Prof. Dr. İhsan Çalış , Dean of the Near East University Faculty of Pharmacy and member of the Pharmacognosy Department, was recently honored with the prestigious “Science Award” by the Turkish Pharmacists’ Association Academy of Pharmacy. This award, part of the annual “Science, Service, and Incentive Awards,” celebrates Prof. Dr. Çalış’s impactful contributions to pharmaceutical sciences on an international scale.

This valuable account below highlights Prof. Dr. İhsan Çalış’s 52-year journey in academia and pharmacy. From his early career at Hacettepe University to his pioneering work in pharmacognosy, Prof. Dr. Çalış has made significant contributions to science while also supporting and mentoring young researchers. His work reflects the interdisciplinary nature of pharmacognosy and his commitment to sharing of knowledge. We extend our gratitude to Prof. Dr. Çalış for this meaningful contribution, which will serve as a guide and inspiration for future generations of scientists.

52 Years in Academia: A Lifelong Journey in Science

I graduated from Ankara University Faculty of Pharmacy in June 1972. I began my academic career at Hacettepe University Faculty of Pharmacy in the Department of Pharmacognosy. During our first meeting, the chair of the department and my PhD thesis advisor began by saying, ‘Plants synthesize more interesting molecules.’ This idea intrigued me. I decided to give it a try, and I started. During my student years, my initial plan was to synthesize drug candidate molecules. However, I found myself drawn to the chemistry of medicinal plants. It was a great start, and we were a fantastic team.

 

“The environment you work in and the intellectual level of the academics around you are among the most important criteria for achieving your ideals. We had that.”

In the early 1970s, while working with the resources available at the time, I was trying to keep up with the global literature using methods that, compared to today, took considerably longer. we used keywords derived from reference book to choose and apply the right methods for similar studies. We would classify information obtained from Chemical Abstracts Service Index (CAS Source Index) searches, which published summaries of studies in various fields, including many scientific journals pertaining to chemistry, by recording it onto cards. We were essentially creating a card index system, categorizing studies under specific topics.

The acquisition of articles related to our work was accomplished by either us requesting them directly from the author by mail or through The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK). The languages used in these articles were primarily English, French, German, and Russian. We had to have the important ones translated. I was trying to improve the English I had learned in high school for this reason by attending evening courses at the Turco-British Association. Seeing that one language wasn’t enough, I also began learning German at the Goethe Institute.

“The reason I am telling this is to show how these stages have changed and accelerated in today’s conditions. This is because the first fundamental requirement of a scientific study is to access the most accurate sources of information in the fastest way possible. Your language skills will assist you in accessing information, while your communication skills will be your strongest support.”

Pharmacognosy is an interdisciplinary science that examines medicinal raw materials of natural origin, and is the foundation of medicine and pharmacy. A significant portion of these natural resources come from terrestrial plants. Pharmacognostic research has expanded to the molecular level with the advancement of chemistry and the introduction of chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. These developments led me to unravel the mysteries of plants. Indeed, every plant species I have worked on to date has become the focus of my research, thanks to the different phytochemicals they contain. This has made it possible, through multidisciplinary studies, to understand which chemicals are responsible for the effects of folk medicines that have been used for thousands of years.

Following my PhD, I received invitations from two different institutions in the U.S. to work on a new and highly noteworthy methodology (biotechnology) in the 1970s: producing bioactive molecules in the laboratory through cell cultures. However, I was unable to attend as I was unable to secure permission. However, I persevered. If I was going to continue working in this field, I needed to develop myself further. I was invited by Prof. Dr. Otto Sticher (1936–2022), the Head of the Department of Pharmacognosy and Plant Chemistry at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH-Z), Switzerland, to participate in a project for one year. This invitation served as an invaluable opportunity that would have profound impact on my academic life. Despite all the obstacles, I started working with Prof. Dr. Sticher at ETH-Zurich in early January 1982. The project duration was extended to two years. It was at this time that I was offered to stay and work with the European Pharmacopoeia team. However, my wife and I decided to return to Turkey with our two children. Our decision was respected. Two years after returning (in 1986), I was invited again. The invitation came as a surprise, but I was ecstatic. ETH-Z had become my second home, and whenever I wanted to return, all I had to do was say so. This collaboration continued almost every year for 20 years, in three-month periods, until 2002.

“If you want to make a decision about yourself, never let others stand in the way of that decision!”

I learned an incredible lot at ETH-Zurich. When I sat down in front of Prof. Sticher with the draft of my first article, before he even started reading, he asked me this question:

“When you question every result and assertion, do you find answers within the text?” I was initially surprised. But I quickly realized what he meant. This question comes to mind every time I finalize scientific work. I begin to evaluate it by asking, ‘Is there anything missing?’ ETH-Z became a window to the world for me in terms of work discipline and closely following and applying developments in the scientific world. Twelve years after starting my academic career, for the first time, I determined the structure of a compound I had isolated, using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR).

