Welcome to website of the FoodOmics Group Laboratory at Hacettepe University, Food Engineering Department. In these pages we want to introduce you 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 improving food production and quality. Innovative molecular technologies permit a reliable study of food ecosystems.

In the FoodOmics Lab, we are using culture-dependent (traditional microbiological analysis) and culture-independent (sequencing, metagenomics, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry) and combination of them (culturomics) approaches to describe the diversity of microbiota and identify beneficial microbes for the fermented food such as yogurt, cheese and Tarhana. We are working on gene functions and regulation for beneficial microbes such as lactic acid bacteria, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using a DNA barcoding technology, we are developing to acquire simple and quick identification technique for the beneficial microbes. We are also using molecular biological techniques, biochemistry and bioinformatics to ask how identify and demonstrate the role of enzyme coding genes for beneficial microbes as well as some food plants such as local wheat varieties in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Muraleedharan Nair. Finally, a recently project in the FoodOmics Lab aims to develop reference material, proficiency test kit to quantify of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) including highly specific DNA-based methodology such as Q-PCR and nanosensors for the detection and quantification of GMOs. A gold nanoparticle-based work involves a combination of genomics and chemistry for the detection system, in collaboration with the laboratory of Prof. Dr. Brad Day, to detect the presence of GMOs in food and feed products. We are also working on the risk assessment methodology with perspective from omics technologies of GMOs.

FoodOmics Lab works are supported by grants from the Hacettepe University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit (HU BAP), Ministry of Agriculture and Forest General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM) and The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK).

More details about projects, people and future directions can be found throughout this webpage. If you are interested in joining the FoodOmics lab, please contact us to inquire about current postdoctoral and graduate student opportunities!