Prof. Dr. MUSTAFA ÖNCEL

Prof. Mustafa Öncel MD was born in Konya in 1969. He completed his medical education at Istanbul University Istanbul Faculty of Medicine (Çapa) in 1993 and successfully completed his residency training in General Surgery at the General Surgery Clinic of Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar Training and Research Hospital between 1994 and 1998, earning the title of General Surgery Specialist. In his medical specialty thesis (1998), he investigated intra-abdominal adhesions using an experimental animal model (rat), pioneering research in this field in Turkey. Following his residency training, he participated in a Clinical Research Fellowship program in the Department of Colorectal Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in the United States between 1999 and 2002, one of the world’s most prestigious centers in this field. Despite receiving significant invitations and offers to remain in the United States, he returned to Türkiye with the aim of transferring the advanced knowledge and experience he had gained to his own country and continuing to serve in Türkiye. After returning to Türkiye, while continuing his work as a Specialist Doctor at Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar Training and Research Hospital, Dr. Öncel was awarded the title of Associate Professor in 2004 and the title of Professor in 2009. Throughout his career, he has played a pioneering role in Türkiye, particularly in areas such as laparoscopic colorectal surgery and non-surgical techniques for rectal cancer. He has contributed to the widespread adoption of laparoscopic surgical techniques, particularly through courses organized throughout Türkiye, live surgical demonstrations and training programs using animal models (porcine models). He has described techniques in a wide range of colorectal surgery fields, including pilonidal disease, laparoscopic surgical techniques and anal incontinence (fecal incontinence) and has published these techniques in internationally recognized and respected literature. Between 2005-2012, He achieved significant accomplishments while serving as the Head of the General Surgery Clinic and as the Director of Education and Administrative Affairs at Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar Training and Research Hospital. During this period, he led the integration of the hospital’s three separate General Surgery clinics into a single unified department and reorganized the high-volume surgical teams according to a subspecialty-based practice model. He also oversaw the establishment of the Burn Unit and the Stoma and Wound Care Unit within the department, developing them into Regional Referral Centers. He joined the academic faculty as a Professor in 2009. In November 2012, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Öncel was appointed as the Founding Chair of the Department of General Surgery at Istanbul Medipol University Faculty of Medicine, a position he continues to hold. .. . At Medipol, he has led the establishment of surgical residency training programs, the organization of surgical teams according to an internationally recognized subspecialty-based practice model and the development and leadership of Multidisciplinary Oncology Tumor Councils. He successfully led the Department through the institutional accreditation process of the Turkish Surgical Association Qualification Board on two occasions (2019 and 2026). He also directed the application and implementation process for the hospital’s international accreditation as a Hernia Surgery Center of Excellence. In line with his international vision, he established an institutional collaboration with the Department of General Surgery at Japan Kameda Medical Center, initiating assistant and specialist exchange programs. Throughout his academic career, Dr. Öncel has trained numerous general surgery specialists and medical students. Among his former trainees are many distinguished academicians who have gone on to earn the title of Professor. Dr. Öncel has also played a leading role in national academic collaborations. He designed and coordinated numerous multicenter scientific studies involving hospitals across Türkiye, focusing on a broad range of large intestine diseases, particularly hemorrhoidal disease and bowel obstruction caused by cancer. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Öncel holds two of the most prestigious rigid international colorectal surgery competency certificates: FEBSQ-Colorectal (Fellowship of the European Board of Surgery Qualification in Colorectal Surgery) and FASCRS (Int) (International Fellow of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons). Dr. Öncel, who has established a leading profile on the international stage, actively continues to serve as the Eastern Europe Representative of the European Society of Coloproctology (ESCP) and as the Türkiye Representative of the International Society of University Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ISUCRS). Dr. Öncel, who previously served as the ESCP Türkiye Representative (2021-2024) and as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Society of Colon and Rectal Surgery (TKRCD) (2016-2022), is also an active member of the European Board of Surgery Qualification in Colorectal Surgery (EBSQ-Colorectal Examination Committee) and serves as an official examiner within this board. With an H-index value of 31, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Öncel has numerous publications, including articles published in reputable international and national journals, conference presentations and book chapters. The original findings obtained from his clinical and experimental research have been presented and recognized as numerous oral and poster presentations at the most prestigious international colorectal and general surgery congresses. In addition to his clinical studies, he has focused on scientific research and serves as a principal investigator conducting translational cancer research within the REMER and SABİTA laboratories. Within this scope, he provides innovative contributions to the oncology literature through scientific projects conducted in collaboration with TÜBİTAK. Alongside his scientific career, Dr. Öncel also demonstrates a strong commitment to social responsibility. Through collaborations with various non-governmental organizations, he actively organizes social initiatives and public awareness projects aimed at increasing cancer awareness, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and promoting knowledge about cancer prevention methods. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Öncel, aims to provide his patients with the most up-to-date and evidence-based healthcare by combining his academic expertise in surgery and oncology, extensive clinical and administrative experience and internationally recognized treatment approaches. Like many of his trainees who have gone on to earn the title of Professor and contribute to the field of medicine, he aims to continue training new specialists who will add value to Türkiye, particularly in the field of oncological surgery.

•  European Society of Coloproctology (ESCP) – Eastern Europe Representive & Previous Türkiye Representive 
•  International Society of University Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ISUCRS) – Türkiye Representive 
•  American Society of Colorectal Surgeons (ASCRS) 
•  Eurasian Colorectal Technologies Association (ECTA) – Founding Member 
•  Turkish Society of Colon and Rectal Surgery (TKRCD) – Previous Board Member 
•  Turkish Surgical Association (TCD) 
•  Turkish Hepatopancreaticobiliary Surgery Association
•  National Trauma and Emergency Surgery Association

•  Conceptual leadership and coordination of large-scale national research projects in the field of colorectal surgery, involving multiple centers, particularly focusing on hemorrhoidal diseases and malignant bowel obstructions.
•  Institutional cancer projects and R&D studies conducted, managed and supported in collaboration with TÜBİTAK. 
•  A comprehensive scientific body of more than 60 publications in prestigious international indexes (SCI/SCI-E) (H-Index: 31). 
•  Numerous oral and poster presentations delivered at prestigious national and international congresses and authorship of book chapters in his field of expertise. 
•  Hundreds of medical students and surgical residents trained within the Faculty of Medicine, including numerous distinguished surgical academicians who have gone on to earn the title of Professor.

• Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Colorectal Surgery Department, Research Fellowship, Ohio, ABD (1999 – 2002) 
•  Kameda Medical Center, Institutional Cooperation and Clinical Exchange Program Coordinator, Japan

•  He actively serves as a “Collaborator” (Working Group Member) in multicenter international prospective cohort studies and next-generation data modeling projects conducted within global surgical research consortia, including STARSurg, EuroSurg, TASMAN and the NIHR Global Health Research Unit.

•  FEBSQ-Colorectal (European Board of Colorectal Surgical Qualification) (2007) 
•  FASCRS (Int) (American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons International Academic Member) (2004) 
•  European Board of Colorectal Surgery Examination Committee (EBSQ-Colorectal Examination Committee) Examiner and Active Membership Certificate (2021)

• Translational cancer researches and SABİTA laboratory studies 
•  Awareness activities and social projects conducted in collaboration with non-governmental organizations to increase public awareness of cancer prevention and protective measures. 
•  Medical ethics, evidence-based medical practices and international surgical education accreditations.