KUISCID Nowember 2021 Newsletter
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KOÇ UNIVERSITY İŞBANK CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES
NOVEMBER 2021
This is a monthly newsletter from KUISCID. We present our research output and news about our activities.
NEWS

Executives of İşbank Visited KUISCID

We were very pleased to host Adnan Bali, Chairperson of İşbank, Hakan Aran, CEO of İşbank and Sezai Sevgin, General Manager of Bayındır Health Group, who visited our Center for Infectious Diseases, established with the support of İşbank in the midst of the COVID-19 epidemic that shook the world. We will continue to work and produce for the benefit of science and public health and for the sustainability of research, thriving to become a leading center with new ideas from our cooperation.

 
NEWS

Renewed Certification to the BSL-3 Lab

Through current regulations of Biosafety Level certification, all the required protocols of infrastructure level were reviewed, and our BSL-3 certificate was successfully renewed. Being the only members of such an accredited center, the only goal of ours is to always lead our studies one step further.

PUBLICATION

COVID-19 Infection and Post-Vaccination Antibody Levels

In this study, which was carried out with the participation of healthcare workers with or without COVID-19 infection before vaccination, IgG antibody responses were examined with serological tests. In addition, neutralizing antibody levels were examined by the neutralization test, which is the gold standard used for the determination of the neutralizing antibodies levels.

Results of this study among healthcare workers has shown that the amount of antibodies obtained after 1st dose of inactivated vaccine in people with a history of COVID-19 was higher compared to the amount of antibodies obtained after 2 doses of inactivated vaccine in people without a history of COVID-19. Furthermore, a positive correlation between IgG levels and neutralizing antibody levels have been shown. Understanding the time dependent presence and amount of neutralizing antibodies will provide a comprehensive information on whether further dose of vaccines are needed, hence, illuminate the future of pandemic.

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PUBLICATION

Placental Deficiency During Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection

Aim of this study conducted by our researchers was to evaluate the risk of vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and placental passage of anti-Spike antibodies placental structures.

– Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Spike antibodies can cross to neonates at birth. SARS-CoV-2 infection may cause maternal and fetal unfavourable outcomes.

– The concentrations of total anti-SARS-CoV-2 Spike antibodies were higher in pregnant women with moderate to severe/critical disease.

– The maternal total anti-SARS-CoV-2 Spike levels were correlated with those of neonatal levels.

– The rate of placental abnormalities is high in the mothers with severe disease, and those with positive anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM.

– The maternally derived anti-SARS-CoV-2 Spike antibody can transmit to neonates born to infected mothers regardless of gestational age.

– Our results indicated that the disease severity is associated with ischemic placental pathology which may result in adverse pregnancy outcomes.

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NEWS

Publications from KUISCID

You can visit our website to access our research publications on COVID-19 and other research subjects by click here.

 

NEWS

New Project Approved by TUBITAK

Our researchers’ TUBITAK 1002 project “Deciphering the Effects of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Viral Infection on Human Plasma Metabolism by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy” was approved to receive funding from TUBITAK. We would like to take the chance to congratulate our researchers.

 
NEWS

Update of the Pandemic

Prof. Dr. Önder Ergönül has attended the webinar which was hosted by Science Academy and current situation of COVID-19 was discussed through recent findings; regarding the vaccination periods and treatment options for the infection.

Click here for watching.

JOB OPPORTUNITY

Be a part of our team!

There will be open positions in the field of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology. To learn more about the career opportunities, you can visit our Careers webpage.

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