Prof. Dr. Mohammad Ali Aziz-Sultan, a leading figure in the field of vascular neurosurgery, Faculty Member at the Department of Neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School’s Mass General Brigham Hospitals, Head of the Cerebrovascular Surgery Division, and Co-Director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center, visited Hacettepe University.
Invited by the Department of Neurosurgery at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Prof. Dr. Aziz-Sultan participated in a series of academic activities including a conference, clinical visits, and a neuro-endovascular surgery workshop between October 13–15.
The program began with a clinical visit at the Department of Neurosurgery and continued on October 14 at 12:00 with the conference titled “The Art of Healing: The Importance of Collaboration in the Treatment of Cerebrovascular Diseases.” The conference opened with Prof. Dr. Aziz-Sultan’s life story and his professional journey.
Regarding his visit to Hacettepe, Prof. Dr. Aziz-Sultan said:
“I visited the neurointerventional radiology unit equipped with the latest medical technologies. I learned about the surgeries performed here — they were quite impressive. They told me about some of the most complex cases in the world. The surgical levels and techniques are remarkable; in fact, some of them were new even to me. We learned a lot from each other throughout this process.”
Offering advice to students about hard work, Prof. Dr. Aziz-Sultan mentioned that during his residency he used to work 100–110 hours per week, emphasizing the importance of resilience in the field of neurosurgery.
During the conference, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Berker, Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şahin Hanalioğlu, Faculty Member of the same department, shared their views on the significance of the event.
Strategic Academic Collaboration Between Hacettepe and Harvard
During the conference, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Hacettepe University and Harvard University to strengthen academic collaboration in cerebrovascular diseases, stroke surgery, research, and technology development. The agreement is expected to establish a long-term bridge between the two institutions in areas such as joint research projects, clinical training programs, student and researcher exchanges, and the development of innovative surgical technologies.
At the end of the conference, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Ali Aziz-Sultan was presented with a plaque by Hacettepe University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Necla Özer.
These visits and events represent a strategic step toward enhancing Türkiye’s international scientific visibility in the fields of neurological and neurovascular diseases, deepening technology- and innovation-based academic collaborations, and establishing sustainable academic ties with Harvard University.
