Duckweed as a functional food and a biostimulant for sustainable food and circular agriculture
YÖK ADEP (Research Support Programme)
Research assistants
Rıfat Buğra Bildiri
Research Assistant · PhD Student
- BSc · Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul University · 2018–2022
- MSc · Institute of Biotechnology, Gebze Technical University · 2022–2025
- Thesis title: Unlocking the Potential of Steel Slag for Sustainable Agriculture: A Study on Wheat and Lettuce
- PhD · Institute of Biotechnology, Gebze Technical University · 2025–present
Full-time research assistant, part-time entrepreneur.
He received his BSc in Molecular Biology and Genetics from Istanbul University in 2022, though his research started well before that: between 2020 and 2022 he took part in several projects at the Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Institute of the TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center.
He then joined the Plant Biotechnology, Physiology and Nutrition Lab at Gebze Technical University, where he completed his master’s degree and, apparently, decided not to leave. Since 2024 he has been a research assistant at the Institute of Biotechnology.
He works on sustainable waste management, on the valorization of waste in agriculture within the circular bioeconomy, and on soilless and vertical farming systems. He has presented his findings at meetings in Türkiye, Spain, Germany and Greece.
Projects
All projectsTARIM2030: a digitalization programme for supply security, sustainability, innovation and transparency in food
TÜBİTAK 1833 SAYEM (Green Transformation in Industry call)
Biotechnology and Bioeconomy Cluster (BİKÜME)
Ministry of Industry and Technology, clustering call
Conference proceedings
Oral
Dried Duckweed Biomass as a Boron-Binding Soil Amendment Produced through Nutrient Recovery from Agricultural Drainage Water
8th International Conference on Duckweed Research and Applications (ICDRA 2026), Naples, Italy · 28 September – 2 October 2026
OralAward: Best oral presentation award
A Comparative Assessment of Duckweed Grown in Different Types of Agricultural Wastewater for Mineral Phytoextraction
2nd International Conference on Circularity, Sustainability, and Resilience in Water, Wastewater and Sludge Management (CSRW26), Thessaloniki, Greece · 29 March – 1 April 2026
Oral
Utilization of Duckweed for the Phytoextraction of Boron and Other Nutrients from Agricultural Drainage Water for the Production of an Organic Slow-Release Fertilizer
International Boron Symposium (BORON 2025), Ankara, Türkiye · 3–5 December 2025
Poster
Potential Contribution of Steel Slag to Safe and Sustainable Lettuce Production
2nd International Congress on Biotech Solutions for Sustainability (Biotech4Sus'25), Gebze Technical University, Kocaeli, Türkiye · 21–24 October 2025
Oral
Effects of Duckweed Amendment on Cucumber Shoot Growth under Varying Soil Boron Conditions
2nd International Congress on Biotech Solutions for Sustainability (Biotech4Sus'25), Gebze Technical University, Kocaeli, Türkiye · 21–24 October 2025
Oral
Investigation of electric-arc-furnace slag for sustainable wheat and lettuce production
ESTEP-FEhS Workshop: The role of slags and other by-products within circular economy in the steel industry, Düsseldorf, Germany · 5–6 March 2025
Oral
Valorization of Steel Slag as a Safe Soil Amendment for Sustainable Crop Production
12th European Slag Conference (EUROSLAG 2024), Bilbao, Spain · 23–25 October 2024
Oral
Valorization of Steel Slag as a Safe Soil Amendment for Sustainable Crop Production
1st International Congress on Biotech Solutions for Sustainability (Biotech4Sus'24), Gebze Technical University, Kocaeli, Türkiye · 7–10 May 2024
Entrepreneurship and competitions
11 November 2025
EIT Food Solutions: Waste to Value Programme
21–24 October 2025
Bioentrepreneurship Contest by Biotech4Sus 2025
18 September 2025
6th TechXtile Challenge
4–6 August 2025
Global Cleantech Innovation Programme
23 July 2025
GTU TTO Business Plan Contest
30 April – 17 October 2025
EIT Jumpstarter 2025 Programme
25–27 July 2023
48-Hour Accelerated Project Preparation Camp
2–5 December 2022
IDEATON Idea Development Camp
