Strategy, funding & policies

Funding research. Internal funding runs through the Scientific Research Projects Commission (ABAPKO) and the Academic Activities Support Commission (AFDK). External applications are recorded in DAPSİS and supported by the Technology Transfer Office, whose specialists cover national funds (TÜBİTAK ARDEB, BİDEB and TEYDEB, TÜSEB, İSTKA, KOSGEB) and international funds (Horizon Europe pillars and missions, Erasmus+, the Innovative Health Initiative, COST, EUREKA/Eurostars, NIH and the Wellcome Trust).

The Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University Clinical Research Ethics Committee was approved by the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency (TİTCK) on 11 July 2025 (code 2025-KAEK-51) and operates under the Regulation on Clinical Research of Human Medicinal Products. It evaluates clinical research and low-risk scientific studies, post-market clinical follow-up and medical-device investigations, stem-cell research under Circular 2018/10, observational studies with human medicinal products, scientific studies of treatment methods, and health-claim studies for foods for special medical purposes and food supplements. Cosmetic studies and traditional, complementary and functional medicine research are outside its scope.

Applications use the TİTCK document set and follow the Guideline on Good Clinical Practices; initial applications are submitted as one printed copy and one PDF on a USB drive, and notifications may be sent to kaek@acibadem.edu.tr. Applications on the meeting agenda are finalised within 15 days. No fee is charged for academic studies, specialty theses, studies sponsored by a member of the university or funded by public institutions. The committee meets twice a month; the 2026 calendar, member list, forms and fee schedule are published on the university site. The committee is chaired by Prof. Filiz Onat (Pharmacology) with Prof. Murat Mert Erkan (General Surgery) as Vice Chair.

Permission must be obtained from ACU-HADYEK before any procedure involving laboratory animals; no approval is issued retrospectively, and only projects to be conducted at ACU-DEHAM are evaluated. Applications are made by the most senior staff member responsible (the thesis advisor for theses) with the application form, the letter of undertaking, the animal request form and the applicants’ experimental animal use certificates, in Word format to acuhadyek@acibadem.edu.tr and in wet-signed hard copy. Decisions are appropriate, requires correction, conditionally appropriate or inappropriate; protocol changes need approval; publications must cite the protocol number. The committee is chaired by Prof. Serap Arbak with Prof. Güldal Süyen as Vice Chair, and meets monthly.

The Technology Transfer Office handles intellectual property and commercialisation transactions and university–industry collaboration. Company establishment and incubation run through TEKMER A.Ş.; the Biodesign Center provides design and prototyping; ACUTAB provides testing and analysis to national and international standards. Appointment and promotion criteria for academic staff are published on the KAYSİS system.