Ekrem Kadri UNAT

Ekrem Kadri Unat (1914-1998) was a Turkish physician, microbiologist and medical historian who is well known for his contributions to medical science. He made significant contributions to the development of health sciences and public health in Turkey with his studies on parasitology, microbiology and infectious diseases in his specialty.

Who is Ekrem Kadri Unat?

Born on August 19, 1914 in Ankara, Ekrem Kadri Unat grew up with his grandfather Hâfız Râşid Efendi after the Caucasus Front, where his father and mother were martyred at a young age. Unat started his education at Barbaros Hayreddin School in Beşiktaş, Istanbul in 1921, and after graduating from the Private Oriental Idâdîsi in 1926, he enrolled in Kabataş High School. In 1931, Unat graduated from Kabataş High School and entered Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, where he began to specialize in medicine after graduating in 1937. After completing his military service, he worked as an assistant at the Institute of Microbiology, Parasitology and Epidemiology at Istanbul University. In 1942, he submitted his associate professorship thesis and became an associate professor of microbiology and parasitology. During the same period, Unat worked in various hospitals and institutes, developing himself both practically and academically, and began to conduct in-depth research in microbiology and parasitology.

Impact and Legacy

Ekrem Kadri Unat gained important international experiences to improve his knowledge in medicine. In 1946, Unat was sent to the United States, where he conducted in-depth studies on medical mycology, tropical diseases and public health at the University of Pennsylvania and John Hopkins University. When he returned to Turkey in 1949, he was reassigned to the Institute of Microbiology at Istanbul University, where he made many academic innovations. In 1951, he provided an important service by establishing the laboratory of the Tuberculosis Maturation and Demonstration Center established by the World Health Organization. In 1958, he founded the Institute of Parasitology and became a professor there.

Unat was the author of many first studies in Turkey in the fields of parasitology, microbiology and tropical diseases. His identification of seventeen previously unknown disease agents in Turkey is one of the most important contributions he made in the field of public health. Unat, who served as the President of the Turkish Medical History Society between 1984 and 1989, also made important efforts to popularize Turkish medical terms. His work "The War against Infectious Diseases and Islamic Religion" published in 1987 is of great importance for both medicine and Islamic religion.

Unat, who contributed to the development of medical science with his works, left a lasting mark on the world of medicine with thirty-five copyrighted books, 360 articles and numerous monographs. The first textbooks he wrote in the fields of microbiology and parasitology in Turkey became one of the main sources for education in these fields. In addition, with his studies on the history of medicine, he brought to light the health practices during the Ottoman Empire.

Although Unat retired in 1983 due to retirement age, he continued to work as a contractor at Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty until 1992. Died on April 13, 1998 in Istanbul, Ekrem Kadri Unat left behind a great academic legacy and made great contributions to the development of Turkish medicine.

Unat's scientific path, his innovative work in various fields of medicine and his contributions to public health were recognized not only in Turkey but also worldwide. He played a pivotal role in the development of modern Turkish medicine and his legacy is a guide for future generations.