The Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center of Fasa University of Medical Sciences has achieved seventh place nationally in the latest evaluation of research centers across the country among centers with more than 10 years of activity.

According to the Public Relations Office of the Deputy for Research and Technology, the center has been ranked among the top seven research centers in the country while competing with many centers that have two to three decades of research experience, are based at major comprehensive universities, and benefit from larger numbers of faculty members, more extensive infrastructure, and, in some cases, dedicated budget allocations. In contrast, the Fasa center operates with only two permanent faculty members, one project-based faculty member, and limited university financial resources.

In a detailed interview with Dr. Mojtaba Farjam, Deputy for Research and Technology at Fasa University of Medical Sciences and Secretary of the National Population Studies Working Group, and Dr. Zareh-Nejad, Head of the Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center at Fasa University of Medical Sciences, we discussed the center’s development, its scientific standing, the factors contributing to this achievement, and the requirements for sustaining this trajectory.

When was the Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center established, and how has it reached its current position?

Dr. Farjam: The history of the center dates back to around 2014. At that time, Dr. Ehsan Bahramali, who was then Deputy for Research and Technology at the university, assigned me the responsibility of following up on the establishment of the center. From that point onward, I worked alongside university colleagues to pursue its establishment and development.

In the following years, as research activities expanded, scientific output increased, and the necessary infrastructure was developed, the center first obtained preliminary approval and subsequently received its final approval.

During its early years, the center was evaluated among research centers with less than 10 years of activity. In several evaluation cycles, it was ranked among the leading centers in this category and repeatedly achieved third place nationally.

Last year, the center entered the category of research centers with more than 10 years of activity. Since then, its performance has been evaluated alongside centers with many years—and in some cases several decades—of scientific activity. Therefore, this year's seventh-place ranking should be viewed as part of a multi-year trajectory and within this broader context.

How do you assess this achievement?

Dr. Zareh-Nejad: Achieving seventh place, particularly among research centers with more than 10 years of activity, is a significant accomplishment. Approximately 117 centers were eligible for evaluation in this category, many of which have long histories, larger human resources, and substantial research facilities.

Some of these centers are based at major comprehensive universities in the country and have had many years to develop their research infrastructure, scientific networks, and human capital. In contrast, the Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center at Fasa operates with only two permanent faculty members and one project-based faculty member.

For this reason, one important aspect of this ranking is the relationship between scientific performance and available capacity. Despite having a limited number of faculty members, the center has achieved substantial scientific output and obtained a favorable score in the area of knowledge production.

This indicates that the center's performance is not simply the result of increasing the volume of activities; research productivity has also played an important role.

Why do you describe the Fasa center as a “newcomer” in this competition?

Dr. Farjam: Being a newcomer does not mean being newly established or lacking a research track record. Rather, it means that compared with many of its competitors, the Fasa center has had considerably less time to accumulate scientific and organizational achievements.

Indicators such as the number of publications, citations, and H-index accumulate over time. More established centers have also had greater opportunities to recruit and train human resources, develop infrastructure, establish scientific networks, and consolidate their academic standing.

For example, one of the centers close to Fasa in this evaluation has 12 faculty members and has had a long-standing independent budget allocation. Therefore, comparisons between research centers should take their actual capacities into account.

From this perspective, the Fasa center's seventh-place ranking alongside such institutions further highlights the significance of this achievement.

Given these circumstances, have any measures been taken to secure sustainable resources for the center?

Dr. Farjam: Yes. Securing an independent budget allocation for the center has been pursued consistently over the past several years. At different times, this request was followed up with the support and endorsement of several Deputy Ministers for Research and Technology at the Ministry of Health and was also submitted to the Plan and Budget Organization for consideration. However, ultimately, due to the prevailing circumstances and considerations, an independent budget line was not established.

We therefore currently have a center with an independent organizational structure but without an independent budget allocation.

The center's resources come from a limited share of the university's one-percent dedicated revenues. These resources must support a broad range of university research activities, including research centers, theses and dissertations, basic and clinical research, the comprehensive laboratory, and the health technology development center.

This limitation is particularly important for a center operating in a smaller city while competing nationally with long-established research institutions. Nevertheless, what has been achieved so far demonstrates that the strategic use of available capacities can partly compensate for resource limitations. Sustaining this trajectory will still require stable funding.

