Bridging the Turkic World in Medicine

Near East University participated as a partner institution in the 1st International Congress of Turkish-Speaking Countries in Medicine, held in Bafra, Northern Cyprus.

Held between 16–19 October 2025 at Bafra Kaya Artemis Hotel, the 1st International Congress of Turkish-Speaking Countries in Medicine (TURKTIP 2025) brought together leading scientists and medical professionals from across the Turkic world. Near East University participated as one of the partner institutions in this inaugural event.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Health of the Republic of Türkiye, Prof. Dr. Kemal Memişoğlu, and the Minister of Health of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Hakan Dinçyürek, along with the Congress Chair, Prof. Dr. Serkan Emre Eroğlu, as well as eight university rectors, including Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ, Rector of Near East University, and Prof. Dr. Kemalettin Aydın, Rector of the University of Health Sciences.

The congress welcomed participants from Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Researchers from Near East University delivered nine invited talks and presented sixteen scientific studies to their peers.

Session on Cooperation in Health Education among Turkish-Speaking Countries

A key highlight of the congress was the session titled “Cooperation in Health Education among Turkish-Speaking Countries”, where university rectors discussed current collaborations and future strategies. The session emphasized the importance of cultivating human resources within the Turkic world and highlighted the critical role of medical education in this process, calling for joint curriculum development and enhanced academic cooperation.

Contributions from Near East University

Near East University researchers organized the session “Medical Decision Support Systems: Operations Research and Artificial Intelligence”, focusing on the integration of AI technologies in healthcare.

The session was chaired by Prof. Dr. Müjdat Balkan (Chief Physician, Near East University Hospital) and Prof. Dr. Murat Özgören (Director of NERITA, Near East University).

Prof. Dr. Dilber Uzun Özsahin discussed the applications of artificial intelligence in medicine, highlighting its growing role in disease prediction, personalized treatment, and medical imaging analysis. She also shared recent research findings from Near East University on AI-driven health technologies. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nazife Sultanoğlu presented various AI-based microbiological diagnostic tools developed both worldwide and within the university, emphasizing their potential to improve diagnostic speed and accuracy. Prof. Dr. Rahib Abiyev introduced his ongoing work on AI-assisted diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, focusing on the use of neural networks and pattern recognition techniques to enhance early detection and patient monitoring.

In the session “Nutrition and the Importance of Microbiota for a Healthy Life”, Asst. Prof. Dr. Servet Madencioğlu presented on the Mediterranean diet, while Prof. Dr. Adile Öniz Özgören delivered an inspiring talk titled “One Island, One Vision: Cyprus’ Planet-Friendly Living Model.”
Prof. Dr. Ceyhun Dalkan discussed innovations in neonatal endocrine metabolic screening and Prof. Dr. Seda Vatansever contributed to the open session with a talk on “Innovative Technologies in the Use of Exosomes for Diagnosis, Therapy, and Drug Delivery.”
In addition, Prof. Dr. Gülay Eren participated as an instructor in the ECMO training course.

Prof. Dr. Ulaş Yavuz delivered a compelling presentation titled “Stronger, Faster, Sicker: New-Generation Doping Substances and Clinical Realities in Athletes”, addressing the evolving landscape of performance enhancement in professional sports. His talk explored how emerging doping agents and unconventional enhancement techniques—including gene editing, peptide hormones, selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs), and metabolic modulators—pose not only regulatory challenges but also significant clinical and ethical risks for both elite athletes and public health.

Highlighting the blurred line between therapeutic innovation and misuse, Prof. Yavuz discussed the increasing complexity of doping detection, as well as the urgent need for multidisciplinary collaboration between clinicians, sports scientists, and anti-doping authorities. He also emphasized that advancements in biomedical technology, while promising for legitimate medical applications, have simultaneously expanded the potential for abuse in competitive sports.

Oral Presentations from Near East University

In addition to invited talks and special sessions, researchers and students from Near East University presented numerous oral research papers at the congress, reflecting the university’s broad scientific expertise across disciplines such as artificial intelligence, microbiology, oncology, pharmacology, molecular genetics, and biomedical engineering. The presentations covered innovative studies ranging from the rapid identification of disease vectors using AI to novel therapeutic approaches against infectious and metabolic diseases, strategies  and new combinations overcoming antibiotic resistances, showcasing the university’s strong commitment to translational and interdisciplinary medical research.

The congress coordination for Near East University was led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cenk Serhan Özverel, Director of the DESAM Research Institute.

Spanning four days, the congress concluded successfully, establishing strong scientific collaboration and interaction among participants from numerous countries.