SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT 2nd NATIONAL AROID CONGRESS
SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT
2nd AROID CONGRESS
18 – 20 SEPTEMBER 2025
ISTANBUL HEALTH AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY (ISTUN) (444 3 788 / info@istun.edu.tr / www.istun.edu.tr) Sütlüce Mahallesi, İmrahor Cad. No. 82-84 Beyoğlu
Congress Secretary: Ebru ÖZDEMİR NATH
Registration: September 18, 2025 / 09.00 – 9.45
Dear Esteemed Colleagues and Aroid Researchers,
We are pleased to announce that the Second National Aroid Congress is approaching, scheduled to convene at Istanbul Health and Technology University from September 18-20, 2025. All organizational preparations have been finalized, and we eagerly anticipate your participation in this significant academic gathering.
The congress will feature a comprehensive scientific program encompassing distinguished keynote speakers, peer-reviewed oral presentations, and written sessions. Participants will engage with cutting-edge research spanning diverse aspects of aroid studies, including systematic taxonomy, phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, and biological activity assessments.
This congress is designed to serve as a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange and professional networking. We particularly encourage early-career researchers to participate, as the event will provide valuable opportunities for collaborative research initiatives, mentorship, and thedevelopment of innovative projects within the aroid research community. Beyond our scientific sessions, we have curated a unique program titled “Arum Meditation,” designed to offer participants an alternative perspective on aroid appreciation while promoting mindfulness and scientific reflection.
The congress will also feature recognition awards for outstanding oral and written presentations by young researchers, alongside carefully selected scientific and cultural activities that will enrich the overall conference experience. In addition to scientific presentations, we will have the opportunity to discover Istanbul’s unique historical and cultural fabric together through our gala dinner in a friendly atmosphere, and if weather conditions are suitable and sufficient number of participants is ensured, with an enjoyable journey accompanied by the Bosphorus’s unparalleled beauty, visiting the Iron (Bulgarian) Church and the Patriarchate, and following the traces of history in the streets of Fener-Balat. We extend our warmest invitation to join us for this exceptional academic and cultural experience.
With sincere regards,
Congress President
Prof. Dr. Abdülkerim Alpınar
PROGRAM
DAY 1
OPENING CEREMONY
10.00-10.05 Moment of silence and National Anthem
10.05-10.45 Opening Speeches
Dean of Faculty of Pharmacy Prof. Dr. Ahmet ARAMAN
Rector Prof. Dr. Buğra ÖZEN
Congress President Prof. Dr. Abdülkerim ALPINAR
10.45-11.00 BREAK
11.00–11.45
Phytochemical and biological activity studies conducted on aroids grown in Türkiye
Neşe KIRIMER (Invited Speaker)
11.45-13.00 LUNCH BREAK
13.00-14.30
ORAL PRESENTATION
13.00-13.30
Session 1 (Chair: Osman TUGAY)
A review of neotropical aroids
Thomas B. CROAT
13.30–14.00
The problems with collecting aroids in the wet tropics
Geneviève FERRY
14.00–14.30
Diversity of Pollination modes in Araceae
Marc GIBERNAU
14.45-16.15 BREAK
Session 2 (Chair: Osman KOLA)
14.45-15.15
The aroid collection in the Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Museum Herbarium (B) and Engler’s contributions
Narin SADIKOĞLU
15.15-15.45
Arum taxa recorded in Istanbul and systematic problems
Abdülkerim ALPINAR
