LEADERSHIP & ADVISORY BOARD
Guiding Innovation: Meet Our Biotech Maestros
Comprising seasoned experts across diverse domains, our Leadership & Advisory Board shape the trajectory of our biotech initiatives.
These minds, the core of our strategic guidance and each a luminary in their field, steer COMED towards unprecedented milestones, underscoring our commitment to pioneering biotechnological solutions.
Leadership
Cenk Öztürk, MD
Founder & CEO
Cenk Öztürk, MD
Founder & CEO
Orthopaedic surgeon and visionary leader. Commenced groundbreaking initiatives following a transformative experience with a family member’s late-stage cancer. Assembled a scientific team to explore uncharted territories of cell-level RNA-based therapies. Played key roles at Liv Hospital Group, Ankara Guven Hospital, Vail Health, Denver, and Vienna State Hospital and served as the Founder & Medical Director of Arte Medical Center and CEO of Avicenna Health & Reconstruction, significantly influencing the healthcare landscape. Holds a Doctor of Medicine from Sivas Cumhuriyet University, specializing in Orthopaedic Surgery at Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital. A legacy in orthopaedic surgery, healthcare leadership, and pioneering RNA therapies underscores a profound impact on the medical field.
Güray Zora
Co-founder & CFO
Güray Zora
Co-founder & CFO
Has been working at the leading independent investment banking firms in Turkey with a focus on cross border mergers and acquisitions since 1994. Also the founding partner of Zora Advisory, a boutique M&A advisory firm in Turkey. Completed landmark M&A transactions such as Yıldız Holding’s acquisition of Godiva for USD850 m. Having been a founding shareholder and co-head of Mergers and Acquisitions and Capital Markets department at Ünlü & Co., played a pivotal role in its transformation from a boutique advisory of four people to a 300+ people investment banking platform until his exit. Has started to mentor and advice technology start-ups since 2020. Holds a BSc degree in electrical & electronics engineering from Boğaziçi University and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University.
Prof. Nezih Hekim
CSO
Prof. Nezih Hekim
CSO
Distinguished academic and seasoned professional in Clinical Chemistry & Physics, holding a PhD in Medical Sciences & Biochemistry. Led the Molecular Biology & Genetics Department at Biruni University, and contributed significantly to academic excellence with roles at many esteemed universities. Conducted groundbreaking research at the Max-Planck Institute for Experimental Endocrinology, Hannover, and the University of Bergen, profoundly influencing steroid hormone receptors field. Experienced in establishing, operating, and monetizing laboratories in clinical chemistry, genetics, stem cells, and food science. Frequently published in esteemed journals of high repute. Continues to steer cutting-edge research, leaving an indelible mark on the scientific community.
Advisory Board
Adj. Prof. Sefik S. Alkan, PhD
Drug Discovery, Immunology, Microbiology
Adjunct Professor (2000-2010), UMDNJ, Rutgers Uni, USA
Head, Discovery & Development, Alba Therapeutics, USA
Head, Immunology, 3M Pharmaceuticals, USA
Head, Immunology & Biochemistry, Aventis, USA
Scientific Expert, Ciba-Geigy (Novartis), Switzerland
Member, Basel Inst. Immunolgy, Switzerland
Prof. Ferda Nur Alpaslan, PhD
Computer Engineering, Machine Learning & AI
Professor, METU, Computer Engineering Dept
Executive Board Member, Faculty of Engineering, METU
PhD, Computer Science, University of North Texas
Asst. Prof. Tugce Duran, PhD
Medical Genetics & Molecular Biology
PhD, Kocaeli University Faculty of Medicine
MSc, Medical Genetics, Selcuk University
Prof. Zehra Durmus, PhD
Nanotechnology
Postdoctoral Researcher, The Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg
PhD, Chemistry, Fatih University
Oktay Ismail Kaplan, PhD
Rare Disease Science
Postdoctoral Fellow, Max Delbrück Center, Berlin
PhD, Genetics, University College Dublin
Ahmet Efe Koseoglu, PhD
Evolutionary Biology, Molecular Biology & Bioinformatics
Postdoctoral Researcher, Ruhr University, Bochum
Assistant Professor, Biruni University, Istanbul
PhD, General Biology, Ege University, Izmir
Join us on this journey of discovery and innovation!
Together, we will unlock new horizons of healing and hope for generations to come, as we continue to redefine the boundaries of biotechnology.