The 1st Yaşargil Microneurosurgery Congress was held in Istanbul, and Assoc. Prof. Mehmet Hakan Şahin, a faculty member of the Department of Brain and Nerve Surgery at Atatürk University, was awarded the title of "Best Young Brain of the Year" for his research on the microsurgical and fiber tract anatomy of the interthalamic adhesion. He was considered deserving of the Surgeon Award.

The inaugural congress of Prof. Dr. Yaşargil Microneurosurgery Academy, which was established in honor of the renowned brain surgeon Prof. Dr. Gazi Yaşargil and presided over by Prof. Dr. Ossama Al-Mefty from Harvard University, was conducted in Istanbul from June 4th to June 7th, 2024. The 1st Yaşargil Microneurosurgery Congress, which convened the world's foremost neurosurgeons, addressed the most recent advancements in the field of neurosurgery. Additionally, the lasting influence of Yaşargil, who has trained hundreds of scientists, was communicated to the medical community. The organization's scientific committee, which was chaired by Prof. Dr. Uğur Türe, consisted of 12 scientists who were experts in their respective disciplines and were from various countries.

Ossama Al-Mefty presented Şahin with his award.

Approximately 500 neurosurgeons from 40 countries convened in Istanbul for the "1st Congress of Yaşargil Microneurosurgery Academy" conference, which was named in honor of Prof. Dr. Mahmut Gazi Yaşargil, one of the most distinguished scientists our nation has ever produced. Yaşargil was named the neurosurgeon of the century by the Brain and Nerve Surgeons in the United States. Assoc. Prof. Mehmet Hakan Şahin, a faculty member in the Department of Brain and Nerve Surgery at Atatürk University, was awarded the "Gazi Yaşargil Young Neurosurgeon Award" during the four-day meeting, which featured approximately 300 scientific presentations in three parallel venues.

The Interthalamic Study, which was published in the November 2023 issue of the "Journal of Neurosurgery," the world's most prestigious neurosurgery journal, will be awarded the Yaşargil Award. This study was prepared by Prof. Dr. Mehmet Hakan Şahin in the Neuroanatomy laboratory of Yeditepe University under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Uğur Türe. The study was submitted as part of the applications for scientific articles published in the field of microneuroanatomy and microneurosurgery in 2023. It was awarded to the scientific investigation entitled "Microsurgical and fiber tract anatomy of the interthalamic adhesion."

Prof. Dr. Ossama Al-Mefty, a prominent neurosurgeon in the United States and a colleague of Prof. Dr. Gazi Yaşargil, presented the honor to Prof. Dr. Mehmet Hakan Şahin.

Rector Çomaklı: "We are proud of our academic staff, who are the pioneers of advancements."

Atatürk University Rector Prof. Dr. Ömer Çomaklı expressed his satisfaction with Şahin's remarkable success and declared that this prestigious award is a significant honor that recognizes and promotes the accomplishments of young professionals in the medical field. He also stated, "Mehmet Hakan Şahin is the Best Young Brain of the Year." Our university and faculty of medicine are immensely proud of being eligible for the Surgeon General's Award. I believe that he is deserving of this award due to his scientific contributions, hard labor, and determination. This accomplishment is also a reflection of the university's excellence in research and education. "I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Şahin and extend my best wishes for his ongoing success."

 Çomaklı expressed his conviction that Şahin's work will serve as an inspiration to other young academicians and underscored the significance they place on scientific research and innovative studies as a university. "We are proud of our academic staff who are pioneers in the development of science and technology," stated Çomaklı, adding that Atatürk University will further its reputation with such accomplishments.

Şahin expressed his gratitude to the university administration and his colleagues for their support, stating that he was touched to be recognized as deserving of this award. He also stated that this award served as a source of inspiration for him and that he would persist in his efforts to achieve greater achievement in the field of neurosurgery.

Corporate Communication Directorate – June 7, 2024