Atakan Ekiz

Atakan Ekiz is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology at Izmir Institute of Technology, Turkey, and holds the UNESCO Chair in Biotechnology and Innovation (2023-present). His research focuses on cancer progression and immune evasion mechanisms, with a parallel emphasis on developing high-throughput data analysis tools like the CIPR-Shiny and CIPR-Package R applications.

• PhD in Molecular Biology/Oncological Sciences (University of Utah, 2018)
• MS in Clinical Investigation (University of Utah, 2018)
• BS in Molecular Biology and Genetics (Izmir Institute of Technology, 2011)

His work spans immunology, oncology, and bioinformatics, with recent publications examining ARF6 trafficking, microRNA regulation, and microbiota influences on cancer immunotherapy. Articles highlight checkpoint blockade, T-cell senescence, and noncoding RNA functions in melanoma and colon cancer.

Scientific awards include the 2025 Science Academy Young Investigator Award, 2024 EMBO Installation Grantee, 2023 Turkish Immunology Association Isil Berat Barlan Award, and multiple grants (Fulbright, HHMI). He teaches courses in immunology, computational biology, and bioinformatics.