For our first interview, we spoke with Assist. Prof. Dr. med. sci. Damir Celik from the field of medical sciences, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation. We chose this field because it has the largest number of scientific papers according to statistical data, as well as currently the largest number of active researcher profiles in the medical sciences on the BH Academic Directory.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our interviewee for his cooperation.
Read on to find out what we talked about.
1. What is the most significant result of your research to date that you would like to share with the world?
Patients on haemodialysis treatment who are included in an intradialytic kinesitherapy programme over the observed 24-month follow-up period show statistically significant: improvements in muscle strength and on the physical functioning scale, better health-related quality of life (HRQOL), a lower level of depression and a lower risk of death.
2. When it comes to physical medicine and rehabilitation, how big is the gap between the current state of practice in BiH and the latest research in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation?
Physical medicine and rehabilitation is a branch of medicine showing a positive growth trend, primarily thanks to the continuous development of technology and scientific research, which enables innovative medical treatments for patients. Robotics, exoskeletons and virtual reality (VR) systems are modalities that are now successfully used around the world in the rehabilitation of patients with motor and sensory disorders of the central nervous system, stroke, traumatic brain injuries, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries and cerebral palsy. Regenerative medicine, which among other things involves the use of stem cells and PRP (platelet-rich plasma) treatment, also occupies an important place today in the rehabilitation of patients with musculoskeletal diseases and injuries. According to available data, more than 30 years ago BiH allocated 1–1.5% of the state budget to science, while in 2021 these allocations were below 0.1%. For comparison, the total government budget for research and development across the European Union for 2022 amounted to €117.424 billion, equivalent to 0.74% of gross domestic product (Source: Eurostat). Nevertheless, researchers from BiH are present at international scientific congresses and represent the country with distinction, and with superhuman effort they try to implement scientific and technological advances in their practice and work with patients.
3. According to the current sample of researchers and their publications in the BH Academic Directory, although just under 30% of researchers are from biomedical fields, as many as 44% of publications are from biomedical fields. Is there a specific explanation that could be linked to this phenomenon in the biomedical sciences?
The rapid growth of biomedical research is essentially driven by the development of numerous effective biomedical technologies, and their introduction into clinical practice represents a complex health, economic and social challenge. The recent COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the strength of the global scientific community, which responded by offering the mRNA vaccine. Progress and development in this field aim to put the patient at the centre (so-called person-centred medicine), which involves improvements in diagnosis, treatment, treatment outcomes and health-related quality of life itself. Biomedical research contributes to the general prosperity of the wider community, the health of the population and the well-being of patients, and the level of investment in such research is positively and linearly correlated with the level of enlightenment of a society.
4. How do you see the state of research in BiH in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation?
At the strategic level, the priority is to intensify cooperation between the academic community, pharmaceutical and biomedical companies, and patient associations. It is necessary to establish new databases or update existing ones, without which there can be no serious scientific research, especially for cohort studies. The introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) tools will certainly revolutionise rehabilitation outcomes. Machine learning (ML) is a field of artificial intelligence that, by creating algorithms, can learn independently from data, monitor treatment progress, optimise therapeutic protocols and assist in decision-making. Interdisciplinary teams need to be assembled, modern research infrastructure provided, regional cooperation established, and medical students and residents involved in research. The Clinic for Physiatry and Rehabilitation of the Clinical Centre of the University of Sarajevo (KCUS) will present two scientific papers at the upcoming 24th Congress of the European Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, to be held in Ljubljana from 23 to 27.04.2024.
5. How can the BH Academic Directory platform help researchers in your field, or you personally?
The BH Academic Directory is a platform that provides an additional instrument for connecting, cooperating and exchanging scientific ideas. I sincerely hope that this project achieves its goals in the best possible way and raises the scientific capacity of BH researchers.
