Research on neurodegeneration was initiated at the Molecular Biology and Genetics Department of Boğaziçi University in 1997 by Dr. Başak. Supported by Boğaziçi University Research Funds, Tübitak and The Brain Research Society, this research has greatly enhanced the knowledge and the experience of the department on neurodegenerative diseases and carried the lab’s research to a nationwide level. Today as the primary reference center for genetic diagnosis and research on neurodegenerative diseases in Turkey, the laboratory of Dr. Başak has well-developed collaborations with several neurological institutions throughout the country and abroad.

Functional studies to understand the mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases are important in the design of effective therapies. The establishment of a state-of-art laboratory with a perfect infrastructure, with international collaborations and a team of dedicated scientists and graduate students became a priority. With the objective of enhancing research in health sciences in Turkey, the prestigious Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation recognized the importance of a modern neuroscience laboratory at Boğaziçi University, and generously supported the establishment of an advanced research center. Boğaziçi University has greatly contributed to the establishment of this unit at several levels. The laboratory was inaugurated in July 2005. Approximately one third of the gift supports graduate students working at the lab: PhD students are referred as Suna Kıraç Scholars and MSc students as İnan Kıraç Fellows. In acknowledgement of their contributions to the research aims, the laboratory was named Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation - Neurodegeneration Research Laboratory (NDAL).