Dear readers of the Hacettepe Journal of Biology and Chemistry,

This special issue of Hacettepe Journal of Biology and Chemistry is dedicated to the occasion of 60th birthday of Professor Erhan Pişkin, from the Department of Chemical Engineering, Hacettepe University, one of the most outstanding and a distinguished Turkish scientist who has been working actively in various branches of chemical engineering and bioengineering. 

As an engineer, I feel that “life” itself is quite simple, born-live-die, details may be complex/sophisticated. We start from somewhere that we cannot select, but continue on the pathways until the residence time is completed. In most cases pathways are difficult, sometimes we may run but usually walk rather slowly, we may become tired or even fall down, then we get a break, regenerate ourselves and/but continue, until the time is over. We should try to make our tracking enjoyable, whatever the conditions are. Creating new ideas related to our own interests whatever they are (bio-, nano-, etc.), finding new pathways, exploring them and reaching the top of the hills are/would be the most enjoyable parts of our tracking as scientists-engineers.

Erhan Pişkin Pisa, December 2008