Erkin Seker

Prof. Erkin Şeker is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of California, Davis College of Engineering. As Co-Director of the Center for Neuroengineering and Medicine and Chair of the Designated Emphasis in Neuroengineering, he leads interdisciplinary research at the intersection of nanotechnology and neurobiology.

• PhD in Electrical Engineering (University of Virginia, 2007)
• Postdoctoral work in Chemistry at UVA and Harvard Medical School

His research focuses on nanoporous materials for electrochemical biosensors, multifunctional neural interfaces, and microfluidic tissue chips. Recent work explores gut-brain axis interactions and neuroinflammatory responses in Alzheimer’s disease using primary cortical tri-cultures.

Scientific achievements include 15+ peer-reviewed publications since 2018, with features in Front Cover and Editor’s Choice designations. His group has secured major federal grants from NIH, NSF, and USDA, including R03 awards for neuroinflammation research and Cortical tri-culture platform development.

• NIH NIBIB Trailblazer Award (2014)
• NSF CAREER Award (2015)
• UC Davis Lab Fees Grant (2012)
• Academic Senate Distinguished Teaching Award (2024)

He mentors 15+ current and former graduate students including PhD candidates in Biomedical Engineering and MS students in Electrical Engineering. His teaching portfolio includes courses on neuroengineering, nanofabrication, and graduate school navigation.