15.45-16.15
Boosting Aroid Recognition: A Mobile AI Tool for Pharmacognosy Students
Nazlı TOKATLI, Yakuphan BİLMEZ, Yusuf KILIÇ, Abdülkerim ALPINAR
16.15-17.30
-Examination of aroid collection-
DAY 2
Session 3 (Chair: Işıl ALBENİZ)
9.30-10.00
Anatomical investigations on Colocasia esculenta(L.) Schott (Taro)
Esengül ÖZKAYMAKOĞLU, Osman TUGAY, Yavuz Bülent KÖSE, Deniz ULUKUŞ, Leyla PAŞAYEVA,
10.00-10.30
Ethnobotany, ecology and conservation of Taro [Colocasia esculenta(L.) Schott] and Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott species
Abas Abrar MOHAMMED, Serap SAĞLAM, Gülriz BAYÇU
10.30-11.00
Antioxidant activity of Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott extracts
Leyla PAŞAYEVA, Osman TUGAY, Esengül ÖZKAYMAKOĞLU
11.00 – 11.15 BREAK
Session 4 (Chair: Gülriz BAYÇU)
11.15 – 11.45
Enzyme inhibition properties of Arisarum vulgareO.Targ.Tozz. extracts
Osman TUGAY, Leyla PAŞAYEVA, Deniz ULUKUŞ
11.45-12.15
Some ethnobotanical examples on the Araceae family
Osman TUGAY
12.15 – 12.45
Notes on the use of aroids among Anatolian peoples
Emine ALÇITEPE, Galip ALÇITEPE
12.45 – 14.00 LUNCH BREAK
14.00 – 15.30
Session 5 (Chair: Gizem EMRE)
14.00- 14.30
Arum dioscoridis Smith in Türkiye
Abdülkerim ALPINAR, Berfin YAZAR
14.30 – 15.00
Aroids in landscape design
Şükran AYALP
15.00 – 15.30
Arum meditation
Ebru ÖZDEMİR NATH
15.30 – 15.45 BREAK
15.45 – 16.45
Poster Session
An evaluation on the use of Arum genus growing in Turkey as traditional folk medicines
Kadriye ARSLAN BAYKARA, Gizem EMRE
Cosmetic use of Arum species
Diren ENGİN, Ebru ÖZDEMİR NATH
A review on Araceae diversity in Ethiopia: Arisaema flavum (Forssk.) Schott and Amorphophallus abyssinicus (A.Rich.) N.E.Br.
Abas Abrar MOHAMMED, Serap SAĞLAM, Gülriz BAYÇU
Aroids in the Herbarium of Ankara University Faculty of Pharmacy (AEF)
Gülderen YILMAZ
Investigation of antioxidant and antiviral properties of tirşik soup prepared from Arum dioscoridis leaves
Burçin ERGENE, Melek KARAARSLAN, Aslı TURGAZ
Ethnobotanical uses, chemical contents and activity studies of Dracunculus and Eminium (Araceae) genera
Sefa SÖNMEZ, Ebru Özdemir NATH
An overview of ethnobotanical use and biological activity studies of BiarumSchott and Arisarum Miller taxa
Irmak ALEV ÇETİNKAYA, Ebru ÖZDEMİR NATH
An evaluation of the use of ‘Dracunculus vulgaris Schott‘ as a local folk medicine in Turkey
Muhammed Ziya ŞAHİNÖZ, Ahmet DOĞAN, Gizem EMRE
16:45-18:15
Session 6 (Chair: Emine ALÇITEPE)
16.45-17.15
Determination of phenolic compounds in Dieffenbachia seguine (Jacq.) Schott (Araceae) ‘Tropic Snow’ cultivar by LC-MS/MS
Narin SADIKOĞLU, Atilla AYGÜN, Mehmet Nuri ATALAR, Selim ERDOĞAN
17.15-17.45
Evaluation of cytotoxic activity and antioxidant capacity of Arum elongatum L.
Mert Baran UÇAR, Ebru ÖZDEMİR NATH Diren ERGİN, Mahmoud ABUDAYYAK
17.45-18.15
European aroids and changes in our understanding over the last 25 years
Deni BOWN
19:30 – 22:00 GALA DINNER
DAY 3
10.00-11.15 CLOSING
10:00 – 11:00 PANEL
Panelists: Abdülkerim ALPINAR, Emine ALÇITEPE, Gizem EMRE, Işıl ALBENİZ, Neşe KIRIMER, Osman TUGAY
11.00 -11.15
Plaque presentation and Oral, Poster Awards
11.15-12.15 LUNCH
13.00-17.00
Guided tours
Golden Horn cultural tour
ACCOMMODATION INFORMATION
Congress Venue
The Second National Aroid Congress will be held at Istanbul Health and Technology University (ISTUN) Auditorium, located at Sütlüce Mahallesi, İmrahor Caddesi No:82, Beyoğlu, Istanbul. For inquiries regarding the venue, please contact +90 444 3 788 or email info@istun.edu.tr. Comprehensive transportation guidelines to the congress center are available on our official website.
