About Academy

TÜBA-Outstanding Young Scientists Awards Program (GEBİP) Annual Scientific Evaluation Meeting and the Turkish Young Academy Conference were held at the Ankara University Didim ÖRSEM Facilities.

Documentaries on TÜBA Honorary Members Gazi Yaşargil, Fuat Sezgin, and Aziz Sancar Were Screened for the First Time
On the first day of the meeting, which opened with an address by TÜBA President Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Şeker, discussions focused on new-generation treatments in regenerative medicine and the strategic importance of rare earth elements. Prof. Dr. Bülent Kent, Rector of Aydın Adnan Menderes University, also participated in the program. The conference, which lasted three days, provided young scientists with the opportunity to share their research with TÜBA members, have their work evaluated from a scientific perspective, and develop new academic collaborations. As part of the program, documentaries produced by the Academy about TÜBA Honorary Members Prof. Dr. Gazi Yaşargil, Prof. Dr. Fuat Sezgin, and Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar were screened for the first time.

Scientific Discussion with TÜBA Members
Moderated by TÜBA President Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Şeker, the discussion was attended by TÜBA Full Members Prof. Dr. Reşat Apak, Prof. Dr. Halit Keskin, and Prof. Dr. Hakan Parlakpınar. The session, based on a question-and-answer format and mutual exchange of views, allowed participants to share their assessments on scientific topics. At the meeting, GEBIP award-winning young scientists presented their research and work conducted over the past year in concurrent sessions covering the fields of Natural and Engineering Sciences, Health Sciences, and Social Sciences. Following the sessions, which focused on exchanging views regarding the evaluation and development of scientific projects, general scientific evaluation meetings were held with the participation of all award recipients and Academy members. On the first day of the program, Turkish Young Academy President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mürsel Doğrul also delivered an informational presentation regarding the Young Academy and its members.

In his opening remarks, TÜBA President Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Şeker emphasized the importance of supporting young scientists and ensuring the sustainability of scientific output. Stressing that the TÜBA-GEBIP is not merely a program that rewards successful researchers, Şeker noted that the program serves as a strong scientific platform that contributes to the academic development of young scientists and brings together researchers from different disciplines. Highlighting the importance of environments where young researchers can share their scientific knowledge, benefit from each other’s work, and develop joint projects, Şeker said, “Just as much as we value supporting the high-quality research of our young scientists, we also prioritize creating an academic environment where they can freely share their scientific ideas and establish new collaborations. “We aim to transform the body of knowledge accumulated by TÜBA-GEBİP over the years into new research and strong academic ties that will contribute to Türkiye’s scientific future,” he said.

Regenerative Medicine and Rare Earth Elements Discussed at the Turkish Young Academy Conferences
At the Turkish Young Academy Conferences held on the first day of the meeting, current scientific research and strategic technologies were discussed in two separate sessions.

TÜBA Full Member Prof. Dr. Fikrettin Şahin, in his conference titled "Fikirden Kliniğe: Yenileyici Tıpta Translasyonel Araştırmalar ve Yeni Nesil Tedaviler" (From Idea to Clinic: Translational Research and Next-Generation Therapies in Regenerative Medicine), evaluated the processes by which findings from basic scientific research are transformed into clinical applications and innovative therapeutic products. The potential of next-generation regenerative medicine products developed based on stem cells, exosomes, extracellular vesicles, peptides, and biologically active molecules was highlighted. In addition to the potential applications of these products in the treatment of hair care, infectious diseases, chronic wounds, radiodermatitis, cancer, and metabolic diseases, the scientific, technological, and regulatory challenges encountered in the journey from the laboratory to the clinic were also discussed. Translational research and commercialization efforts conducted in Türkiye were also among the conference’s topics.

TÜBA Full Member Prof. Dr. Zafer Evis, in his presentation titled "Nadir Toprak Elementleri: Tarihçe, Jeopolitik Stratejiler, Üretim ve Endüstriyel Uygulamalar" (Rare Earth Elements: History, Geopolitical Strategies, Production, and Industrial Applications), assessed the technological and strategic importance of rare earth elements. The presentation focused on the position of these elements, which have a wide range of applications in the defense, energy, and electronics sectors, within global supply chains; competition among countries in production and refining processes; and the geopolitical implications of these resources.

The conference also addressed China’s dominant position in the refining of rare earth elements, the efforts of the United States and the European Union to diversify their supply chains, and Türkiye’s potential in this field. Eti Maden’s rare earth elements deposit in the Beylikova district of Eskişehir and the projects currently underway were evaluated in terms of developing Türkiye’s capacity in the field of strategic resources.