The 21st century will be a period in which brain research is gaining importance and the aim is to find solutions to important brain diseases, especially Alzheimer's, schizophrenia and autism, for which there is no definitive cure yet. To this end, both the United States of America and the European Union countries are making significant investments in scientific research on the brain and nervous system. The main direction of important scientific research projects in the twenty-first century is the human brain and brain diseases.
The main purpose of the Neuropsychopharmacology Application and Research Center (NPFUAM), which was established and programmed at Üsküdar University in 2012, is to reveal the underlying causes of important neuropsychiatric diseases and to develop drugs for their treatment. NPFUAM is the first and only research center in Turkey with its name, objectives and research opportunities.
It is also among the few centers in the world. Üsküdar University Experimental Research Unit (ÜSKÜDAB) affiliated to the center has received accreditation from the relevant ministries and started to produce experimental animals. In addition, the Experimental Animals Ethics Committee received the necessary approval and started to work as of January 2015.
Although NPFUAM is still very young, it has developed very important projects in a short time and its research results have been published in reputable scientific journals. In October 2014, within the framework of the Turkish-German Science Year, the international Üsküdar Neuropsychopharmacology Symposium, supported by TÜBİTAK, was held together with German scientists. In the short period following its establishment, a research project supported by TÜBİTAK was successfully completed. Currently, many multidisciplinary research projects are being carried out both jointly with other universities and entirely from Üsküdar University.
Both Üsküdar University and NPFUAM have a policy that supports all kinds of cooperation on scientific and ethical grounds. The doors of our center are wide open to anyone who aims to understand and treat the brain and brain diseases. Our collaboration opportunities and desire include not only academic scientists but also students. We invite everyone who wants to take a step towards understanding the brain and treating brain diseases, who has the enthusiasm to work and the intention to make discoveries, to interact with the scientific atmosphere of NPFUAM.
Prof. Dr. İ. Tayfun UZBAY
NPFUAM Director