As part of the Biology Department Seminars – I, organized by the Department of Biology at Mersin University's Faculty of Science, Prof. Dr. Serdal Arslan, a faculty member in the Department of Medical Biology at the Department of Basic Medical Sciences in the Faculty of Medicine, gave a seminar titled "Silent Genes, Noisy Effects: From Junk DNA to Epigenetic Evolution."

In the seminar, Prof. Dr. Arslan explained in detail how segments in the non-coding regions of the genome, long referred to as "junk DNA," actually contain vital regulatory elements and that these regions exert decisive influences on gene expression, cellular functions, and organismal phenotype through epigenetic mechanisms. The relationship of non-coding DNA to evolutionary processes, discussions of somatic inheritance, and new perspectives brought to evolutionary theory by modern genomics were among the main topics of the event.

Another important emphasis of the seminar was the role of RNA species in epigenetic processes. Prof. Dr. Arslan stated that small regulatory RNAs (miRNA, siRNA, piRNA) and long non-coding RNAs, in particular, play critical roles in the functionalization of silent sequences in the genome, directing numerous mechanisms ranging from chromatin remodeling to transcriptional silencing. He also noted that RNA-based epigenetic modifications offer new therapeutic targets in areas such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and developmental disorders, making RNA-based therapies aimed at regulating gene expression a significant area of ​​research in modern medicine.

The event attracted considerable interest from Biology Department students, faculty, and other interested participants. A question-and-answer session at the end of the seminar allowed students to hear from experts on topics related to epigenetics and evolutionary biology, creating a highly productive scientific environment for interaction. The meeting was also shared online with alumni, transforming it into a scientific gathering encompassing our department's broad academic community.