History of the Department

The Department of Histology and Embryology started its academic activities in the 1982 - 1983 academic year within the Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University. At that time, the Histology-Embryology and Anatomy Departments were under the name of the Department of Morphology. The Anatomy and Histology-Embryology disciplines, which were merged within the Department of Morphology during the establishment of the Council of Higher Education, were transformed into independent Departments with the decision taken by the Council of Higher Education in 1993.

The education and scientific research activities carried out in our department by two professors, an associate professor and three assistant professors. In addition to the theoretical courses and practices in the Faculty of Medicine, our department also gives theoretical courses and/or practical applications at the graduate level in the Faculty of Dentistry, the School of Health (Midwifery Program), the Vocational School of Health Services (Medical Laboratory Program) and the Graduate School of Education. Master's and doctorate programs within the scope of graduate education programs are carried out under the coordination of the Graduate School of Education. In addition to these programs, Medical Specialization training is also provided in our department.

Former Head of Departments

Theoretical Structure and Academic Purpose of the Department

Research Purpose

In addition to answering basic questions about the development of tissues or organs, faculty members, research assistant staff and visiting scientists of the department also conduct studies on the interaction of chemical substances with biological systems. Numerous research projects are being carried out in conjunction with dentistry and clinical medical sciences. Our aim is to improve the understanding of the basic mechanism of the events that take place in the development process, as well as to reveal the effects of drugs or chemicals on tissues, organs and the body.

Main Research Purpose

Our research projects in the department are multidisciplinary in a wide range of basic and clinical sciences. Our department plays a primary guiding role in projects carried out together with clinical sciences such as neurosurgery, orthopaedics, plastic surgery, emergency medicine and basic sciences such as physiology and anatomy. In addition, the department has developed and continues to develop some tools and techniques used in stereological analysis. These tools and techniques are the first of their kind in our university, in Türkiye and in the world. In addition to the development of tools, the use and development of stereological methods in the quantitation of biological tissues or organs is one of the main areas of activity of the faculty members. Peripheral nerve regeneration, investigation of the effects of some heavy metals and drugs on the development of the central nervous system is carried out intensively under the coordination of our department with local, national and international cooperation. In the past years, stereology courses have been organized and continue to be organized by the department in Türkiye and abroad. In summary, our aim is to develop and update educational programs and also to develop new tools and techniques to be used in scientific researches.

Teaching Type of the Department

In addition to undergraduate education and training, our department also carries out Resident, Master's and Doctorate programs in Medicine. The department, which had a specialization student for the first time on 14.12.1994, graduated its first resident in 1999, and until June 2023, a total of 7 residents graduated from our department. The Department of Histology and Embryology, which has been accepting graduate students since 1985, has graduated 16 master's and 10 doctoral students as of October 2023. October 2023, 1 Specialization, 3 Master's and 9 PhD students continue their graduate education in our department. As of 2013, our department has started to accept foreign students to master's and doctorate programs in English. Until October 2023, 2 foreign master's and 19 doctoral students graduated.

Curriculum of the Department

Histology and Embryology Lessons and Laboratory practices for the students of Term I, II and III of the Faculty of Medicine

Academic Activities Organized by the Department

3rd Asian and African Stereology Congress was held on 18-20 December 2018 in New Delhi, India. The 2nd Neuroscience Stereology and Scientific Writing Symposium event was held on 15-19 March 2016 in Arusha, Tanzania. Intensive Hands on Training Stereology Workshop, 2nd Asian and African Stereology Congress, 7th International Scientific Writing Workshop and Stereology Workshop was held on 2-5 December, 2015 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 5th International Scientific Writing Workshop was held in Samsun-Turkey on 28-30 April 2015. 6th International Scientific Writing Workshop was held on Zanzibar island, Tanzania, on 26 - 27 March 2015. Stereology and Neuroscience Symposium was held in Morogoro, Tanzania on 23-27 June 2014. 4th Workshop on Stereological Techniques and Scientific Writing was held on 23-24 April 2014 in Medina, Saudi Arabia. 2nd Controversies on Electromagnetic Field in Medicine and Biology was held on 20 April 2014 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 2nd Workshop on Stereological Techniques and Stereology was held on 24-26 September 2013 in Buraydah, Saudi Arabia. Scientific Writing and Stereology Workshop was held on 1-3 April 2013 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Controversies on Electromagnetic Fields in Medicine and Biology was held in Samsun on 17 June 2013. "Stereology Course" was held in Samsun on 9-10 November 2012 within the scope of The First Asian and African Stereology Congress. The First Asian and African Stereology Congress was held in Samsun on 6-8 November 2012. "Stereotactic Course" was held in Samsun "Neurostereology Course in Experimental and Clinical Studies" was held at the National Neuroscience Congress on April 12, 2010 in Istanbul. International Course on Stereotaxy, Microsurgery and Stereology was held in the Netherlands on 5-7 October 2009. International Workshop on: Clinical and Experimental Neuroscience was held in Samsun on 26 May 2009.

National and International Academic Organizations with which the Department interacts

Turkish Society for Stereology

Association European Graduate School of Neuroscience European Society for the Study of Peripheral Nerve Repair and Regeneration

Explanations Regarding the Unique Features of the Department

Educational activities in the department are tried to be carried out using modern techniques required by the day. Our scientific research projects are becoming stronger every day with national and international cooperation. Thus, a rapidly progressing process from theoretical knowledge to patent continues.

The Department's Future Plan for Itself

In order to establish the necessary infrastructure related to stereological methodology, which has become the world standard in obtaining numerical data about the object, efforts are being made to quickly eliminate the existing deficiencies. In addition, the establishment and equipment of the cell culture laboratory are continuing. New fields of study are being developed in the field of stem cell and neurosciences.