Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank made the opening speech of the event organized by TÜBİTAK TBAE in honor of Nobel Prize-winning Turkish scientist Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar. Varank said, "We are organizing 'The Aziz Sancar Lecture' event, which brings us together today, in honor of Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar. This event is a very important page for us. Undoubtedly, 'The Aziz Sancar Lecture' will make a global impact like The Schrödinger Lecture, The Dirac Lecture, The Oppenheimer Lecture, The Abdus Salam Lecture."

Emphasizing that "'The Aziz Sancar Lecture' is a first for our country, as well as a debt of loyalty to our teacher Aziz if he accepts it," Varank said, "In this event, which will be held every year, new discoveries or new problems that arise will be discussed. More importantly, 'The Aziz Sancar Lecture' will provide a visionary perspective to the scientific community."

Minister Varank said, "Today, there have been almost revolutionary developments in the production of knowledge that sheds light on the functioning of life at the molecular level. Of course, these developments did not happen by themselves. It was realized thanks to scientists who are committed and determined to serve humanity. Mr. Aziz Sancar is one of the groundbreaking scientists in this field."

Minister Varank emphasized the importance they attach to science and technology: "We know that the driving force of humanity's development is the passion for science and technology. We believe that it is science and technology that makes today better than yesterday. The solution to the problems that humanity faces today and will face tomorrow is science and technology."

Referring to the Aziz Sancar Overseas Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program opened within TÜBİTAK, Varank said, "Our professor made our country extremely proud with the Nobel Prize he was awarded for his work. Of course, Aziz Sancar, who has carried out such important studies for the benefit of humanity, deserves everything. In this sense, we wanted to take a step as the Ministry of Industry and Technology. We established a research scholarship program in the name of our esteemed Professor Aziz Sancar, who made us proud. In fact, we wanted to do something for our teacher, but our teacher showed his gratitude here as well. With the Aziz Sancar Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program, our young scientists will be able to continue their studies in his research laboratory. This program is of great importance for our country in terms of the development of qualified human resources needed in our country."

Varank concluded his speech by thanking Aziz Sancar, TÜBİTAK Basic Sciences Research Institute, the participants of the event and the first speaker of "The Aziz Sancar Lecture", Professor Harvey James Alter, a US scientist, virologist and physician, winner of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

"Aziz Sancar presented an exemplary success story to Turkish youth"

Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology, delivered another opening speech at the event. In his speech, Kacır stated that Aziz Sancar presented an exemplary success story to Turkish youth and Turkish scientists. Noting that Aziz Sancar, who is an example for the Turkish youth, proved to everyone how people who aim to be beneficial to their country at every moment by saying "We owe this country" and who raise themselves with their ideals can become universal, Kacır said: "Would Aziz Sancar have received the Nobel Prize if he had not set foot in the USA fifty years ago and carried out his scientific studies in that country? Unfortunately, it is very difficult to give a positive answer to this question when we consider the conditions in Turkey of that day. But today we are facing a very different Turkey. Turkey is now a country with a strong R&D infrastructure."

Mehmet Fatih Kacır said: "Our goal is to include Turkey among the countries that have a say in health and health technologies in the world. We have gained the necessary physical infrastructure for this, especially with the investments we have made in the last twenty years. We also have competent human resources. With the Aziz Sancar post-doctoral research program implemented by TÜBİTAK, our human resources are getting stronger day by day."

Kacır said, "Our hope is that our young people will be able to continue their studies in our country at the end of the day, even if they have started their research abroad. Because it is no longer possible for the young people of our country to spend a lifetime away from their homeland in order to become the Aziz Sancars of the future and to achieve world-wide successes."

Speaking about the dangers of hepatitis C, Kacır said: "Professor Harvey James Alter's work unraveled the cause of the disease, which had remained in the dark for many years. It not only shed light on chronic hepatitis, but also laid the foundation for blood tests and treatments that will save millions of lives. This work for the benefit of humanity will never be forgotten. We will have the opportunity to listen closely to his work with Aziz Sancar speeches, which are instrumental in bringing us together today."

"The solution to future problems lies in basic sciences"

Delivering another opening speech, Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, President of TÜBİTAK, reminded that as the Basic Sciences Research Institute, they initiated online events to turn the pandemic period into an opportunity and noted that the most comprehensive of these events was held today. Stating that the intense participation in the event both excited them and increased their responsibilities, Mandal expressed his gratitude to Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar for giving permission to use his name for this event. Mandal also thanked Professor Harvey James Alter, the speaker of this first event, for his participation.

The President of TÜBİTAK stated that globally, the need for science has increased more, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic, and in this sense, there is a need to support basic sciences.

Stating that in the future, especially climate change and all related topics will be solved through basic sciences, Mandal said that opportunities can be created with science-based approaches without falling into pessimism in the future perspective.

Emphasizing the importance of basic sciences, the President of TÜBİTAK said, "As an institution, we are trying to contribute as a common meeting point for basic science researchers."

Noting that TUBITAK also organizes various activities to gain a scientific perspective for the future, Mandal said, "We recently had a joint negotiation with the UNESCO World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) on the importance of basic sciences for sustainable development and signed an agreement. Starting this year, we will support 25 young scientists from developing countries and Turkic republics in the field of basic sciences to conduct doctoral and postdoctoral research in Turkey."

"The Aziz Sancar Lecture will serve the unifying feature of science"

'The Aziz Sancar Lecture' event was moderated by Prof. Dr. Alikram Nuhbalaoğlu, Director of TBAE. "TUBITAK Basic Sciences Research Institute, with the valuable support of our President, continues its research and education activities with increasing excitement within the scope of the horizons of science, as if a flame was born from the ashes." Nuhbalaoğlu said, "Today, various events are organized in the developed countries of the world in honor of scientists who have served the development of civilization with their groundbreaking scientific studies. Our 'The Aziz Sancar Lecture' event is a new part of this tradition."

Emphasizing the importance of the event, Nuhbalaoğlu said, "Our 'The Aziz Sancar Lecture' event will make significant contributions to the spread of scientific curiosity and science culture in our country. Considering its international dimension, 'The Aziz Sancar Lecture' will serve the unifying feature of science, regardless of geographical borders, languages and races." He used his expressions.

Nuhbalaoğlu said, "The Aziz Sancar Lecture will go down in the history of science as a symbol of our feeling for our teacher Aziz."

"Hepatitis C: The End of the Beginning and Possibly the Beginning of the End"

Following the opening speeches, American scientist Harvey James Alter gave a speech titled "Hepatitis C: The End of the Beginning and Possibly the Beginning of the End". In his presentation, Alter shared his work in detail and answered the questions of the participants. Alter not only answered questions and satisfied scientific curiosities, but also shared excerpts from his personal life.

Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar thanked Prof. Alter for his participation in this event. Stating that he received the Nobel Prize, Sancar said that he envied those who save lives, cure cancer and find medicines, and that it is not possible not to envy people who save millions of lives. Stating that he listened to Prof. Alter's speech with great admiration, Sancar emphasized that this presentation was very supportive for both Turkey and humanity.

Source: TUBITAK Presidency  https://www.tubitak.gov.tr/tr/haber/the-aziz-sancar-lecture-aziz-hocamiza-bir-vefa-borcumuzdur