EBM Interview: Vasif Hasirci

Vasif Hasirci is the Founding Director of the Center of Excellence in Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering at METU, Ankara, Turkey. He has expertise in biomedical, biotechnological and nanotechnological applications of natural and synthetic polymers. He retired from METU Dept. of Biological Sciences and is now a professor at Acibadem University (ACU) Dept. of Biomedical Engineering. He is the Director of ACU Biomaterials Center that he established and also is the Chair of the ACU Biomaterials Graduate Program.

He is an Associate Editor of Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology and also of Exploration of BioMat-X and serves on the Editorial Boards of several journals including Biomaterials; Bioactive Materials, J. Biomaterials Science: Polymer Edn., and Nanomedicine. He is a Fellow of the Science Academy (Turkey), the International College of Fellows of Biomaterials Science and Engineering (IUSBSE), and Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC)(UK). He is also a Honorary Member of the European Society for Biomaterials. He is the founding President of the Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Society (Turkey). He is one of the founders of BIOMED Biomedical Science and Technology Symposia in Turkey in 1994; 27th is being organized this year. With a Colleague, Prof. Feng Huei Lin we started the EWAB symposia (East West Asia Biomaterials) and this year the 4th is China, in Yantai. Dr. Hasirci is the recipient of Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) Encouragement Award (1982), METU M. Parlar Science Award (2001), S. Simavi Medical Sciences Award (2017), HASVAK Study of the Year Award (2017)

Here is the interview we did with him:

1. Could you briefly introduce your current research field?

My research field has evolved over the years but has always been within the confines of biomaterials. At the moment one of my projects is accepted to be funded by the Turkish Ministry of Health for a Pilot Clinical study involving 6 patients for implantation of our 3D printed bone implants as femur segments. A similar one is about the corneal stroma substitutes. I have also studies on designing and producing tissue models to study cell and tissue behavior under certain conditions. And another project that is about to finish is on mimicking the air:blood interface at the lungs for a final application towards COVID 19 studies.

2. What obstacles or difficulties have you encountered in your research work? How did you overcome these difficulties?

Researchers I think are businessmen who do not earn money but instead gain academic and scientific satisfaction. I have gone through all the “research fund search, good student scouting and developing intelligent projects in my field” steps of a typical academician. However, being in a country where the chemicals and the main devices for sophisticated research are not produced and where the funds are about 10 fold lower than other countries makes it  2-3 times harder. International collaboration have always been a life safer because exchange of ideas, the sharing data and collaboration has always been very beneficial.

3. What attracted you to join the BAM Editorial Board team?

Presence of Profs. Yufeng Zhang and Diego Mantovani, and being invited by Prof. Peppas, a old acquaintance, were the main reasons why I decided to join.

4. What are your expectations for the future development of Bioactive Materials and its promotion of related fields?

The journal has proven to be highly attractive for the scientific community and the IF jumped to very high levels. This was a bit surprising but I believe the academic quality of the Editorial Board was the main reason for this interest. I am glad that it did not subside because the number of new journals being published almost every day create havoc in the publishing market.

5. What is your greatest hobby outside of scientific work?

Photography and drawing are my main pastimes. Tennis and Ping Pong were, once.

6. How do you balance scientific research work and personal life?

My work place and home are quite close in Ankara, so I did not spend too much time on the road. But after retiring from METU I started at Acibadem University in Istanbul to set up a center similar to that I did at METU and to produce implants in clean rooms for pilot scale clinical testing. This started my weekly 2 day visits to Istanbul and was not very convenient especially during the COVID times. The remaining 3 days of the weekdays I spend at METU as a consultant and keep on doing what I used to do but on a lower scale. So, my present schedule is not ideal for a person my age but the new Center does still need my guidance for some more time. Personal life slowed down in the recent years due to the viral disease and international travel almost stopped. Trying to recover the earlier mood.

7. What do you think is the most important quality for researchers?

Honesty, Goodwill, and Patience, in this order.

8. What advice do you have for young scholars who are determined to engage in scientific research?

They should know that this is a very enjoyable profession if research becomes an important part of it. International and national travel, having new research partners and even friends, organizing events and attending others broadens ones look at the world. Very enriching.