News

First Urology and Nephrology Research Festival (Avicenna)

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Urology Journal

UNRC/IUA

Vol. 2, No. 1, 57-58 Winter 2005

Printed in IRAN

In 1999, the Urology and Nephrology Research

Center (UNRC) began its activation. Since then,

it has operated as the focal point for urology and

nephrology research in Iran. The goals of the

UNRC, in general, are to take all the necessary

measures within the domains of its

responsibilities to advance existing health and

medical knowledge in preventing, diagnosing, and

treating diseases and disabilities in urology and

nephrology field. 

The UNRC works toward its mission by

conducting studies at national level and by

supporting and coordinating with researchers,

research institutions, universities and academic

centers, and other related settings. In order to

promote research in areas of common interest

the UNRC has collaborated with governmental,

and non-governmental organizations, which

operate domestically and internationally. 

Some of the UNRC's most important objectives

are: 

� To conduct need-assessment, set priorities, and

call for proposals for high-quality research with

the aim of maintaining and improving health 

� To assess appropriate as well as affordable

health technology and healthcare services that

meet national needs in terms of health, quality

of life and economic competitiveness; 

� To disseminate and promote the resulting new

knowledge among physicians, healthcare

professionals, scientific centers as well as

managers.

� To improve infrastructure for urology

nephrology research in several ways by: 

� Providing facilities to research 

� Providing the necessary financial resources

for research 

� Establishing national registers and

databases for all activation in urology-

nephrology field

� Collaboration with different research

institutions which operate inside and outside

the country 

� Participation in international congresses for

obtaining more experience and knowledge  

The First Urology and Nephrology Research

Festival was held in December 16, 2004 and the

best research projects in the field of renal and

urinary tract diseases were selected and

acclaimed. 

The underlying objective of this festival is first

to support the researchers financially and

scientifically; secondly to appreciate their efforts,

and third, to introduce the researchers and their

findings to the scientific societies.

Juries evaluating in methodology, subject,

creativity and problem solving first carefully

assessed the research projects. Scores were

gathered and after standardization and sorting

the projects, the final judgment was made. The

winners were invited to take part in the Award

ceremony. 

This year, Dr. Mohammad Reza Safarinejad,

was the first prize winner of this festival.

"Prevalence and Risk Factors for Erectile

Dysfunction in a Population-based Study in Iran"

and "Urinary Mineral Excretion in Healthy

Iranian Children" were the names of his studies. 

M. R. Safarinejad was born on February 17,

1959 in Tabriz, Iran.  He began his professional

life with a M.D.  degree from the University of

Medical Sciences of Tabriz. He decided that

urology was a more interesting and challenging

Dr. M.R. Safarinejad, first prize winner of festival



First Urology and Nephrology Research Festival

field, and he completed his urology residency at

Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences

in 1997.  From 1998 he was an assistant

professor in the department of Urology. He

became vice councilor for education and research

of University of Medical Sciences in 2002.

Through hard work, vision and creativity he built

an excellent urology department at the

University. Doctor Safarinejad is an excellent role

model who has had a hand in training as well as

academic researches. He is a member of

American Urological Association (AUA) and

European Association of Urology (EAU). He is

associate editor of the Urology Journal. It is

indeed a great honor to recognize Doctor

Safarinejad for all that he has done to help

establish, protect and serve the field of urology

and to bestow upon him the 2004 first rank

Urology Nephrology Research Award.

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