Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ebru Erbay, Bilkent University Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics
Ebru Erbay is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics in Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey since 2010 and Adjunct Professor in the Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention at the Ludwig Maximillians University in Munich, Germany since 2016. She received MD degree from Ankara University Faculty of Medicine and PhD in Cell and Structural Biology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. During her PhD studies Dr. Erbay discovered the key role for a nutrient-sensitive mTOR pathway in myogenesis. Her current research focus is at the intersection of nutrient-sensitive, inflammatory and stress pathways in the context of metabolic diseases. Dr. Erbay is the first time recipient of the prestigious European Research Commission (ERC) Starting Grant in Life Sciences awarded to a researcher in Turkey. Her research program at Bilkent University is generously funded by additional grants from EMBO, European Commission, Turkey/Germany Bilateral Funding Scheme (TUBITAK/BMBF) and the International COST Action (TUBITAK). She also served an associate advisor to Science Translational Medicine.
Research Focus
‘To explore bioactive lipids for metabolic health’
Her current research focus is at the intersection of nutrient-sensitive, inflammatory and stress pathways in the context of metabolic diseases. Her research shows that PAO treatment remodels endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes, reducing hyperlipidemic stress and inflammation. This mechanism lowers systemic IL-1β and IL-18 levels, preventing atherosclerosis in mice. The findings suggest that PAO supplementation could be a novel therapeutic approach for metabolic and inflammatory diseases, warranting further human studies.
Key references
- Erbay, E., Babaev, V. R., Mayers, J. R., Makowski, L., Charles, K. N., Snitow, M. E., Fazio, S., Wiest, M. M., Watkins, S. M., Linton, M. F., & Hotamisligil, G. S. (2009). Reducing endoplasmic reticulum stress through a macrophage lipid chaperone alleviates atherosclerosis. Nature medicine, 15(12), 1383–1391.
- Hotamisligil, G. S., & Erbay, E. (2008). Nutrient sensing and inflammation in metabolic diseases. Nature reviews. Immunology, 8(12), 923–934.
