From Ankara, Turkey to Cleveland, Ohio, Gurkan Knows How Technology Can Advance Health Equity Everywhere
Umut Gurkan, PhD, was born and raised in Turkey. A Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the ǿմý School of Engineering and member of the Cancer Prevention Control & Population Research Program in the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Gurkan’s lived experience has inspired his dedication to health disparities research. Gurkan uses his engineering research and design education to help address health disparities by inventing new technology or reengineering existing technology to make it accessible for more people (e.g., affordable and easy to use and understand).
“Health disparities are a reality of the world. There is always a health disparity, no matter where you live. Where you live defines which type of health disparities you will face,” Dr. Gurkan said.
At ǿմý, Dr. Gurkan leads a team of researchers who are motivated by their desire to effect real impact in the world in their lifetime. The motivation in his lab is to save lives, if possible, or help people suffer less from disease or not suffer at all by providing diagnostics that do not exist or access to treatment through technology.
Thinking back to Dr. Gurkan’s upbringing in Turkey, he acknowledged that Turkey had access to quality social healthcare, but rather the rural parts of the country were most neglected.
“I think we can make a bigger impact treating what is treatable, diagnosing what is diagnosable, and preventing what is preventable for all. If there is a technology that exists to diagnose, treat, or prevent a disease, lack of access to that technology for the broader population is a humanitarian crisis,” Dr. Gurkan exclaimed.
Dr. Gurkan is no stranger to seeking challenges and proposing rapid solutions. He shared that one challenging facet of health disparities research is that the usual external motivation for doing the work (e.g., awards, funding) is not consistently present. Additionally, a general lack of awareness about the field halts much-needed growth and investment. “We need robust and long-term interest and support for research to effectively address health disparities in the world,” said Dr. Gurkan.
“From a researcher’s point of view, if you’re working on diagnosing a disease in a simpler, accessible, affordable way, the perception is that ‘I already know how to diagnose this’ and you’re not being innovative [...], but the reality is that is not true,” Dr. Gurkan explained.
Dr. Gurkan proposed that one way to elevate health disparities research is to ensure journals and funding agencies develop diverse peer reviewer pools who have depth of knowledge and appreciation for the health disparities space. By re-assessing who has power and influence and ensuring representation of the population in key positions, decision-making will be more inclusive and achieve equitable outcomes. Diversity of ideas and inclusion of everyone is key to his research group’s success. Dr. Gurkan’s lab reflects the world and he knows, without a doubt, that his trainees will attain leadership roles and make decisions with long-lasting impact in the field.
Dr. Gurkan received a CTSC Annual Pilot award in 2014 to develop sickle cell disease blood assay technology and in 2019 to translate a new personalized microfluidic diagnostic platform for gene therapies in sickle cell disease.
Learn more about Gurkan’s research.
Fast Five with Gurkan
- Favorite thing to do in Northeast Ohio: Being in nature in four seasons and hiking
- Favorite research innovation: Gene editing (e.g., ) to cure diseases
- Favorite restaurant in Northeast Ohio:
- Favorite place to go in Northeast Ohio:
- If I wasn’t a researcher, I’d be a… surgeon
