As part of the capacity-building activities of the Horizon Europe-funded GEMSTONE Project, Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University (ACU) welcomed Dr. Courtney J. Wright of Lund University for a short-term scientific visit on 17 November 2025. The visit took place at ACU’s Experimental Animal Application and Research Centre (DEHAM), where Dr. Wright collaborated closely with the GEMSTONE research team.
During her visit, Dr. Wright worked alongside research assistants Nursima Mutlu, Merve Çavuş, Ada Deniz Engin, and Dr. Talat Taygun Turan, contributing her expertise to ongoing experimental studies. Together, the team successfully conducted perfusion experiments, further advancing the project’s technical capacity and reinforcing collaborative research efforts.
A key highlight of the visit was Dr. Wright’s detailed demonstration of the dissection and extraction of the myenteric plexus, a critical component of the enteric nervous system. By showcasing the methodology and explaining its functional relevance, she provided the GEMSTONE team with valuable hands-on training that will serve as a strong basis for future investigations – particularly in research focused on alpha synuclein and its role in neurodegenerative disorders.
This targeted training session marked an important step in strengthening ACU’s expertise in advanced laboratory techniques, supporting GEMSTONE’s broader objectives of enhancing scientific excellence, fostering knowledge exchange, and building sustainable research capacity within the consortium.
