Asst. Prof. Levent Beker won the ERC Starting Grant

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death with a rate of more than 40 percent all over the world, and close follow-up of patients who have had their first surgery is very critical. The device named 2ND-CHANCE developed by Dr. Beker can be implanted in the patient’s body during the surgery and will be able to predict possible cardiac disorders. If the patient has passed the critical period, the implant will biodegrade with no need for a second surgery and harm the body with its biodegradable structure.

Creating one of the most effective examples of interdisciplinary studies in the field of engineering and medicine, Dr. Beker’s project will be the one-of-a-kind in the world.

The European Research Council (ERC), Europe’s most prestigious and recognized institution in the scientific field, provides support for the most original and innovative scientific research. Since 2012, 31 prestigious projects from Türkiye have received these grants. 19 of these grants were received by Koç University faculty members. Two of the 14 different projects were awarded the Proof of Concept Grant five times in total. Of the projects that received funding from the ERC, eight are in engineering, four are in the social sciences, and two are in molecular biology and genetics.