The project titled "Investigation of the Biomarker Potential of Candidate miRNAs Associated with Endothelial Dysfunction in the Diagnosis of Migraine," led by Associate Professor Dr. İdris Kocatürk, a faculty member at Kastamonu University Faculty of Medicine, has been awarded support under the TÜBİTAK 1002-A Rapid Support Module.

The project, which will be carried out for 12 months and supported with a budget of 150,000 TL, has been  Assist.Prof.Dr. Hakan Küçüksayan from the Faculty of Medicine as the advisor. The research team includes Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sedat Gülten, Assist.Prof.Dr. Mehmet Akif Bildirici from Sivas Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Medicine, and medical students Ayselin Şahin, Elif Ece Güneş, and Nisa Duru Bora. 

In a project aimed at better understanding the causes of migraine, a condition commonly seen in society that negatively affects quality of life, the goal is to investigate new biological markers for disease diagnosis. In this context, samples taken from migraine patients and healthy individuals will be compared to examine the biological changes associated with the disease. 

With the findings obtained, it is aimed to better understand the mechanisms underlying migraine and to build a scientific infrastructure for developing new methods that could contribute to earlier and more accurate diagnosis of the disease. Additionally, the study is expected to contribute to the identification of new biomarkers for migraine diagnosis.

The project will contribute to the training of young researchers in addition to its scientific outputs. Medical Faculty students on the research team will gain practical experience in molecular biology, biomarker research, and translational medicine, actively participating in scientific research. 

Our Rector, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hamdi Topal, in his evaluation of the project, stated that scientific studies conducted in the field of health contribute to public health, saying, "It is an important value that the project encourages our students' active participation in research processes and contributes to the training of young scientists." We will continue to support studies that foster a research culture, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and produce high-quality knowledge in the field of health sciences. He expressed, "I congratulate our academics and students who contributed to the project and wish them continued success." 

Our Rector also thanked the President of YÖK, Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar, and the YÖK members for their support of research in higher education, and Prof. Dr. Orhan Aydın, the President of TÜBİTAK, for the contributions to university projects.