Prof. Dr. Işık Tuğlular honored our Phase 1 Clinical Research Center
Prof. Dr. Işık Tuğlular, a pioneer in clinical research in Turkey, visited our center to review our early-phase studies. During the visit, detailed discussions were held regarding our participant safety protocols, GCP-compliant operational processes, and technological infrastructure. Prof. Tuğlular’s historical experience in clinical research methodology and ethical standards gave this meeting the form of intergenerational knowledge transfer. As a center, we believe that such collaborations, enriched by historical experience, are essential for the future of Turkey’s clinical research ecosystem.
Who is Prof. Dr. Işık Tuğlular?
Prof. Tuğlular, a retired faculty member of the Department of Pharmacology at Ege University Faculty of Medicine, pioneered the development of analytical infrastructure with the central research laboratory (AREL) he established with Prof. Dr. Taner Onat in 1990. His most significant contributions, however, lie in the field of clinical research:
In 1992, he established Turkey’s first Ethics Committee, thereby standardizing clinical research ethics.
As the founding director of ARGEFAR, Turkey’s first Phase 1 clinic (1993), he laid the groundwork for early-phase research.
By conducting the country’s first Phase 1 human trial at ARGEFAR, he pioneered bioequivalence and pharmacokinetic studies.
Today, all clinical research in Turkey is built upon the efforts of pioneering academics like him. We owe them our deepest gratitude.