Assoc. Prof. Esra Aydemir Ayaz

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Esra Aydemir Ayaz is a distinguished researcher in the fields of molecular biology, biotechnology, and oncology. Her career is characterized by pioneering research into rare tumors, cancer stem cell resistance, and innovative drug repurposing strategies. Dr. Aydemir Ayaz established a strong international foundation in the life sciences before specializing in biotechnology. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University (USA). She earned her Master’s & Doctorate Degrees in Biotechnology, Yeditepe University (Turkey). With years of laboratory experience, she is highly proficient in fundamental and advanced molecular techniques in including primary human cell culture development, tissue and cell culture isolation, molecular cloning and immunomodulation assays. Dr. Aydemir Ayaz is noted for her groundbreaking work on chordoma, a rare bone tumor. She provided the first evidence of the existence of stem cells within chordoma tumors. Her research focused on identifying and isolating cancer stem cells, differentiation therapy particularly working on methods to force stem cells to differentiate, thereby breaking their high resistance to traditional chemotherapy.

In addition to her research and editorial roles, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Esra Aydemir Ayaz has a strong record of international collaboration and competitive funding applications. As a principal investigator, she is currently leading a national grant funded by TÜBİTAK. Dr. Aydemir Ayaz has actively sought to expand her research through prestigious international funding bodies. Her efforts include applications for: British Council: Engaging with UK-based funding opportunities to support scientific exchange and research development. TÜBİTAK Bilateral Calls: Pursuing strategic partnerships through the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye, specifically targeting bilateral cooperation calls with Greece and Scotland.

She is in collaboration across other disciplines with polymer and material scientists to advance cancer treatment technologies. She had collaborations in Turkiye with well known chemists and material scientists in the field of pharmacy to study to find ways to inhibit the formation of new blood vessels that feed tumors. Her work in drug repurposing has evolved to include modern computational techniques. She collaborates with internationally recognized scientists in the field of AI-based drug design and development. These collaborations focus on in silico modeling such as “Using artificial intelligence to predict how drug compounds interact with cancer targets” and accelerated discovery that includes “Leveraging AI to identify existing commercially available drugs that can be effectively reused for cancer treatments, particularly in suppressing resistant pathways”.

A defining feature of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Esra Aydemir Ayaz’s academic profile is her rigorous focus on tangible, market-oriented outputs. Her research transcends theoretical discovery, resulting in a diverse portfolio of high-value biotechnological applications, including Dermaceuticals which were developed CosIng-compatible biotechnological cosmetic active ingredients with proven anti-aging and anti-wrinkle properties, Novel Therapeutics: Secured patent-protected immunomodulatory drug candidates and developed innovative, low-toxicity transfection reagents for gene therapy, Biotechnology Platforms: Established antibody-based therapeutic and diagnostic platforms alongside advanced photodynamic therapy agents and finally Medical Devices: Engineered specialized hydrogel- and microneedle-based medical devices designed for accelerated tissue repair and wound healing.

This product-driven orientation distinguishes Dr. Aydemir Ayaz as an academic researcher capable of contributing directly to industrial innovation across both the pharmaceutical and cosmetic sectors. By bridging the gap between molecular biology and commercial validation, she ensures her scientific breakthroughs achieve real-world clinical and consumer utility.