Imperial and Gözükara Foundation, Türkiye launch medical student research scheme

Professor Deborah Ashby and Professor Mustafa Djamgoz met this week at Imperial's White City campus

The Gözükara Foundation, Türkiye - Imperial College London Medical Undergraduate Research Programme will support Imperial and Turkish medical students

Turkish charity, the Kemal Gözükara Education and Culture Foundation will fund research opportunities for undergraduate medical students, enabling them to take part in an 8-week research project with one of Imperial’s leading research groups over the summer period.

Third- and sixth-year medical students from Imperial and visiting students from qualifying Turkish medical universities will be eligible for the programme, with sixth-year students able to use the award to support their medical elective. 

An Emeritus Professor of Cancer Biology at Imperial, Mustafa Djamgoz is also an incoming member of the Istanbul Arel University (IAU) Board of Governors. Alongside Mr Özgür Gözükara, President of the IAU and a Trustee of the Foundation, he has been key to making this collaboration a reality. 

Professor Djamgoz said, “When the Foundation asked for my help in setting up a scholarship scheme with the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial, I did not hesitate to suggest that this should be dedicated to supporting medical students doing hands-on research. It is a fact that Imperial students are keen on getting research experience early, both to satisfy their curiosity by digging deeper into areas of their interest and to enhance their potential as future professionals. 

“I am delighted that the project has now become a reality and that medical students from Türkiye will also be able to take part.”

Opening up opportunities

The research placement opportunities will offer students invaluable practical experience working alongside researchers, as well as first-hand exposure to the research environment, where they have the chance go beyond their undergraduate studies to gain new skills and develop existing ones.

Professor Amir Sam, Head of Imperial College School of Medicine, said, “Science and research skills are priority parts of our reimagined MBBS curriculum, and we are keen to harness excellent opportunities to promote and facilitate engagement with them.

“Increasingly, students are finding financial challenges standing in the way of furthering of their interest in this area. Programmes like this, made possible through the kindness and shared vision of the Gözükara Foundation, will enable us to provide opportunities to students who want to engage even more deeply with their science and take advantage of Imperial’s world-leading facilities and networks.  

“This programme will also facilitate stronger collaborations between the medical school and key research partners such as the George Institute and MRC LMS, and we are looking forward to working with them.”

The first students will benefit from the Foundation’s support in 2025, with 47 students set to be supported over the next five years. 

Professor Deborah Ashby, Dean of Imperial’s Faculty of Medicine, said: “We are delighted to strengthen our relationships with our Turkish colleagues and to be able to offer this research opportunity to our medical students. We are pleased too to welcome their Turkish contemporaries to Imperial to develop their skills, interest and knowledge at one of our incredible research groups.

“We want to ensure that every student has the best chance to follow and develop their research interests, and support such as this for students is key in achieving that. This hands-on experience in a research environment is of huge value, with the potential to open up new career paths and influence the next steps each of the award recipients take. 

“We are very grateful to the Gözükara Foundation, to Mr Özgür Gözükara and Professor Mustafa Djamgoz for their support, and for the significant impact this offering will make on the futures of the award recipients.”

Turkish connections

Imperial’s student community this year includes 155 Turkish students across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in all faculties – a number that is rising steadily and has tripled since the 2017-18 academic year.  

In research, Imperial academics have co-authored 845 publications with 129 Turkish collaborating institutions since 2018, with over half of these in Medicine. 

Imperial’s links with Türkiye also currently include master’s scholarship programme, but the partnership with the Gözükara Foundation programme marks the first direct engagement for undergraduate students at Imperial and in Türkiye.