Accommodation Arrangements
The Organizing Committee has established partnerships with select accommodation facilities to provide congress participants with preferential rates. Reserved quotas have been secured at designated partner hotels to ensure availability for our attendees. To access the special congress rates, participants must identify themselves as “Aroid Congress Participant” during the reservation process.. These discounted rates are valid for the congress dates (September 18-20, 2025) and extend to pre- and post-congress stays, subject to availability
Partner Accommodation Facilities
Aksaray Konukevi
• Website: https://www.anadolu.edu.tr/kampuste-yasam/sosyal-ve-kulturel tesisler/istanbul-aksaray-konukevi
• Address: Cerrahpaşa Caddesi, Müezzin Sokak No:4, Aksaray, Fatih/Istanbul
• Contact: +90 212 589-6044
Golden Horn Park Hotel (Fatih)
• Website: https://www.goldenhornparkhotel.com/
• Address: Demirtaş Mahallesi, Murat Efendi Sokak No:36, Fatih, Istanbul
• Contact: +90 212 514 49 99
Golden Gate Hotel (Topkapı)
• Website: https://www.hotelsgoldengate.com/
• Address: Topkapı Caddesi No:47, Fatih, Istanbul
• Contact: +90 212 635 90 90 | +90 505 359 80 80
Ulubat Hotel (Topkapı)
• Website: http://www.ulubatcastlehotel.com/
• Address: Mevlanakapı, Kalburcu Mehmet Çeşmesi Sokak No:12, 34104 Topkapı/Fatih/Istanbul
• Contact: +90 212 530 98 48
Istanbul University Social Facilities (Baltalimanı)
• Website: https://baltalimani.istanbul.edu.tr
• Address: Baltalimanı Mahallesi, Baltalimanı Hisar Caddesi No:58, 34470 Sarıyer/Istanbul
• Contact: +90 212 277 99 16-17 or +90 212 277 99 29
Ramada by Wyndham Hotel (Beyoğlu)
• Website: https://www.ramadaistanbultaksim.com/
• Address: Receppasa Caddesi No:15, 34437 Beyoğlu/Istanbul
• Contact: +90 212 238 54 60
Dosso Dossi Hotels & SPA Golden Horn (Beyoğlu)
• Website: https://www.dossodossihotels.com/dosso-dossi-hotels-golden-horn/index.php
• Address: Sütlüce İmrahor Caddesi, Dutluk Sokak No:3, 34445 Beyoğlu/Istanbul
• Contact: +90 212 314 50 00
Millennium Hotel (Fatih)
• Website: https://www.millenniumhotels.com/en/istanbul/millennium-istanbul-goldenhorn/
• Address: Ayvansaray, Ayvansaray Kuyusu Sokağı No:8, 34087 Fatih/Istanbul
• Contact: +90 212 453 11 11
Mövenpick Hotel (Eyüpsultan)
• Website: https://movenpick.accor.com/en/europe/turkey/istanbul/istanbul-goldenhorn.html
• Address: Silahtarağa, Silahtarağa Caddesi No:87, 34050 Eyüpsultan/Istanbul
• Contact: +90 212 600 16 00
Clarion Hotel (Beyoğlu)
• Website: https://www.clariongoldenhorn.com/
• Address: Sivaseli Sokak, Sütlüce, İmrahor Caddesi No:10, 34445 Beyoğlu/Istanbul
• Contact: +90 212 444 6 610
Lazzoni Hotel (Sütlüce)
• Website: https://www.lazzonihotel.com/
• Address: Sütlüce, İmrahor Caddesi No:14, 34445 Beyoğlu/Istanbul
• Contact: +90 212 311 00 00
Note: We recommend making reservations at your earliest convenience to secure preferred accommodations and take advantage of the negotiated congress rates.
Deadline for Pre-Registration and Abstract Submission Extended!
