Türkiye’s First Theranostics Innovation Centre, AnkaTheraHub, Opens

AnkaTheraHub, which will strengthen Türkiye’s research and development, product development and commercialisation capacity in health technologies, was officially opened at a ceremony attended by Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır. As Türkiye’s first theranostics innovation centre, AnkaTheraHub will contribute to transforming scientific research into high value-added health technologies.

The opening of AnkaTheraHub, Türkiye’s first theranostics innovation centre, was held on 30 June 2026 at the Morphology Building of the Dean’s Office of Ankara University Faculty of Medicine. The opening programme was attended by Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Rector of Ankara University Prof. Dr. Necdet Ünüvar, AnkaTheraHub Director Prof. Dr. Hakan Akbulut, and representatives of public institutions, universities, the health sector and the biotechnology ecosystem.

Co-financed under the financial cooperation framework between the European Union and the Republic of Türkiye and implemented by Ankara University under the Competitive Sectors Programme run by the Ministry of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Türkiye, AnkaTheraHub has commenced its operations to transform scientific research into high value-added health technologies.

Speaking at the opening of the centre, which was established through a total investment of EUR 13 million, Minister Kacır underlined that the integration of innovative technologies into health systems and digital transformation offer new opportunities in terms of accessibility, effectiveness and sustainability in health services.

Minister Kacır stated that, through its 10 specialised advanced technology units, AnkaTheraHub will strengthen Türkiye’s research, development and innovation capacity in the field of precision medicine. He noted that the centre will support research, testing and product development activities through next-generation sequencing, advanced clinical analysis systems, antibody and vaccine process optimisation technologies, micro-radiation infrastructure, and advanced cellular imaging and analysis solutions.

Emphasising that AnkaTheraHub is more than a research infrastructure, Minister Kacır stated that the centre is positioned as a strategic platform where scientific knowledge meets industry, ventures are strengthened and innovative health technologies are developed. He added that, through technology transfer, patenting, mentoring, training and capacity-building services, the centre will guide researchers and entrepreneurs in transforming their ideas into commercially viable products. Minister Kacır also highlighted that AnkaTheraHub’s theranostics approach, which brings diagnosis and treatment together around the same target, will contribute to personalised health solutions.

Rector of Ankara University Prof. Dr. Necdet Ünüvar expressed his satisfaction at the establishment, in the University’s 80th year, of a centre that not only produces knowledge but also develops technologies and tangible products. Prof. Dr. Ünüvar drew attention to the importance of transforming European Union funding, public support and years of dedicated work into concrete outputs.

AnkaTheraHub Director Prof. Dr. Hakan Akbulut also spoke about the centre’s journey from a scientific idea to a strong, multi-stakeholder innovation infrastructure. Emphasising that the shared contributions of the university, public institutions, industry representatives and international partnerships were decisive in the establishment of AnkaTheraHub, Prof. Dr. Akbulut stated that the centre is not merely a structure comprising advanced technology equipment and laboratories. He noted that AnkaTheraHub has been designed as an integrated ecosystem that responds to the needs of researchers, entrepreneurs, SMEs and industry, while aiming to transform scientific work into health technologies with clinical and commercial value.

Following the opening speeches, AnkaTheraHub officially commenced operations with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Advanced Technology Infrastructure Showcased During Centre Visit

As part of the opening programme, the protocol delegation visited the AnkaTheraHub laboratories located at Ankara University’s Cebeci Campus. During the visit, participants were introduced to the centre’s advanced technology infrastructure, specialised service units and integrated innovation model spanning diagnosis through to treatment.

With 10 advanced technology units and 24 fully equipped laboratories, AnkaTheraHub will support the transformation of scientific knowledge into products for researchers, entrepreneurs, SMEs and industrial organisations working in the fields of cancer, infectious diseases and personalised medicine.

In addition to advanced laboratory services, the centre will provide end-to-end support to stakeholders in the health technologies field through product development, clinical research planning, quality management systems, technology transfer, intellectual property, training and incubation services.

“A New Era in Biotechnology: From Laboratory to Clinic with AnkaTheraHub”

The opening event concluded with a panel entitled “A New Era in Biotechnology: From Laboratory to Clinic with AnkaTheraHub”.

The panel was moderated by AnkaTheraHub Director Prof. Dr. Hakan Akbulut. Dr. Hakkı Gürsöz, Former President of the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency; Prof. Dr. Gizem Dinler Doğanay, Faculty Member at the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science and Letters, Istanbul Technical University; and Zeynep Demirel, Operations Manager at Bome Trivitron, shared their perspectives during the discussion.

The panel addressed the development of innovative health technologies across the continuum from research to implementation and from laboratory to clinic, as well as the product development journey, regulatory processes, industry partnerships and the role of strong ecosystems.

With its advanced technology infrastructure, specialised laboratory services and collaboration-oriented approach, AnkaTheraHub will continue its efforts to transform scientific knowledge into high value-added health technologies and to strengthen Türkiye’s domestic capacity and international competitiveness.

From science to value, from idea to clinic, from Türkiye to the world.