TÜBA Principle Member of Prof. Dr. Taner Demirer was Presented the TBMM (Grand National Assembly of Türkiye) Honorary Award
TÜBA Principle Member and Ankara University Medical Faculty Hematology Department Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Taner Demirer was presented the 2014 ‘TBMM Honorary Award’ at today’s ceremony.
The TBMM Honorary Award, which is presented by the TBMM to Turkish nationals who have represented their country in the best way with their work and registered outstanding achievements in the national and international field was presented this year to TÜBA Directorate nominated Prof. Dr. Taner Demirer and Bayburt Governorship and Okan University nominated Prof. Dr. Hüsamettin Koçan. Prof. Dr. Demirer and Prof. Dr. Koçan who were selected as the recipients of this award from among 103 scientists who were nominated, received their award from the TBMM President Cemil Çiçek in the ceremony organized for the occasion.
The ceremony was attended by TBMM President Cemil Çiçek, Vice President Ayşenur Bahçekapılı, TBMM Deputies Ayşegül Bahçekapılı and Sadık Yakut, TÜBA Chairman Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar, TÜBA Council Member Prof. Dr. Tayfun Özçelik, Bayburt Governor Yusuf Odabaş, Bayburt Mayor Mete Memiş and a number of parliamentarians, scientists and guests.
The TBMM Honorary Award Ceremony, organized for the 5th time this year, commenced with speeches by the TBMM Culture, Arts and Publications Board Chairman Ayşenur Bahçekapılı and TBMM President Cemil Çiçek.
TBMM President Cemil Çiçek, who started his speech by pointing out that 2014 is the 94th year of the TBMM, expressed what a significant date the TBMM Honorary Awards Ceremony had coincided with and added ‘While our parliament contributes to the change, transformation and development of our country with its legislative, supervisory, representation and administration operations, it also gives the TBMM Honorary Award to support, recognize and honor individuals who labor for our country in order to reinforce and encourage future generations. As a result of the pre-evaluations made by the TBMM Directorate Council of the Culture, Arts and Publications Board it was deemed appropriate for this year’s award to be given to two individuals nationals who have represented their country in the best way with their work and registered outstanding achievements in the national and international field. In this context Prof. Dr. Taner Demirer and Prof. Dr. Hüsamettin Koçan have been deemed deserving of the TBMM Honorary Award due to the work they have conducted in their own fields, their contributions to education and society, their lifelong history of serving our country and mankind and the recognition they have received from the international society. The research of Prof. Dr. Tamer Demirer in the fields of cancer research, one of the most difficult fields of science in which humanity is still faced with powerlessness, stem cells and bone marrow transplants portrays outstanding work despite his very young age. Prof. Dr. Hüsamettin Koçan is an artist of our country who has crowned his life’s work by founding the Baksı Museum as a contribution to our traditional values and culture. I congratulate them both’.
Following the presentation of the awards by Cemil Çiçek Prof. Dr. Taner Demirer proceeded to describe his excitement at being presented the honorary award of TBMM, the symbol of our country’s independence and republic, and added ‘This commendation and recognition the Grand Assembly has expressed for my life’s academic work will be invaluable motivation for the work I do from now on. The standard of cancer and stem cell treatments has risen significantly over the past 10 years. In particular The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye, which met at regular intervals under the leadership of our Prime Minister in the 60th and 61st Government terms, declaring health to be a priority field in our country and the budgets and incentives provided to cancer and stem cell programs under the appeal programs opened by TÜBİTAK have significantly increased progress in these fields. This has been important work in our country towards identifying the current situation and looking to the future’.
In the speech made by Prof. Dr. Hüsamettin Koçan he said, "I consider the fact that I have been deemed deserving of this prize an indication that my work is shared by the public and find this to be extremely valuable. I would like to thank all my compatriots from Bayburt, the Okan University and the Bayburt Governorship".
TÜBA Chairman Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar, who attended the ceremony, expressed what a happy occasion this was for the Academy that TÜBA nominated TÜBA Associate Member Prof. Dr. Taner Demirer had been given the TBMM honorary award for his valuable contributions to our country and science, extended his sincere congratulations to Prof. Demirer and said he was confident that Prof. Demirer’s contributions and achievements in science and health would continue to grow over the coming years.
Prof. Dr. Taner Demirer
Member of the Ankara University Medical Faculty, Prof. Taner Demirer was elected as a Principle Member of TÜBA in 2012. Prof. Dr. Taner Demirer, who was also elected as a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts in 2013, was deemed deserving of the ‘TBMM Honorary Award’ for a number of reasons including his determination of the effective factors in allogeneic and autologous stem cell mobilization, forming an international study group to evaluate the effectiveness of high dose chemotherapy in breast cancer and autologous stem cell transplants through meta-analysis, founding the first Bone Marrow Transplant Center under the Ministry of Health at the Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital in 1999 and being the recipient of the TÜBİTAK Science Award in the field of health.