The deadline for submitting the pre-registration form and abstracts has been extended until Friday evening, August 8. We would be delighted to welcome all researchers who are interested in learning more about aroids at our congress.
FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT 2nd NATIONAL AROID CONGRESS
FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT
2nd NATIONAL AROID CONGRESS
18-20 September 2025, Istanbul
Dear Aroid Enthusiasts,
We are pleased to reconnect with you after a long interval. We are delighted to invite you to the 2nd National Aroid Congress, which will be held between 18-20 September 2025, hosted by Istanbul Health and Technology University (Istanbul). We eagerly await your esteemed participation.
Our congress will focus on systematical, biological, phytochemical, and ethnopharmacological researches conducted by pharmacists and biologists on aroids. The biological activities of these plants, which possess significant medicinal potential, and their possibilities for use as pharmaceutical raw materials, will be discussed in light of current scientific data.
In our scientific program, expert local and international researchers will share their knowledge and experiences regarding aroids in our country through oral and written presentations; young researchers will be encouraged to develop new projects and establish collaborations in this field.
Our congress is not only an academic platform but also offers an enjoyable social environment where you can experience the captivating atmosphere of Istanbul. As part of the social program on the last day, we will trace the footsteps of history in the Fener and Balat districts of the Historical Peninsula, visiting the Iron (Bulgarian) Church and the Patriarchate, representing both Ottoman and Byzantine heritage. Afterwards, we will embark on a journey along the elegant shores of the Bosphorus, turning our route towards Anadolu Kavağı. At the end of the day, we will conclude our scientific exchanges in a cordial and elegant atmosphere at a gala dinner held at a special venue with a Bosphorus view.
We will be greatly pleased to see you among us at this congress, rich in scientific and social content.
Sincerely,
Congress President
Prof. Dr. Abdülkerim Alpınar
International researchers who will share their experiences on aroids at our congress:
Deni Bown (b.1948)
Deni Bown, a wildlife photographer, environmentalist, and horticulture expert, is the author of several works on the uses of plants, translated into many languages. The first edition of her most known work, Aroids: Plants of the Arum Family, was published in 1988, the second in 2000, and the third, expanded edition in 2025. Between 2009 and 2019, she was in Nigeria to work on various projects aimed at biodiversity conservation; during this period, she participated in efforts to create an ethnobotanical garden and contributed to the establishment of an arboretum featuring West African tree species. Formerly the president of the Herb Society of America, Bown currently serves on the boards of the International Aroid Society and the Royal Horticultural Society. She also continues to serve as vice president of the European Aroid Society, founded in 2020. She currently resides in Spain.
Marc Gibernau (b.1968)
Marc Gibernau, an expert in ecology, evolution, and biodiversity, has served as a faculty member at the Universities of Toulouse and Corsica in France. Since 2014, he has continued his research at the Sciences pour l’Environnement (SPE) environmental science laboratory. A significant portion of his 109 published scientific works focuses on the pollination biology of Araceae family species in Turkey. His research is directed towards chemical ecology processes effective in the pollination of aroids found in tropical and temperate climate ecosystems. He has served as a principal investigator in three international and four national projects; he has also participated as an assistant researcher in numerous research projects. He has been a repeatedly invited speaker at international congresses and is recognized for his scientific contributions. He is an active member of the International Aroid Society.
Thomas Croat (b.1938)
Croat completed his doctoral thesis at the University of Kansas working with Solidago of the Great Plains of N America, then moved to the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis where he has worked for 57 years. His first major research was the Flora of Barro Colorado Island in Panama. Subsequently he has been in charge of the Flora of panama and has worked primarily with Araceae since the early 1970’s at Missouri Botanical Garden with associate positions at Washington University, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, the University of Missouri, St. Louis and St. Louis University. His work, published between 1968 and 2024 primarily focused on New World aroids. Renowned for his fieldwork he has collected about 110.000 number, visited 68 countries; in 39 of these, he conducted extensive field studies and has described thousands of new species. He was awarded the David Fairchild Medal for his innovations in collecting plants. Croat, a lifetime honorary board member of the International Aroid Society. For his original research on aroids, he was awarded the H.W.Schott Award in 2004.
