Autism Doctors Abroad — Page 2

Professor Firdevs Seyfe Sen is a senior psychiatrist at NP Istanbul Brain Hospital, a facility renowned for combining traditional psychiatry with advanced brain mapping.

• Specialises in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) – a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells
• Trained at the Abdülkadir Özbek Psychodrama Institute in group therapy and social skills development
• Focuses on managing complex anxiety and psychotic disorders alongside neurodevelopmental needs
• Practices at JCI-accredited NP Istanbul – the first private neuropsychiatry hospital in Turkey

Professor Nevzat Tarhan is the founder of the NP Istanbul Brain Hospital and a leading authority on neurodevelopmental disorders. He established the first hospital in Turkey dedicated solely to neuropsychiatry and brain health.

• Rector of Uskudar University – leading academic research into brain-based disorders
• Expert in psychopharmacology – using medication effectively to manage complex symptoms
• Published 150+ research articles on brain health and psychological innovations
• Received the Golden Axon Leadership Award for his work in clinical neuroscience
• Authored over 100 book chapters on psychiatry and stress-related conditions

Dr. Melek Gozde Lus graduated from the Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine in 1999. She completed her residency in Child and Adolescent Mental Health at Istanbul University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine (Capa) in 2008. She then served at Erzurum Regional Training and Research Hospital from 2008 to 2010.

She focuses on ADHD, dyslexia, autism and Asperger syndrome, and other neurodevelopmental disorders. She also treats developmental delays, anxiety, and OCD. Her training includes CBT (basic and supervision) for children and adolescents. She is trained in child-centered and CBT play therapy, and in filial therapy with structured play and art. She holds international certification in schema therapy.

Her thesis examined bipolar co-diagnosis in children with ADHD. She has published articles in national and international journals on ADHD, autism, and internet addiction. She is a member of the Turkish Medical Association, the Turkish Psychiatric Association, the Child and Youth Mental Health Association, and the American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She contributed to Turkey’s Autism Action Plan by providing early diagnosis training for family physicians.

Dr Icsel Duru Yildirim has managed 1,100 paediatric cases as a child psychiatrist at Moodist Psychiatry and Neurology Hospital.

• Focuses on early intervention and development for children and adolescents
• Practises at a dedicated neurology and psychiatry centre in Turkey
• Specialises in tailored behavioural and developmental support programmes
• Leads a multidisciplinary team to manage complex paediatric cases

Cansu Gercek is a focused child psychiatrist at Moodist Psychiatry and Neurology Hospital who has managed 1,100 paediatric treatments.

• Treats neurodevelopmental conditions including ASD using evidence-based psychiatric protocols
• Focuses on early intervention and long-term behavioural support for children
• Practises at a dedicated psychiatry and neurology centre in Istanbul
• Coordinates care within a multidisciplinary team for complex developmental needs

Dr Suleyman Oflu has managed over 1,100 psychiatric treatments, bringing senior expertise to the management of Autism Spectrum Disorder at Private Yüzyıl Hospital.

• Specialises in neurodevelopmental conditions including Autism and ADHD
• Former lead at Hitit University Çorum Erol Olçok Training and Research Hospital
• Focuses on managing co-occurring conditions like anxiety and eating disorders
• Trained at Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine
• Expert in personality disorders and complex behavioral health needs

Education and Expertise

• ISTANBUL UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF MEDICINE

Diseases

• Anxiety Disorder
• Bipolar Disorder
• Depression
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorders
• Panic Disorder
• Sematization
• Social Phobia
• Stress Disorder
• Schizophrenia

Treatment Methods

• Cognitive Therapy
• Individual Therapy
• Behavioral Therapy
• EMDR
• Interpersonal therapy
• Psychopharmacological
• Schema therapy

Experience

• Bakirkoy Prof. Dr. Mazhar Osman Mental and Nervous Diseases Training and Research Hospital

Professor Ahmet Levent Mete brings senior expertise to the Department of Psychiatry at Medicalpoint International. He specialises in neurodevelopmental and psychological conditions.

• Trained at Hacettepe University – one of Turkey's premier medical schools
• Manages autism alongside common co-occurring conditions like anxiety and sleep disorders
• Expertise in assessing attention deficit and personality disorders in complex cases
• Experienced clinician from the Ege University Faculty of Medicine psychiatry department

Professor Erdal Karaöz leads Turkey’s first private GMP-standard lab, pioneering stem cell research for cases where standard medical methods have been exhausted.

