Prof. Eren Erken, MD

Prof. Eren Erken, MD is an Internal Medicine physician with a background in rheumatology and immunology at Acibadem Adana Hospital in Adana. He graduated from Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine in 1976 and completed his Internal Medicine training at Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine in 1980, followed by Rheumatology training at the same faculty in 1984. He was appointed associate professor in Internal Medicine / Rheumatology at Çukurova University in 1986 and professor in 1992. In 2019 he completed a program in Immunology and Allergic Diseases at Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine. He has spent more than 50 years in medicine.

Dr. Erken’s career was based at Çukurova University from 1976 to 2019. He worked in the Internal Medicine Department from 1976 to 1980 and then served in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology-Immunology as a specialist, assistant associate professor, associate professor and, from 1992, professor. He was Head of the Blood Center from 1980 to 1987 and Head of the Division of Rheumatology-Immunology from 1987 to 2018. From 1988 to 2019 he was responsible for the Doku Tipleme Laboratuvarı (tissue typing laboratory) at Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine. He undertook postdoctoral research at Boston University/USA in 1985–1986 and again in 1989, and was a visiting faculty member at Göttingen University Germany in 1997. In 2019 he joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services. He is a member of the Turkish Rheumatology Association, the Turkish Immunology Association, the Turkish Medical Association, the Transplantation Immunology and Genetics Association and the Turkish Association for the Coordination of Organ Transplantation Organizations.

Clinical focus

Dr. Erken’s clinical work centers on inflammatory, autoimmune and systemic rheumatic diseases seen within Internal Medicine. His areas of expertise include rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Behçet’s disease and familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). He also assesses and follows patients with systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) and vasculitis, conditions that may involve several organ systems and often require coordinated, long-term follow-up.

His background in immunology and tissue typing informs his approach to autoimmune disease, and cellular therapies are among his listed areas of expertise. The suitability of any particular treatment depends on the individual diagnosis, disease activity and general health, and is determined after a clinical assessment.

How Dr. Erken works with international patients

Dr. Erken consults in Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for patients who speak other languages. The Acibadem international patient team coordinates the collection of prior medical reports and imaging before a visit, arranges appointments and organizes the hospital stay in Adana. A first consultation typically covers the patient’s history and symptoms, a review of existing imaging, laboratory results and previous treatments, a clinical examination and a discussion of the possible options. Video consultation is available for international patients who wish to discuss their situation before traveling.