Welcome to the website of the FoodOmics Group Laboratory at Hacettepe University, Food Engineering Department. In these pages, we want to introduce you to members of the lab, research area(s), and our projects.

Food is a complex ecosystem constituted of raw materials and microorganisms. Knowing food ecosystems helps improve food production and quality. Innovative molecular technologies permit a reliable study of food ecosystems.

At the FoodOmics Laboratory, we aim to characterize microbiota diversity and identify beneficial microorganisms in fermented foods such as yogurt, cheese, and tarhana using both culture-dependent (traditional microbiological analyses) and culture-independent approaches (sequencing, metagenomics, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry), as well as a combination of these methods (culturomics). We conduct projects focused on improving the biotechnological properties of beneficial microorganisms, such as lactic acid bacteria and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, through transcriptomic studies (gene expression levels). We are developing methods for the rapid and simple identification of beneficial microorganisms using DNA barcoding technology. Additionally, through molecular biology techniques, biochemistry, and bioinformatics, we are investigating the role of enzyme-coding genes in beneficial microorganisms and certain food plants, such as local wheat varieties, in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Muraleedharan Nair. Lastly, through a project conducted at the FoodOmics Laboratory, we aimed to develop reference materials and proficiency test kits for the detection and quantification of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) using DNA-based methodologies such as Q-PCR and nanosensors. A gold nanoparticle-based study is focused on developing a detection system combining genomics and chemistry for the presence of GMOs in food and feed products, in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Brad Day. We have also studied risk assessment methodologies for GMOs from an omics technologies perspective.

The research conducted at the FoodOmics Laboratory is supported by grants from institutions such as the Hacettepe University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit (HU BAP), the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (TAGEM), and the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK).

You can access more information about our projects, team, and future research on this website. If you would like to join the FoodOmics Laboratory or obtain more information, please contact us!