Profile
Esma Yolcu, PhD, leads a research program focused on developing innovative, targeted immunotherapies to restore immune tolerance and prevent immune-mediated diseases, with major emphasis on Type 1 diabetes (T1D), transplantation and cancer immunoprevention. Her work seeks to modulate pathogenic immune responses selectively while preserving protective immunity, addressing the limitations of conventional systemic immunosuppression.
A major focus is the development of Fas/FasL-based strategies, regulatory T-cell (Treg) modulation and biomaterial-based immunotherapies to prevent autoimmune β-cell destruction and improve the long-term success of islet and stem cell–derived β-cell transplantation.
Her research also extends to cancer immunoprevention, where she and her collaborators are developing strategies to train the immune system to recognize and eliminate emerging malignant cells before cancer develops. This work led to participation in the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Immunoprevention Network (CIP-Net) and inaugural CIP-Net funding for the University of Missouri team to develop a novel CD137 agonist for cancer immunoprevention.
Overall, Dr. Yolcu’s research bridges immunology, bioengineering, transplantation, autoimmunity and cancer prevention, with a strong emphasis on precision medicine and clinical translation.
Academic Information
Office
1030 Hitt St
Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health Building
Columbia, MO 65211
United States
Research Interests
- Type 1 diabetes and autoimmune disease
- Immune tolerance
- Antigen-specific immunotherapy
- Cell-based therapies
- Cancer immunoprevention
Areas of Expertise
- β-cell replacement/Islet transplantation Immunotherapies to minimize immunosuppression
- Cancer Immunoprevention
- Translational immunology
- Prevention of autoimmunity and transplant rejection
- Apoptosis and elimination of autoreactive T cells
Education & Training
Fellowship
1999 - 2003 University of Louisville, Kentucky
1998 - 1999 Bilkent Univeristy, Ankara
Post-Graduate School
1998 PhD, Biology & Genetics, Ankara University
1993 MSc, Medical Biology & Genetics, Gazi University, School Medicine
1990 BS, Ankara University
Awards & Honors
- 2000-Transplant Young Investigator Award, American Society of Transplantation
- 2001-2003: American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowship, Ohio Affiliate
- 2002-Co-inventor of ProtEx™, a patented platform for localized delivery/display of immunomodulatory proteins
- 2003-Young Investigator Awards (1st & 2nd), American Transplant Congress
- 2003-First Place, Scientific Importance, Research! Louisville
- 2003-Third Place, Most Promising Basic Science, Research! Louisville
- 2010, 2012, 2016—Celebration of Faculty Excellence Award, University of Louisville
- 2024-2029 Co-recipient of nearly $3.8 million in NCI funding to advance cancer immunoprevention research toward clinical translation
- 2025-JDRF-funded research award for developing PD-L1-modified biomaterials to promote islet-transplant tolerance
- 2012-present: Recipient of major competitive research funding from NIH, Breakthrough T1D/JDRF, and the U.S. Department of Defense for translational immunotherapy research.