Given these limitations, what factor has contributed most to the center's success?

Dr. Farjam: In my view, the most important factor is human capital.

Researchers, faculty members, students, and staff at the center have worked with commitment and perseverance over the years. Some of these activities have even continued during holidays and the Nowruz period.

Alongside the faculty members, skilled research staff have also played a very important role. Some of these colleagues have advanced expertise, including biostatistics, in addition to their operational experience, and have made important contributions to study design and analysis. The continued presence of experienced personnel has also helped preserve organizational knowledge and experience within the center.

Of course, material and non-material recognition and support for these colleagues are still not commensurate with the extent of their efforts, and this is an issue that deserves attention.

At the same time, research leadership is not simply about turning an idea into a publication. It also involves building effective teams, guiding them toward larger studies, and creating the conditions for research that can have meaningful impact.

From a scientific perspective, what do you consider the center's most important characteristic?

Dr. Zareh-Nejad: In my view, one of the center's strengths is its ability to produce knowledge in proportion to its available capacity. The diversity of its research topics has also contributed to this strength.

The center's activities cover various areas of noncommunicable diseases. Alongside studies on the prevention and management of these diseases, population-based and cohort studies also have an important place in its research portfolio.

This diversity has enabled the center to connect real-world health issues in the region with broader scientific questions and to draw on basic, clinical, and population-based research capacities in a complementary manner.

How is this diversity of research areas managed?

Dr. Farjam: We have tried to move research beyond being an activity focused solely on publications. Some of the center's activities address real-world health challenges and the generation of evidence for decision-making within the health system. At the same time, there should be opportunities to conduct research in basic sciences, emerging fields, and clinical research at the frontiers of knowledge.

For this reason, areas such as population studies, data governance, and evidence governance are important to us. The goal is to address local and regional needs while also ensuring that research can generate scientific value at the national and international levels.

What role have students played in this process?

Dr. Farjam: From the early years, we tried to ensure that the center would not merely be a place for implementing predefined research projects. To this end, an “Think Tank Room” was established, providing an opportunity for faculty members and students to raise issues, propose ideas, and discuss potential research solutions.

Many students have become involved in research through this process, and the center, in collaboration with the Student Research Committee, has provided opportunities for their participation.

I believe that students are one of the country's most important scientific assets. As Professor Shahin Akhondzadeh has also emphasized, at a time when research funding is limited, educating students who can think critically and develop solutions to real-world problems is particularly important.

From Achievement to Sustainability

What infrastructure has been considered to sustain this trajectory?

Dr. Farjam: Sustaining an achievement is more difficult than achieving it in the first place. Therefore, in recent years, efforts have focused not only on scientific activities but also on developing the infrastructure needed to sustain research.

Equipping and expanding laboratories, strengthening the biobank, and increasing the resilience of research infrastructure are among these measures. Protecting valuable samples, data, and critical infrastructure is also important. From this perspective, passive defense and continuity of research activities during crises should be incorporated into the planning of research centers.

However, sustainability depends on more than equipment. Retaining human resources, training young researchers, maintaining scientific collaborations, and securing resources appropriate to the center's mission are also essential.

Looking Ahead: Beyond a Ranking

Given this trajectory, what is your vision for the center?

Dr. Zareh-Nejad: The seventh-place ranking is a valuable achievement for the center, but more important than the ranking itself is maintaining the upward trajectory of scientific activities and transforming existing capacity into sustainable achievements.

Dr. Farjam: I share this perspective. As one of the founders of the center who has been involved in this journey since its early stages, my main concern is to preserve and strengthen this capacity in the years ahead.

The Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center is now part of the university's scientific infrastructure and should be able to continue its activities under both normal and challenging circumstances. Our goal should not simply be to maintain seventh place; rather, it should be to establish a sustainable pathway for knowledge production, researcher development, addressing health challenges, and translating research evidence into better decisions within the health system.

The experience of this center has shown that a relatively young research center, even with limited resources, can draw on human capital, research productivity, teamwork, and strategic research management to stand alongside long-established and well-resourced research centers in the country.

The seventh-place ranking, therefore, is not the end of the journey; rather, it is an indication of a capacity that has been built since 2014 and now requires continued investment to ensure its sustainability and greater impact.