BARU's ERA-NET NEURON Project is the first in Turkey

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Bartın University
Faculty of Literature

The ERA-NET NEURON Project submitted by Bartın University (BARU) within the scope of Horizon 2020, of which TÜBİTAK is one of the partners, was the first study accepted under the coordination of Turkey.

The project submitted by Bartın University (BARU) as a consortium under the European Union framework program ERA-NET NEURON (The Network of European Funding for Neuroscience Research) was accepted. The project, which was deemed worthy of support within the framework of Horizon 2020, of which TÜBİTAK is one of the partners, was evaluated within the scope of the joint international call title of 2023 "Mechanisms of Resilience and Vulnerability to Environmental Challenges in Mental Health".

It was the first project coordinated by Turkey

The project, which aims to improve knowledge on neurobiological mechanisms related to resilience or vulnerability to environmental challenges in mental health, was addressed in the direction of supporting multinational, collaborative research. For this purpose, the coordinator and executive director of the project was Dr. Lecturer from the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Letters, BARU. Prof. Dr. Ersin Yavaş from BARU Faculty of Letters, Department of Psychology. The project is titled as "A New Approach to Psychological Resilience Observed in Adulthood Psychopathologies Caused by Juvenile Stress: Rerouting Towards Resilience to Juvenile Stress-Induced Psychopathologies in Adulthood: Spotlight on Behavioral Profiling and Lifestyle Interventions". This is the first time an ERA-NET NEURON project coordinated by a Turkish university has been accepted.

The project received a budget of 1 million 81 thousand Euros

The project, which will examine individual differences in the response of traumatic stress conditions experienced in middle-age childhood to stress in later adulthood in a controlled laboratory environment, was supported with 1 million 81 thousand Euros. With studies that will last 36 months in total, healthy and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying individual differences will be addressed and interventions to be applied will be investigated. Within the scope of the data to be obtained, it will be determined to what extent stress experiences and innovative intervention methods will contribute to behavioral and cognitive markers.

The world's best scientists are involved in the project

The project, coordinated by BARU, includes scientists from Sorbonne University, University of Oslo, University of Haifa, University of Magdeburg and Koç University as consortium members. Within the scope of the project, consortium members will make mutual visits and joint studies to develop knowledge and experience. Bringing together the best scientists in the field, the study will focus on the mechanisms of resilience and vulnerability to environmental challenges in mental health.

"Our project ranked in the top 3 among 83 applications"

Expressing his happiness by talking about the process of accepting the project, Dr. Lecturer. Prof. Dr. Yavaş stated that their work, which started in early 2023, was the result of an intense labor.

Yavaş, who was also an executive in the 1001- Scientific and Technological Research Project supported by TÜBİTAK in 2022, said, "We went through a two-stage evaluation process within the scope of the ERA-NET NEURON Project. In the first stage, we were among the 43 projects that passed the pre-application stage out of 83 studies received by 35 evaluation committees from 15 different countries. In the second stage, we managed to be among the 15 projects that were entitled to be supported out of 43 projects. This success, which includes much more than just an accepted project, is primarily the result of my belief in the project and my efforts to develop it. It is also a reflection of the valuable support of the partner countries who made the effort to work together in this process."

"We will work together with important names in the field"

Stating that they aim to develop applicable ideas with the research they will conduct, he said: "The excellent synergy between the partners has also helped to develop applicable ideas within the scope of each of their expertise in research. The fact that a single research question will be evaluated so comprehensively has also helped to reinforce the partners' belief in the project. As Bartın University, it is an important privilege for us to host this valuable project. I would like to thank Prof. Dr. Orhan Uzun, the Rector of our University, for the support they have provided along with the opportunities they have provided to get better in this regard. I would also like to thank our Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Zahmakıran, our Dean Prof. Dr. Birgül Koçak Oksev, my esteemed teacher Prof. Dr. Sedat Yazıcı and my esteemed colleagues in the Department of Psychology for their close interest."

"We aim to be one of the main actors in science and technology"

BARU Rector Prof. Dr. Orhan Uzun emphasized that the internationally accepted project is a reflection of the point the university has reached in the research ecosystem and said, "In the Turkish century, we are taking decisive steps towards becoming a country that is followed, not a country that follows the processes in the field of science and technology. With the ecosystem we have created at our university, we say 'We are also present' in the rapidly progressing research and innovation activities in the world. With these thoughts, due to the project, which is the first in our country and is the result of a great effort, we would like to thank Dr. Assoc. I congratulate Prof. Dr. Ersin Yavaş, consortium member scientists and our Dean of the Faculty of Letters Prof. Dr. Birgül Koçak Oksev for their contributions to our institutional progress. I would like to thank our Higher Education Council President Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar and our Higher Education Council members, whose support we always feel with us in our march towards the future. I would also like to thank Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, President of TÜBİTAK, who encourages us with science and technology-based development strategies, and all our stakeholders for their contributions."

What is Horizon 2020?

Horizon 2020 is the eighth phase framework program within the system of scientific research programs that unites the scientific resources of the European Union. The Horizon 2020 program aims to strengthen Europe's global competitiveness and to bring together all research and innovation programs carried out in the European Union under a holistic system. Individual researchers, research groups, universities, research organizations, research institutions, public institutions, industrial organizations and SMEs from European Union countries, partner countries (Turkey is included in this group) and other countries with special conditions can apply for Horizon 2020 support with consortia formed with 3 different legal partners from at least 3 different countries.

In this direction, ERA-NET NEURON Project is a call to support researchers working in Turkey within the scope of TÜBİTAK, 1071 Support Program for Increasing the Capacity to Benefit from International Research Funds and Participation in International R&D Collaborations. The aim of the call is to support multinational, collaborative research projects that will address critical translational questions to improve knowledge on neurobiological mechanisms related to resilience or vulnerability to environmental challenges in mental health. Only international projects are supported under this call and each consortium submitting a proposal must consist of research groups from at least three different countries.

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