The 2025 MDx Impact Grants, an annual Nature Awards organized under the collaboration of Nature Journal and leading global industry leaders, have been announced. Focus of the awards is pioneering research that addresses clinical needs in the diagnosis of infectious diseases.
This year’s winner was Prof. Dr. Füsun Can, Head of the Department of Medical Microbiology at Koç University School of Medicine and Vice Director of KUISCID. Supervised by Prof. Can, the project aims to expand access to innovative and accurate diagnostic tests using PCR technology and improve patient treatment processes. Specifically, the research aims to rapidly and reliably identify antibiotic-resistant and highly pathogenic strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae. This will allow early diagnosis to promptly initiate appropriate treatment for patients, preventing both unnecessary antibiotic use and the spread of antibiotic resistance.
This achievement has strengthened Turkey’s scientific reputation by bringing KUISCID’s expertise in infectious diseases and molecular diagnostics to the global stage. It has also served as a powerful source of motivation, career aspiration, and inspiration for young researchers. We congratulate Prof. Önder Ergönül, Assoc. Prof. Mert Kuşkucu, and Dr. Cansel Vatansever, who are members of the project team. Our team’s exclusive interview with the Nature editor will be published on nature.com shortly. Follow our newsletter for more details.
