‘The Brain Is A Biological Computer’ – “Bertelsmann Forum” with Prof. Dr. Madjid Samii
Prof. Dr. med. Dr. hc mult. Madjid Samii: “The Brain – A Biological Computer” – that was the title of yesterday evening’s “Bertelsmann Forum” at the Gütersloh Corporate Center. Liz Mohn and Bertelsmann’s Chairman & CEO Thomas Rabe welcomed some 400 regional representatives from politics, business and society to an exciting lecture and discussion. A native of Iran and educated in Germany, Madjid Samii reported on the latest developments in brain research and treatment of brain disorders. The discussion was moderated by Christoph Kucklick, editor-in-chief of the G+J magazine "Geo."
The human brain is a marvel of nature. Its complexity is beyond compare, and the way it works is far from fully explored – which has made finding a cure for neurological diseases so difficult for so long. But ever-new, sometimes spectacular advances in medical research and treatment in the field of neurology give hope to patients and scientists alike. The neurosurgeon Madjid Samii plays a not-insignificant role in these advances, as he developed new surgical techniques that are recognized worldwide as trailblazing – and even at the age of 78 years and after more than 20,000 brain surgeries, he is still active as a surgeon and scientist.
Samii’s speech focused on the opportunities that have arisen, partly thanks to his own research at the Neuroscience Institute he founded in 2000 in Hannover. He not only explained them eloquently and in laymen’s terms in his captivating presentation, but also backed up his words with impressive photos and video clips. For instance, a few years ago it was possible to help a boy who had been completely paralyzed by a stroke to regain his mobility after the still-functional, but damaged tissue adjacent to the actual outbreak was reactivated.
Samii says it is touching and motivating moments like these that give him the strength to get through operations that can run for up to 16 hours. “At that point, it’s no longer work, but the fascination of helping a fellow human being. There is no fatigue, only euphoria,” he says, summing up the mood that overtakes him and his colleagues in such situations to this day – and which the listeners at the Corporate Center were able to sense.
For his contribution to the training of neurosurgeons on every continent, he was elected president of the WFNS (World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies) in 1997 and has been active as the WFNS Ambassador for Africa since 2011. For his efforts in the progressive advancement of neurosurgery, Madjid Samii has won numerous awards, including the Order of Merit for Outstanding Services to scientific and practical developments in neurosurgery, which was awarded to him by Germany’s then Federal President Richard von Weizsäcker.
“The technical development continues,” said Samii, concluding his compelling and inspiring talk before first Christoph Kucklick and then the guests took the opportunity to ask him their questions. “But this shouldn’t mean that we actually do everything that is possible,” he warned, adding: “If we are capable of connecting the hundred billion nerve cells in our brain, then perhaps we should also be able to connect the seven billion people on our planet in order to achieve peace and freedom."