Peter Charles Boyce (b.1964)
Between 1987 and 2002, he conducted research on aroid species, particularly within the Royal Botanic Garden in England. During this period, he visited Turkey seven times to collect aroid specimens and prepared monographs on the native genera of our country. Subsequently, he focused on revisionary and monographic studies, especially on tropical aroids of Southeast Asian countries. He has over 400 scientific publications addressing taxa from ecological, systematic, and phylogenomic perspectives. Some aroid taxa have been named after him in recognition of his contributions to the scientific world. He is also keenly interested in the cultivation of aroids. He is an active member of the International Aroid Society and the honorary president of the European Aroid Society, founded in 2020. He also continues to serve as the editor of the journal Aroideana.
Geneviève Ferry
She collected many aroid specimens in the field trips realised in French Guiana, Suriname, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and prepared many herbarium specimens and built up one of the largest assemblages of living Araceae at the Nancy Botanical Garden (France). Her skill in growing aroid plants has been among the highest of gardeners throughout the world. There are species named in at least 4 genera of Araceae in honor of her. She is a coauthor of numerous aroid species. She is one of the founding members of ‘the European Aroid Society’. She was granted the Bette Waterbury Award for excellence in aroid horticulture. She presently continues to work with the Aroids.
CONGRESS SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
(In alphabetical order by surname)
- Assoc. Prof. Hale Gamze AĞALAR (Anadolu University Faculty of Pharmacy. Eskişehir)
- Prof. Işıl ALBENİZ (Istanbul University Istanbul Faculty of Medicine)
- Prof. Emine ALÇITEPE (Celal Bayar University, Akhisar Vocational School. Manisa)
- Prof. Abdülkerim ALPINAR (Istanbul Health and Technology University Faculty of Pharmacy)
- Dr. Fırat Ayas (Yüreğir Food, Agriculture and Livestock District Directorate / Adana)
- Assoc. Prof. Maruf BALOS (Harran University Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Şanlıurfa)
- Prof. Gülriz BAYÇU (Istanbul University Faculty of Science)
- Dr.Peter BOYCE (Centro Studi Erbario Tropicale, University of Florence. Italy)
- Deni BOWN (Board member of the IAS & Vice president of the EAS. Spain)
- Dr. Thomas CROAT (P.A.Schulze Curator of Botany. Missouri Botanical Garden, USA)
- Dr. Cahit ÇEÇEN (Harran University Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Şanlıurfa)
- Dr. Yasin ÇELİKOK (Yeni Yüzyıl University Faculty of Medicine. Istanbul)
- Assoc. Prof. Nurşen ÇÖRDÜK (18 Mart University Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Çanakkale)
- Dr. Marc GIBERNAU (Lab Sciences for the Environment, UMR 6134, SPE Corsica, France)
- Prof. Gizem EMRE (Marmara University Faculty of Pharmacy. Istanbul)
- Prof. Gökalp İŞCAN (Anadolu University Faculty of Pharmacy. Eskişehir)
- Dr. Ayşe Esra KARADAĞ (Medipol University Faculty of Pharmacy. Istanbul)
- Prof. Ceyda Sibel KILIÇ (Ankara University Faculty of Pharmacy)
- Prof. Neşe KIRIMER (Anadolu University Faculty of Pharmacy. Eskişehir)
- Prof. Osman KOLA (Alparslan Türkeş Science and Technology University Faculty of Engineering. Adana)
- Assoc. Prof. Ebru ÖZDEMİR NATH (Altınbaş University Faculty of Pharmacy. Istanbul)
- Dr. Neşet NEŞETOĞLU (Istanbul University Faculty of Pharmacy)
- Dr. Esengül ÖZKAYMAKOĞLU (Selçuk University Faculty of Pharmacy. Konya)
- Dr. Büşra KULAKSIZ PİŞKİN (Ceramiczna 29A, 03-126 Warsaw. Poland)
- Dr. Narin SADIKOĞLU (İnönü University Faculty of Pharmacy. Malatya)
- Assoc. Prof. Leyla TÜRKER ŞENER (Istanbul University Istanbul Faculty of Medicine)
- Dr. Nazlı TOKATLI (Istanbul Health and Technology University Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences)
- Prof. Osman TUGAY (Selçuk University Faculty of Pharmacy. Konya)
