Southern Career Fair (GUNKAF), hosted by Akdeniz University for the second time this year and organized by the Presidential Human Resources Office, opened its doors at Mimar Sinan Congress Center. Students’ interest in GÜNKAF, where more than 200 companies opened stands and made promotions and bilateral meetings with students, was also intense.
At the fair, where career meetings were also held, AU Faculty of Medicine Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Department Lecturer and Prof. Dr. Tuncer Karpuzoğlu, Director of the Organ Transplantation Institute, Prof. Dr. Ömer Özkan was the guest and answered the students’ questions. Prof. has written his name in the world medical literature with his successful face, uterus and arm transplants. Dr. Özkan talked about whether immortality is possible or not. Prof. Dr. Özkan said, “Actually, there was a very famous billionaire. He had a heart and liver transplant, but ultimately he died. If we go back to the Middle Ages, the main goal of people was to find immortality. They worked constantly. After a while, they realized that they would not be able to find immortality. Nowadays, in human lifespan, it is between the 80s and 85s. “We are talking about the concept of immortality. If we have reached the age of 80 from the 30s, maybe it will extend to 100. You were born and you don’t have two arms, do you want to live until the age of 80? I’m talking about living more peacefully. We should always keep our goal at the highest level,” he said.
‘HEAD AND BRAIN TRANSPLANTATION WILL BE POSSIBLE’
Prof. Dr. Ömer Özkan also explained that they carried out many transplants, but he encountered situations where some families who held on to life with organ transplants did not allow organ transplants after he died. Stating that Turkey is one of the best countries performing organ transplantation from living organisms, Prof. Dr. Ömer Özkan spoke as follows about whether brain and head transplantation will be possible in the future:
“Brain transplantation is something that has been on people’s minds for centuries. It sounds very fantastic. Why is brain transplantation done? There are actually a few diseases for which it can be beneficial. We need a body. Before head transplantation, we need to solve the paralysis issue. When we cure paralyzed patients, know that head transplantation is also will be possible.”
‘I CANNOT FIND SOMEONE TO DO GENE TRANSFER’
Prof. also complained about the fact that medical scientists in Turkey did not return after going abroad. Dr. Ömer Özkan said, “Our people do not return after they leave. We always lose our resources in basic sciences. I cannot find a geneticist or someone to do gene transfer in our country. The cost of a pill is 2 million 600 thousand dollars. We need to do something above this. The treatment of cancer patients will be established by us.” “I think it will be carried out in laboratories,” he said.
WILL ORGANS REACH TO A LEVEL TO BE SOLD ON SHELVES?
Stating that the field of plastic surgery is mostly preferred in the Medical Specialization Exam and that this has become a trend, Prof. Dr. Ömer Özkan said that medical school graduates no longer prefer to specialize in brain and heart surgery because it is difficult. Prof. Dr. Özkan also answered the question of whether, with the development of medicine, all kinds of organs that people will need will be readily available to be sold on the shelves. Prof. Dr. Ömer Özkan said:
“There are wheels and cars, but there is a steam engine, so it progresses so fast. This situation is different in medicine. We have not discovered the steam engine yet. We are still in its infancy. One day you will see that you will order the heart and install it. It may seem utopian, but it is not. It will take 15-20 days.” “There are children who have been kept alive outside their mother’s womb for as long as
(DHA)
