Prof. Dr. Hülya Ayar KAYALI
Prof. Dr. Hülya Ayar Kayalı is a Professor of Biochemistry at Dokuz Eylül University and a senior researcher at the İzmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG), Türkiye. She obtained her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Dokuz Eylül University in 2005 and has conducted research as a visiting scholar at McGill University. She has held the rank of Professor since 2014.
Her research focuses on cancer biochemistry and molecular biology, with particular emphasis on targeted therapy development. A major component of her work involves the production and detailed characterization of monoclonal antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), as well as the development and validation of diagnostic kits. In addition, through the projects she has led, biosimilar monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been developed and transferred as technology to Turkish biopharmaceutical companies. She also leads innovative biotechnology projects focused on the identification of biomarkers from cancer patients and the development of next-generation biopharmaceuticals based on these discoveries.
She also conducts advanced research on targeted drug delivery systems, including exosome-based carriers, liposome formulations, and nanoparticle-based systems, aiming to enhance therapeutic precision and efficacy. The biocompatibility and effectiveness of these systems are thoroughly tested under laboratory conditions. Her research group also actively focuses on the identification and development of novel drug candidates through advanced computational approaches, including molecular modeling, docking, and molecular dynamics simulations. Building on these in silico studies, the group further advances its work by selecting the most promising and biologically active protein and enzyme targets, followed by their recombinant production and experimental characterization.
Prof. Ayar Kayalı leads multiple national and international research projects and supervises graduate students in interdisciplinary fields. Her work adopts a multidisciplinary approach to develop innovative solutions for disease diagnosis and treatment, particularly in cancer therapeutics.