Zati VATANSEVER

Prof. Dr. Zati VATANSEVER is a distinguished Professor at Kafkas University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Parasitology, where he has been serving since 2008. Previously, he was an Associate Professor (2007-2008) and has maintained continuous academic affiliation with Kafkas University since 1989. He also serves as the Director of the Research and Application Center at Kafkas University since 2017. His academic foundation includes a Bachelor's Degree in Veterinary Medicine from Ankara University (1984-1989), followed by a Doctorate in Veterinary Parasitology from the same institution (1990-1997).

His research primarily focuses on veterinary parasitology and medical entomology, with particular emphasis on tick-borne diseases, Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), and vector ecology. His work spans multiple disciplines including parasitology, virology, entomology, and veterinary medicine, addressing critical issues in vector-borne disease transmission and control across Northeast Anatolia, Thrace, and other regions of Turkey. He has made significant contributions to understanding the molecular characterization of pathogens, tick population genetics, and host-pathogen-vector interactions.

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals consistent focus on vector-borne disease epidemiology, with particular attention to Dermacentor and Hyalomma tick species, Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, and molecular characterization of pathogens. His research employs advanced techniques including phylogeographic analysis, molecular diagnostics, and mathematical modeling to address complex questions in vector ecology and disease transmission.

Prof. VATANSEVER has supervised multiple PhD students, including Reşat Tazegül (2023), Mesut Yiğit (2022), and Hilal Bedir (2015), who have conducted research on tick-borne pathogens and vector ecology. He has been the principal investigator or researcher on numerous projects, including international collaborations funded by the United Nations, World Bank, UNESCO, European Union, and national research councils, totaling 34 research projects.

His laboratory and research team at Kafkas University maintain active field studies across endemic regions of Turkey, focusing on vector surveillance, pathogen detection, and molecular characterization. They have established important collaborations both nationally and internationally, contributing significantly to the global understanding of vector-borne diseases in the Western Palearctic region.