The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) – Health Research and Development Meeting, held on March 6, 2025, was attended by Prof. Dr. F. Duygu ÖZEL DEMİRALP, Head of TÜSEB Türkiye Biotechnology Institute (TBE); Prof. Dr. Burak CİVELEK, Head of Türkiye Cancer Institute (TKE); Fatih KARADEMİR, Head of Foreign Affairs Department; Dr. Serkan YAMAN, Researcher at TBE; Dr. Birol YETİM, Researcher at Türkiye Health Policies Institute; Emine Arzu BAŞKALE, R&D Specialist at Türkiye Vaccine Institute; İlhan BOZYİĞİT from Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency (TITCK) – Department of Analysis and Control Laboratories; Ayşegül BAŞKAYA from TITCK – Department of Clinical Trials; Pharmacist İrem YENER TÜFEKÇİ from TITCK – Department of International Relations; Hikmet GÜNER, EU Expert at General Directorate of EU and Foreign Affairs of the Ministry of Health; Mine SERTKAN, Project Director at the OTS; and representatives of the member states of the Organization of Turkic States.

During the meeting, topics such as biotechnology, genome projects, cellular therapies, and oncology were discussed, with a focus on enhancing R&D cooperation among the member states of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). Prof. Dr. F. Duygu ÖZEL DEMİRALP, Head of TÜSEB Türkiye Biotechnology Institute (TBE), and Prof. Dr. Burak CİVELEK, Head of Türkiye Cancer Institute (TKE), delivered presentations on a wide range of ongoing initiatives, including Türkiye’s National Genome Project, biobanks, rare diseases, and cancer research. Additionally, the need to establish a joint platform for genome projects among member countries was emphasized.

Innovative approaches in the field of biotechnology, particularly CAR-T therapy and mRNA-based treatments, were thoroughly addressed. Discussions were held on Kazakhstan’s efforts in these areas and potential collaborations with Türkiye.

In cancer research-related projects, emphasis was placed on the benefits of locally developed cancer diagnostic panels and joint screening programs.

The meeting highlighted the importance of strengthening scientific cooperation and enhancing the exchange of expertise across various fields. The proposal to organize a scientific event hosted by Türkiye was also brought to the agenda.