created a unique opportunity in a globalized world. It is a rare event that almost all of humanity to be directed towards a single goal and to try to produce solutions, but the necessity of a similar global action in the future has begun to enter the agenda again. The predictions made on the basis of countries and institutions against the possibility of a pandemic, which is defined as Disease X, are shaped by the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. Technologically, one of the know-how we have gained in this pandemic is the performance of IVD and test systems in terms of quality and quantity. A comprehensive analysis of the products produced by combining biotechnology with different strategies has not been conducted. In this context, we have analyzed the technical preferences, limitations, and other performance parameters of IVDs and test kits that could be developed against a future Disease X. The performance parameters of 2,882 biotechnological products listed for use in the European Union have been analyzed, and areas that could be targeted for increased effectiveness have been identified. Our study is the first of its kind in this field and can serve as a guide for those who want to work on detection methods, diagnostics, and novel technologies for deployment in future pandemics.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 2
    Citation - Scopus: 2
    Global Insights Into Food Fraud From Location-Based Analysis: Food Adulteration in Turkey
    (Wiley, 2025) Kavruk, Murat; Balci, Tugce Nur; Ozel, Irem Cagla; Ozalp, Veli Cengiz; Aydin, Ali
    BackgroundFood fraud and adulteration pose critical global challenges impacting economic stability and public health. This study examines the prevalence and characteristics of food fraud incidents in Turkey, an international player in the food supply chain. Controls carried out from production to consumption reveal many fraudulent events worldwide.ResultsData collected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of T & uuml;rkiye from 2012 to 2022, covering 4007 incidents and 7180 specific cases of adulteration, form the basis of this analysis. The study categorizes food fraud by region, product group and type of fraud, revealing trends and patterns. Key findings indicate a higher incidence of fraud in milk, meat and vegetable oil products, including the detection of drug-based adulteration having potential for serious health consequences.ConclusionAt most importance, we demonstrated the importance of risk-based food inspections and the development of new detection technologies to enhance food safety. The results are fundamental for more effective food inspections in terms of risk-based conformity assessment approaches or developing new methods, devices and analysis kits in terms of scientific and technological approaches. Still, they can also significantly improve future food safety measures. These insights are aimed at informing global food safety strategies and policymaking, contributing to a safer and more transparent food supply chain. (c) 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.