Üsküdar Üniversitesi and ORO İlaçları Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. held a scientific cooperation protocol signing ceremony. The signing ceremony was attended by Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, ORO İlaçları General Manager and Chairman of the Board Varol Türker, Üsküdar Üniversitesi Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Muhsin Konuk, Rector's Advisor Prof. Dr. Tayfun Uzbay, and academics. Tarhan stated, “Our aim is not to satisfy our scientific ego, but to do something beneficial for society. Social benefit, not scientific ego gratification, should be targeted.”
In addition to Tarhan, Türker, Konuk, and Uzbay, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kaan Yılancıoğlu, Asst. Prof. Dr. Vildan Enisoğlu Atalay, Asst. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Can Timuçin, R&D and Innovation Policies Director Halime Usta Yoğun from Üsküdar Üniversitesi, as well as ORO İlaçları Deputy General Manager Berk Türker and Commercial Director Cenk Türker, also attended the cooperation protocol signing ceremony held in the Üsküdar Üniversitesi Senate Hall.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Societal benefit should be considered when producing technological tools”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized that the purpose of cooperation is not to satisfy scientific ego but to produce projects beneficial to society. Tarhan said: “We have R&D infrastructure, infrastructure capable of various studies, laboratories, and an experimental animal laboratory infrastructure. This is a very good opportunity for us in terms of these projects. There is a leg of science and knowledge production, and a leg of industrialization and commercialization of that knowledge. If these two are not together, it's like a bird with one wing that cannot fly. There is a very serious problem in Turkey in this regard. Businesspeople did not think of universities, but in America, the situation is the exact opposite. When we investigated the reason for this, we saw that universities were distant from this issue. There are still professors who say, 'Commercialization is not our job, what's it to us?' We want to produce products, technological tools, useful models; if we don't synthesize these with the needs of society, they will fly away. Social benefit, not scientific ego gratification, should be targeted. Societal benefit should be considered when producing technological tools.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “The 'This is not my job' approach must change”
Stating that the goal here is not to satisfy our scientific ego but to form collaborations that will benefit society, Tarhan made the following evaluations: “Because it is a need-oriented work, in America, projects are given to universities to work on after looking at societal and medical needs. The approach to the issue with a professional conservatism of 'This is not my job' needs to change in Turkey. TÜBİTAK is seriously carrying out a mental transformation in this regard. These works cannot progress with those who continue the old understanding. Without mental transformation, there can be no social and commercial transformation. What is important here is to choose the target and work accordingly. If we don't do this and repeat existing things, we become people who repeat themselves doing what everyone else does, and we fall behind in global competition.”
Varol Türker: “Universities and the pharmaceutical industry must cooperate”
Expressing his high belief that good results will be achieved from the collaboration with Üsküdar Üniversitesi, ORO İlaçları General Manager Varol Türker said: “Unfortunately, the Turkish pharmaceutical industry is not where it should be. The biggest reason for this is the insufficient cooperation with universities. Some companies have just recently started cooperating with universities. And that is not a very detailed, but rather a partial cooperation. Therefore, if a university is a cradle of science, and producing medicine is a matter of science, then I believe that universities and the pharmaceutical industry must be in cooperation. With this protocol, we will start our cooperation. We have already started working on this. Therefore, I believe we will do great things. Our purpose in establishing this cooperation with Üsküdar Üniversitesi is our great faith in this university. The importance of our cooperation is very significant. Üsküdar Üniversitesi, as far as can be seen, seems like a very old university despite being new. I believe that we will achieve very good results from the collaboration of Üsküdar Üniversitesi and ORO İlaçları.”
Varol Türker: “As Turkey, we can export medicine…”
Türker stated: “The biggest challenge in obtaining licenses is R&D efforts. We have a very strong scientific institution behind us, like Üsküdar Üniversitesi. I believe we will not face difficulties in this area. First and foremost, this will bring many benefits to our state, our people, and our nation. It will provide financial gain to both Üsküdar Üniversitesi and ORO İlaçları. My biggest expectation is to expand our cooperation in the future and establish a production facility. If we can do this, we can achieve very significant exports in medicine. There are many countries around us that are in need of medicine.”