Founding the Oxytocin Medicine and Art Platform, Prof. Dr. Elif Vatanoğlu Lutz became the first Turkish woman to receive the Gusi Peace Prize, known as Asia's Nobel, and awarded to people who contribute to world peace.

This year, 4 Turks were awarded the 19th Gusi Peace Prize, which is known as Asia's Nobel, and given to people who contribute to world peace. The award; which is given by the Gusi Peace Prize Foundation to distinguished individuals from all nations of the world who work for a world of peace and prosperity, who have made outstanding contributions to humanity, global peace, international friendship, social responsibility, and social development in various fields; is accepted the reflection of the Nobel Foundation Awards on the Asian continent.

The award ceremony, which was held in Istanbul this year with hundreds of participants from different countries of the world, had a special importance for Turkey. Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine lecturer Prof. Dr. Elif Vatanoğlu Lutz, who broke new ground and founded the Oxytocin Medicine and Art Platform became the first Turkish woman to receive the 2021 International Gusi Peace Prize in the field of 'Academician combining medicine and art'.

We Will Continue to Work on the Visibility of Medicine and Art

In her speech about the award Prof. Dr. Elif Vatanoğlu Lutz said, “I am incredibly happy to be deemed worthy of this worldwide prestigious award, thanks to Oxytocin. We will continue to work on the visibility of medicine and art and implement our projects. I accept this award, which has great prestige in the international arena, in the name of my colleague and dear friend Prof. Dr. Hakan Ertin, and BETİM (Beşikçizade Medical and Human Sciences Center) of which he is the founding director. In addition, I would like to express my gratitude to Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine Dean Prof. Dr. Sina Ercan and Prof. Dr. Bayram Yılmaz, the Oxytocin Platform was able to be born thanks to the peaceful and pro-creativity working environment provided by our faculty.”

Turkish Names Attract Attention With Their Success

Gusi Peace Awards, which are the reflection of the Nobel Foundation Awards on the Asia continent, and which are considered the symbol of world peace, have been given regularly since 2002 and were formalized by the Philippines in 2008. The 19th Gusi Peace Prize was awarded to Levent Uysal, founder of Nişantaşı Foundation of Education in the field of education and technology. Oğuz Aydemir for his works in the field of culture and Erol Makzume, who made a great contribution to art with his collector identity, were among the names deemed worthy of the award. The first Turk to be awarded the Gusi Peace Prize was the famous mountaineer and founder of AKUT Association Nasuh Mahruki.

Who is Prof. Dr. Elif Vatanoğlu Lutz?

Prof. Dr. E. Elif Vatanoğlu Lutz graduated from Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine in 1999. In 2007, she completed her doctorate in Medical History and Ethics at Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine. She served as a faculty member at Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine between 2008-2014 and at Koç University Faculty of Medicine between 2014-2020. She lectured in the Health Law doctorate program at Kadir Has University Faculty of Law between 2008-2011. As a result of her interest in the relationship of all social science disciplines with medicine, she founded the Oxytocin Medicine and Art Platform in 2019, after lectures and researches on many different topics in the field of 'human sciences in medicine', especially in the discipline of 'medicine and art'. She is currently a faculty member at Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of History of Medicine and Ethics.

What is Oxytocin?

Continuing its journey as the intersection point of medicine and art since its establishment in 2019, the Oxytocin platform takes its name from the hormone that facilitates childbirth. Recent studies also reveal the effect of the hormone oxytocin on behavior. Oxytocin, which has anti-anxiety effects while helping to reduce blood pressure as well as relaxation, raises the pain threshold and promotes growth and healing. The hormone oxytocin, which provides a sense of trust in social interaction and communication; is secreted by being activated by many touches, smells, and sounds. In addition, psychological factors such as doing good to others increase oxytocin levels.

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