Atay Vural

Atay Vural, MD-PhD (Turkey) is a Professor of Neurology at Koç University and a clinician-scientist specializing in translational neuroimmunology. He established and directs the Vural Lab for Translational Neuroimmunology and the KUTTAM Movement Analysis Laboratory, both of which serve as national reference centers. Dr. Vural’s research focuses on bridging fundamental neuroscience with clinical practice through an interdisciplinary approach, notably collaborating with biomedical engineers to develop sensitive digital biomarkers for monitoring neurological functions and disease progression. He leads an extensive national network of neurologists, providing Turkey’s first diagnostic live cell-based assays for MOG and NF155 antibodies. This network facilitates the systematic recruitment of large patient cohorts and the high-volume collection of clinical data and samples, positioning his laboratory as a hub for multi-modal research. With a track record of high-impact publications and competitive funding (including EAN, MSIF and Alexander von Humboldt Foundation), his work integrates cellular and molecular serum profiling with objective, sensor-based movement metrics to advance the diagnostic and prognostic landscape of neuroinflammatory disorders.