23rd Biotechnology Congress with International Participation – General Reflections and Acknowledgements

The 23rd Biotechnology Congress with International Participation was successfully held between October 23–25, 2025, hosted by Hacettepe University and organized by the Biotechnology Association, in Ankara, Türkiye. The official languages of the congress were Turkish and English. The event brought together around 300 participants, including international guests from the United States, Canada, Germany, and the Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye, as well as researchers and professionals from 33 universities, 17 sponsor companies, and public institutions across 18 cities in Türkiye.

This year’s congress was held under the theme “Shaping the Future of Biotechnology Together.” The scientific program encompassed a wide range of sessions, covering medical biotechnology, artificial intelligence, industrial biotechnology, food biotechnology, agricultural and environmental biotechnology, molecular diagnostic methods, and bioprocess innovations.

A total of 21 invited speakers contributed to the congress. The opening lecture was delivered by Prof. Dr. Brad Day from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), titled “Convergent Research: Tackling Grand Challenges Together.” His presentation highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and convergent research approaches on a global scale, perfectly reflecting the congress theme.

Throughout the three-day event, 73 oral presentations and 54 digital posters were presented. For the first time, the congress introduced “Flash Talk” sessions, where around 40 researchers shared their poster studies through concise three-minute presentations.

One of the most remarkable sessions this year was the “Artificial Intelligence and Medical Biotechnology Panel.” This panel brought together clinicians and engineers to discuss clinical AI applications, ethical and legal frameworks, translational capacity, and international collaboration models. With the participation of representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, TAGEM (General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies), University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK) researchers, and EU experts, a strong bridge was established between academia, industry, and policy at the international level.

As part of the Young Researchers Session, mid-career scientists engaged in a future-oriented discussion built around three key questions derived from the congress motto. This session emphasized the defining role of artificial intelligence, next-generation gene editing technologies, biopharmaceuticals, and postbiotics in the future of biotechnology, predicting an even faster and more innovative evolution of the field in the coming years.

The Book of Abstracts will be published online, and participant and sponsor appreciation certificates will be distributed digitally. Parallel to the scientific sessions, the “Scientific Illustration Exhibition” curated by Prof. Dr. Banu Bulduk Türkmen from the Hacettepe University Faculty of Fine Arts, was hosted at the Beytepe Art Center throughout the congress and attracted great interest.

With its strong scientific content, international participation, and inclusive platform for young researchers, the 23rd Biotechnology Congress with International Participation once again affirmed its position as a significant reference point in the field of biotechnology in Türkiye.

On this occasion, we extend our heartfelt thanks to the Scientific Committee members, invited speakers, participants, sponsor companies, institutional representatives, and especially to our student team, whose dedicated efforts made this event possible.