Can we pause the clock of nature?
Let me answer right away: yes, it is indeed possible. The process known as embryonic diapause is not as rare as once thought. More than 130 species, including bears, mice, and fish, have been observed pausing embryonic development in response to environmental conditions, waiting for more favorable times. Nature truly possesses an awe-inspiring harmony and order. It is our duty to understand and make sense of this phenomenon we call nature. The only tool we have to do this is science.
Since 2016, we have been organizing the Sabri Ülker Science Award to support and encourage young scientists and to foster a culture of science. This year’s winner, Dr. Aydan Bulut Karslıoğlu, head of the Stem Cell Chromatin Group at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin, was recognized for her research focusing on this very phenomenon. I wholeheartedly congratulate Dr. Karslıoğlu, a scientist who conducts groundbreaking research on issues that concern all of us, such as preventing diseases and slowing the aging process by decelerating cell decay. I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Sabri Ülker Foundation, the entire board of directors and its members, to Prof. Dr. Gökhan Hotamışlıgil, head of the Sabri Ülker Center at Harvard, for leading our scientific efforts, and to Ali Ülker for supporting all of these initiatives.
