Metin Kurtoğlu, M.D., Ph.D.
Co-founder
Metin Kurtoglu is a third-generation physician with years of medical experience, beginning in high school and continuing through medical school. He completed his internal medicine training at Jackson Memorial Health/University of Miami, gaining experience with a diverse patient population. Kurtoglu then pursued medical oncology training at the National Institute of Health, where he was involved in both standard-of-care practice and clinical research. In 2016, he became Employee #1 of Cartesian Therapeutics, a Maryland-based company in the USA pioneering RNA-transfected cells for therapeutic applications. During his leadership at Cartesian, the company was able to develop 5 different ATMP products and one of them became the world’s first RNA-transfected CAR-T cell therapy for autoimmune disorders that is being tested in an international phase 3 trial.
Utku Ateş, M.D., Ph.D.
Co-founder
Utku Ateş is a highly accomplished professional in Histology, Embryology, and Stem Cell technologies, currently serving on our board of directors. He is a Professor at Istanbul Bilim University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, and the Center Director of Istanbul Bilim University FlorenCell Cord Blood Cell and Tissue Application and Research Center. Previously, he held positions as an Associate Professor and Assistant Professor at Ege University Faculty of Medicine. He has been actively involved in national cord blood banking initiatives, serving on the Turkish Ministry of Health National Cord Blood Scientific Commission (UKOK) and contributing to human tissue and cell safety standards.
Mehmet Levent Selamoğlu
Board Member
M. Levent Selamoglu is a graduate of Eskişehir Maarif College and holds a degree in Administrative Sciences from Bogazici University. He completed his Master’s degree at the Business and Economics Institute of Istanbul University. Mr. Selamoğlu has held positions at Enka, The Coca-Cola Export Corp., Ericsson Telekomunikasyon A.S., GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals A.S., and Mustafa Nevzat Pharmaceuticals A.S. Currently, Mr. Selamoglu serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Frontier Pharma UK, Zdravlje Leskovac Serbia, and Afrigen Biologics South Africa. He is also a Board Member of Avacare Global Healthcare South Africa, a Board Member of Saya Holding, and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association.
Cem Arel
Board Member
Cem A. Arel is a serial entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience building ventures across media, technology, and health. He is the Founder & CEO of Age Back Co, a regenerative health company and lead investor in Vivosel. Cem has launched 12 companies to date and brings a unique perspective at the intersection of biotech innovation and business strategy. At Age Back Co, he is developing a global network of longevity clinics focused on stem cells, exosomes, diagnostics, and personalized health programs. He currently serves on the boards of Klingit.com and Wordapp.com, and is passionate about shaping the future of regenerative medicine through strategic investment, commercialization, and lifestyle integration.
Ezogelin Oflazoğlu-Gruyters
Board Member
Ezogelin Oflazoglu-Gruyters is a highly experienced visionary executive within biopharmaceutical industry who joined the board of Vivosel team in 2025. Her career spans over 25 years of research and industry experience with a focus on biologics, immuno-oncology, and antibody-drug conjugates. Currently, she is the Vice-President, Head of External R&D and Strategic Alliances at AstraZeneca in USA. Dr. Oflazoglu-Gruyters' research foundation began with a Ph.D. in Tumor Immunology from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, State University of New York. Her extensive experience prior to Vivosel includes leading cross-functional teams across all phases of research and development, from discovery and preclinical research to early, late development and filing. She played a key role in the development of several therapeutics in the oncology field, including ADCETRIS™, KEYTRUDA®, and VIDAZA®, and LUMOXITI™.