During the 20 years I worked at Zurich as a visiting scholar (1982–2002), no obstacles were placed in the way of any of my work. I was provided with every opportunity to carry out my own projects. I also found opportunity to attend scientific meetings held in different countries across Europe and North America each year.

I also facilitated the provision of the opportunities for my students. It is imperative to allow young people and their ideas to flourish. Otherwise, we will only raise individuals who are similar to ourselves. We must encourage them to participate in high-quality scientific meetings. These environments help us meet different ideas and partners.

 

“The value of scientific research is enhanced by being interdisciplinary in character”

I listened attentively to the speech by Swiss chemist and physicist Richard Robert Ernst (1933–2021, Winterthur), at a graduation ceremony I attended at ETH. He was awarded the 1991 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on the development of high-resolution NMR spectroscopy. One sentence he said has stayed with me: ‘Never begin research with the mindset of being the first to do it.’ I made this my principle. I became more discerning in my topic selections.

The region we live in, and the academic world, is full of people who are ambitious, driven by desire, and always wanting to be at the top and in control. We were often pressured by our mentors, sometimes even worn down.

 

“Having experienced this deeply, I made a promise to myself that my students must surpass me”

The alternative would be wrong. Indeed, most of my students have made me proud, because while teaching, you also learn and improve yourself. Sometimes a student you give an idea to returns with multitude of ideas, and that is your reward.”

The truth is that “academic life is a lifestyle.” You begin with this understanding and acceptance. This motto has held a place in my mind as a thought, a principle, and a slogan that never leaves me. “When a person’s profession becomes their way of life, they neither tire nor grow weary, they continuously produce, and each time it moves them one step forward.” I believe this is why, on the 52^nd anniversary of my academic career, I continue to work with the same passion and excitement without feeling tired.

Academic life is also a team effort. Therefore, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all my Master’s and PhD students, my colleagues with whom I have collaborated on projects, the co-authors of my works whom I can’t name individually, and the scientists from various countries with whom I still collaborate, as well as the support staff.

 

“Science is about sharing; it should not be done solely for academic titles. Each of us receives our share from this soup of knowledge in proportion to the size of our spoon.”

As for my awards, one of the most significant reasons I was nominated for these honors is my contributions to pharmacy education at both undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as the more than 250 new molecules I have introduced to science in the fields of Pharmacognosy and Plant Chemistry.

The awards I have received are:

• Hacettepe University Science Award for the 1998-1999 Academic Year,
• TÜBİTAK Science Award in the Field of Health Sciences in 2001,
• Marmara University Faculty of Pharmacy Academic Award in 2005, and lastly,
• The 2024 TEB Pharmacy Academy Science Award.

The significance of this last award is particularly precious to me because it represents the recognition of my work by my peers. It holds particular meaning as it was given by my colleagues, and on September 25^th, World Pharmacists Day, which makes it an additional honor for me.

Everything truly begins with a family. Your personality takes root and grows in an environment shaped by your parents and siblings. My greatest fortune is my family. First and foremost, I remember with gratitude my beloved mother and father, who raised me, and I thank my siblings, who have always been by my side and supported me. I also want to express my gratitude to all my teachers who have shaped me at every stage, beginning with my early school years. Of course, I thank my dear wife Ayşe, who has always supported me selflessly, my colleague, and my emotional and financial support, as well as my beloved children, B. Deniz, Betül, Can, and Ali, and my precious grandchildren, Eren and Bade.

Prof. Dr. İhsan Çalış

October 2024

Who is Prof. Dr. İhsan Çalış?

Graduating from Ankara University Faculty of Pharmacy in 1972, Prof. Dr. İhsan Çalış completed his doctorate studies on Pharmacognosy at Hacettepe University. He was promoted to the ranks of associate professor and professor and served as the Head of the Department at Hacettepe University between 1986-2000.

Prof. Dr. Çalış has served as an assistant advisor for eight doctoral theses at ETH Zurich and the University of Regensburg. He was also among the founders of the Turkish Doping Control Foundation and the Hacettepe University Pharmacognosy Research Association. Prof. Çalış, working at the Near East University since 2006, pioneered the establishment of the Faculty of Pharmacy and the Institute of Health Sciences. Prof. Dr. Çalış, whose main areas of study are the isolation and characterization of glycosides and secondary metabolites of medicinal plants, has introduced more than 250 new compounds to the scientific world with his studies to date. In 2018, he was honored by naming a plant species (Astragalus ihsancalisii Dönmez & Uğurlu) after him.

He has published more than 230 articles in internationally refereed journals and has been deemed worthy of numerous awards, was also included in the “100 Turks Leading Science” list of Turkishtime Magazine. Prof. İhsan Çalış, who has been serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at the Near East University since 2015, is the recipient of the 1998-1999 Hacettepe University Science Award, the 2005 Marmara University Academician Award, and the 2001 TÜBİTAK Science Award in the field of health sciences.