Associate Professor Dr. Nevra Alkanlı’s Article Published in a Q1 Journal

Publication Date: 19 July 2026

Update Date: 23 July 2026

The article titled “Genetic Susceptibility to Diabetic Retinopathy in the Thrace Region: Role of IL-18 (−607 C/A, −137 G/C) and IL-8 (−251 A/T) Variations” by Associate Professor Dr. Nevra Alkanlı, a faculty member in the Department of Biophysics, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine at our university, has been published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, a Q1 journal indexed in Scopus and the Web of Science Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE).

The study investigated the role of genetic factors in the development of diabetic retinopathy, one of the leading causes of vision loss in patients with diabetes. In particular, it examined the effects of specific genetic variants in the IL-18 and IL-8 genes on the risk of developing the disease, its clinical course, and its severity.

The findings revealed that specific genetic variants in the IL-18 and IL-8 genes, as well as their co-occurrence, increase the risk of diabetic retinopathy. The analyses demonstrated that these genetic variants are independent risk factors for the disease. In addition, hypertension, a family history of diabetes, and coronary artery disease were identified as significant clinical risk factors for diabetic retinopathy.

The study also yielded findings indicating that the investigated genetic variants may play a role in the development of diabetic retinopathy independently of renal function. These findings are expected to contribute to the identification of patients’ genetic risk profiles and the development of personalized monitoring and treatment approaches. The study also provides an important scientific basis for the early identification of high-risk patients and the planning of treatment strategies tailored to individual patient characteristics.

We congratulate our faculty member and wish her continued success.

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