• Specialises in umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapies for autism
• Former research fellow at Harvard University focusing on embryonic stem cells
• Established Turkey’s first postgraduate university programme dedicated to stem cell science
• Directs the LivMedCell Regenerative Medicine Center at Liv Hospital Ulus
• Member of the Turkish Academy of Sciences Stem Cell Working Group

Medical Interests and Activities 

Gastrointestinal diseases 

Oncologic laparoscopic surgery 

Anorectal area diseases 

Urgent surgical cases (acute cholecystitis, divertikülit, ileus, pankreatit, appendicitis) 

Colon and rectum cancer 

Treatment of oncologic surgical cases with further laparoscopic and robotic surgery. 

Laparoscopic hernia surgery 

Esophagus and stomach cancer 

Selim anorectal diseases (hemorrhoidal disease, anal fissure), perianal fistula, pilonoidal sinus (hairless- non-surgical treatment)

Education and Experience 

İstanbul University Medical Faculty 1988 

University of Colorado Health Science Center – Intern Surgeon 

Isparta, Dedeçam Şehit Ramazan Karaca Health Center (1995-1996) 

İstanbul Surgery Hospital – American Hospital (2000-2001) 

Chief assistant Istanbul Medical Faculty, Department of General Surgery (2001-2008) 

World Congress on Peritonel Surface Malignancies (HIPEC course) Berlin, Germany (2012) 

USC Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA (2006-2007) 

Assoc. Prof. M.D. , İstanbul Medical Faculty General Surgery (2008-2014) 

Da Vinci Robotic Intensive Course at IRCAD, Strasbourg, France (2011) 

Stony Brook Medicine Cadaver Training Event in Colon and Rectal Surgery, New York, USA (2016) (Instructor) 

Fellow of the European Board of Surgery- Emergency Surgery (FEBS EmSurg) Honorary Diploma (2017) 

Prof. M.D. , İstanbul Medical Faculty General Surgery (2014 -2017) 

İstanbul University Medical Faculty – General Surgery Master of Science 1996 

University of Southern California Medical Center, Department of General Surgery, Los Angeles, USA – February 2006 – February 2007

Liv Hospital

Memberships 

Turkish Society of Surgery 

National Endoscopic Laparoscopic Surgery Association 

Turkish Colon and Rectum Surgery Association 

National Trauma and Emergency Surgery Association 

Hepato-Pancreato-Bilier Surgery Association 

Istanbul Surgical Association 

Flebology Association 

ESTES (European Society of Trauma and Emergency Surgery) 

International Society of Surgery (ISS)

The doctor is a highly experienced radiation oncologist with 19 years in radio-oncology, specializing in 4D-radiotherapy and IMRT for high-precision tumor irradiation. The doctor graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Istanbul and furthered studies in radiosurgery at the University of North Carolina.

Since 2012, the doctor has been practicing at the Cancer Institute in Istanbul and currently works at Liv Hospital, Turkey's largest healthcare network. The doctor is proficient in radiation diagnostics, including MRI, CT, and PET-CT.

The doctor has contributed to 25 international and 11 national scientific publications and participated in 16 international conferences. Memberships include TROD, ASTRO, and ESTRO.

Dr Gunay Budagova is a specialist in child and adolescent mental health at Biruni University Hospital, focusing on neurodevelopmental support.

• Completed specialist residency at Marmara University in child and adolescent psychiatry
• Focuses on infant mental health and early attachment disorders
• Manages autism spectrum disorders alongside common comorbidities like ADHD
• Treats specific learning difficulties and child-related sleep disorders
• Member of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Association of Turkey

The doctor graduated from Gazi University School of Medicine in 1990 and completed a Psychiatry Residency Program at the same institution in 1999. Specializing in schizophrenia, depression, panic disorder, PTSD, OCD, and mental health issues in adolescence and old age, the doctor has extensive experience in the field of psychiatry.

Professional roles have included positions at Kırıkkale University as Head of Psychiatry and professorships at Hacettepe University, Ufuk University, and Medicana International Hospital in Ankara.