Dr. Aytekin’s research focuses on pulmonary hypertension and cardiomyopathy, with an emphasis on vascular remodeling, extracellular matrix abnormalities, inflammatory signaling, and cardiopulmonary disease mechanisms. His work integrates cellular and animal models, molecular biology approaches, and biomarker discovery to identify disease-driving pathways and potential therapeutic targets.
- PhD, Molecular Biology, Medical University of Vienna, 2005
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, Vascular Disease, Cleveland Clinic, 2010
- Staff Scientist, Department of Pathobiology, Cleveland Clinic, 2014
Education & Training
Klinke A, Berghausen E, Friedrichs K, Molz S, Lau D, Remane L, Berlin M, Kaltwasser C, Adam M, Mehrkens D, Mollenhauer M, Manchanda K, Ravekes T, Heresi GA, Aytekin M, Dweik RA, Hennigs JK, Kubala L, Michaelsson E, Rosenkranz S, Rudolph TK, Hazen SL, Klose H, Schermuly RT, Rudolph V, Baldus S. Myeloperoxidase aggravates pulmonary arterial hypertension by activation of vascular Rho-kinase. JCI Insight. 2018;3. PMCID: PMC6124430.
Barnes JW, Kucera ET, Tian L, Mellor NE, Dvorina N, Baldwin WW III, Aldred MA, Farver CF, Comhair SA, Aytekin M, Dweik RA. Bone morphogenetic protein type 2 receptor mutation-independent mechanisms of disrupted bone morphogenetic protein signaling in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. 2016;55:564–575. PMCID: PMC5070111.
Aytekin M, Lauer ME, Comhair SA, Loftis J, Tian L, Farver CF, Hascall VC, Dweik RA. Modification of hyaluronan by heavy chains of inter-alpha-inhibitor in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. J Biol Chem 2014;289:6791-8. https://10.1074/jbc.M113.512491
Aytekin M, Tonelli AR, Farver CF, Feldstein AE, Dweik RA. Leptin deficiency recapitulates the histological features of pulmonary arterial hypertension in mice. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology. 2014;7:1935–1946. PMCID: PMC4069962.
Heresi GA, Aytekin M, Hammel JP, Wang S, Chatterjee S, Dweik RA. Plasma interleukin-6 adds prognostic information in pulmonary arterial hypertension. European Respiratory Journal. 2014;43:912–914. doi: 10.1183/09031936.00164713. PMID: 24136333.
Aytekin M, Dweik RA. Nitric oxide and asthma severity: towards a better understanding of asthma phenotypes. Clin Exp Allergy 2012;42:614-6. https://10.1111/j.1365-2222.2012.03976.x
Aytekin M, Aulak KS, Haserodt S, Chakravarti R, Cody J, Minai OA, Dweik RA. Abnormal platelet aggregation in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension: role of nitric oxide. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2012;302:L512-20. https://10.1152/ajplung.00289.2011
Tonelli AR, Aytekin M, Feldstein AE, Dweik RA. Leptin levels predict survival in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Pulmonary Circulation. 2012;2:214–219. PMCID: PMC3401875.
Heresi GA, Tang WH, Aytekin M, Hammel J, Hazen SL, Dweik RA. Sensitive cardiac troponin I predicts poor outcomes in pulmonary arterial hypertension. European Respiratory Journal. 2012;39:939–944. doi: 10.1183/09031936.00067011. PMID: 21885398.
Aytekin M, Dweik RA. Low-molecular-mass of hyaluronan was detected in PASMCs from the patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2011;300:L148. https://10.1152/ajplung.00330.2010
- American Heart Association Postdoctoral Training Award, PHA/AHA 0826095H. Title: “Hyaluronan in Idiopathic Pulmonary Hypertension.”
- Best Oral Poster Presentation, Pulmonary Hypertension Summit 2011, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
- Honorarium, Pulmonary Hypertension Summit 2009, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
- Honorarium, Exhaled Breath Analysis: From Sensors to Devices and Applications, Barga, Italy.
- Honorarium, Pulmonary Hypertension Summit 2011, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
- Two Incentive Awards for Quality of Publication, Erciyes University, 2013.
- Two Incentive Awards for Research Grant Quality, Erciyes University, 2013.
- Incentive Award for Quality of Publication, Erciyes University, 2015.
- Incentive Award for Research Grant Quality, Erciyes University, 2015.
