Dr. Orkun Aydın, the professor at International University of Sarajevo Psychology department, together with a group of contributors (Ayşen Esen Danacı, Aslı Sarandöl, Ömer Aydemir, Tuğba Kocakaş, Fikret Poyraz Çökmüş, Kuzeymen Balıkçı, Ece Onur and İsmail Taştan) was presented Prof. Dr. Zeliha Tunca Research Incentive Award for the 3rd best project. The awarded project was titled: "The evaluation of plasma zonulin levels in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: A comparison with healthy controls". The event was organized by Lithium Association in Turkey from Sept. 15 – 16, 2018.
The study represents an attempt to investigate biological and physiological factors that contribute to bipolar and schizophrenia disorders. Results can greatly impact and prove themselves valuable on a path of finding and constructing effective treatment for these serious psychiatric disorders. In collaboration with Celal Bayar and Uludağ University, this research focuses on a hot topic in contemporary psychiatric studies.
The award from Lithium Association is a prestige and honor, and is a motivation to invest efforts towards further research. If findings achieve the expected result, early detection of different periods of the disorders may be possible with an objective laboratory measurement. The research is directed towards the early diagnosis and evaluation of treatment response in severe mental disorders.
Dr. Orkun Aydın is the program coordinator and the head of Psychology department at the International University of Sarajevo. He has published so far over 30 papers in the field of psychiatry and continues his academic work in collaboration with universities abroad.
