Ergun Sahin

Ergun Sahin, M.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at Baylor College of Medicine, based at the Huffington Center on Aging. He holds expertise in telomere biology, cancer, and aging mechanisms. His research focuses on telomere shortening-induced pathologies, mitochondrial dysfunction, and metabolic pathways linked to aging and cancer. Sahin obtained his M.D. and Ph.D. from the Free University of Berlin and completed postdoctoral training at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. His work integrates molecular biology, genetics, and translational research to address fundamental questions in telomere biology and oncology.

**Education**:

• M.D., Free University of Berlin (1998)
• Ph.D., Free University of Berlin (2002)
• Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (2011)

**Research Interests**:

• Role of telomeres in cancer and aging
• Mitochondrial dysfunction in aging tissues
• Epigenetic regulation of telomerase in tumors
• Microbiome interactions in telomere-driven colitis
• Therapeutic targeting of telomerase-dependent pathways

**Key Findings**:

• Discovered mechanisms linking telomere attrition to metabolic decline and mitochondrial impairment
• Elucidated telomerase's role in reversing aging-associated cellular deficits
• Identified novel therapeutic vulnerabilities in cancer via passenger deletions

**Labs/Teams**: Active in translational research teams at Baylor College of Medicine, focusing on aging-related diseases and oncology drug development.