- Assoc. Prof. Deniz ULUKUŞ (Selçuk University Faculty of Science. Konya)
- Dr. Erdal ÜZEN (Istanbul University Faculty of Science)
- Assoc. Prof. Wong Sin YENG (The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. USA)
- Assoc. Prof. Gülderen YILMAZ (Ankara University Faculty of Pharmacy)
- Prof. Özer YILMAZ (Uludağ University Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Bursa)
CONGRESS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
(In alphabetical order by surname)
- Prof. Işıl ALBENİZ
- Prof. Abdülkerim ALPINAR
- Prof. Gülriz BAYÇU
- Prof. Gizem EMRE
- Assoc. Prof. Ebru ÖZDEMİR NATH
- Dr. Nazlı TOKATLI
- Pharmacist Ceyda BARBAROS
- Pharmacist Ece ÖRMECİ
- Pharmacist Dilara ÖZGÜR
- Pharmacist Berfin YAZAR
CONGRESS SECRETARY
- Assoc. Prof. Ebru ÖZDEMİR NATH
- pharmebru@gmail.com
CONTACT & SOCIAL MEDIA
- Responsible: Pharmacist Berfin YAZAR
- berfin.yazar@istun.edu.tr
Website: https://www.aroidarastirmagrubu.com
Instagram: @aroidarastirmagrubu
GUIDELINES FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSION
- Oral and written presentation abstracts to be included in the Congress Abstract Booklet should be written in Microsoft Word format, using Times New Roman font, 12 point, single spacing.
- Abstracts should not exceed 300 words, and the title should be appropriate to the content of the presentation.
- All abstracts will be peer-reviewed by the Congress Scientific Committee.
- The Congress Proceedings Book should be prepared in accordance with all writing rules specified in the abstract booklet (except for the 300-word limit). Texts should include the headings: Aim, Method, Findings, and Conclusion, and should be written in clear, scientific language.
- Oral and written presentations may be delivered in either English or Turkish for the Congress Abstract Booklet and the Congress Proceedings Book.
- Written presentations (posters) should be prepared in dimensions of 90 x 70 cm.
- For multi-authored presentations, all correspondence will be conducted through the responsible author of the presentation. The responsible author should be determined by the authors.
- Presentations previously published cannot be presented at the Congress. However, presentations previously presented at other scientific meetings but not published may be accepted into the Congress Proceedings Book, provided that the necessary explanation is given.
- The Congress Proceedings Book will be published in e-book format. Therefore, for oral and written presentations; English title, abstract, keywords, full text, and relevant visuals must be submitted electronically to the congress secretariat by the announced date.
- Presentations that are included in the Congress Abstract Booklet but not presented will not be included in the Congress Proceedings Book, and a congress participation certificate will not be issued.
IMPORTANT DATES
- Deadline for abstract submission: 30 July 2025
- Notification of evaluation results: 15 August 2025
- Deadline for early registration: 1 September 2025
CONGRESS VENUE
ISTANBUL HEALTH AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY (ISTUN)
Sütlüce Mahallesi, İmrahor Cad. No.84 Beyoğlu-Istanbul
[444 3 788 / info@istun.edu.tr / www.istun.edu.tr]
CONFERENCE HALL:
Auditorium (Block A, 1st Floor). No registration fee will be requested from participants; accommodation suggestions, location and transportation information for the congress venue will be announced in the second announcement along with the scientific program.
PRE-REGISTRATION FORM
PARTICIPANT’S
Name and Surname:
Title:
Institution:
E-mail:
Phone No.:
Participation Type: Oral Presentation□ Written Presentation □ Listener □
Presentation Title:
Author / Authors:
Abstract:
*Please send the completed form in PDF or Word format with the subject line ‘Congress Pre-Registration – [name and surname] and send to the congress e-mail address below by 30 July 2025 at the latest.
Congress E-mail: berfin.yazar@istun.edu.tr
2nd NATIONAL AROID CONGRESS
European Aroid Society (EAS) News