Academic CV
Academic CV information about Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Benter.
Academic CV
Career Highlights
- Published over 100 scientific articles in the most prestigious international medical and pharmaceutical journals.
- Discovered the vasodilator, anti-hypertensive, anti-fibrotic, and anti-inflammatory properties of Angiotensin-(1-7), leading to a fundamental paradigm shift in endocrinology and pharmacology.
- His publications have received over 7,500 citations with a highly distinguished academic rating of H-Index = 43 (Google Scholar).
- According to an independent scientometric study in May 2024, he was recognized as the most prolific author in the world regarding the ACE2/Angiotensin-(1-7)/MasR axis in diabetes and microvascular complications.
- Collaborated with the University of Sydney to lead the restructuring of the medical curriculum at Kuwait University into a modern, integrated, problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum.
- Received numerous prestigious first-prize awards for teaching and research in the USA and Kuwait.
- Won and successfully managed multiple research projects with a total funding budget exceeding $5 Million USD.
Education
| Level | Major / Field | Institution / Country | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| High School | - | Türk Maarif Koleji, Lefkoşa - Kıbrıs | 1974 - 1979 |
| GCE A-Levels | Physics, Chemistry, Biology | Loughborough Technical College, Loughborough – England | 1979 - 1981 |
| Lisans (BS) | Chemistry | University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida – USA | 1982 - 1985 |
| Graduate Studies | Physiology and Pharmacology | New York Medical College, New York – USA | 1986 - 1988 |
| Doktora (PhD) | Medical Pharmacology | The Ohio State University, College of Medicine, Ohio – USA | 1988 - 1991 |
| Master's Course | Medical Curriculum Development | University of Dundee, Centre for Medical Education, UK | 2004 - 2005 |
Professional Experience
Dean of Faculty, Professor
Final International University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cyprus
Director General
Cyprus Evkaf Administration (Kıbrıs Vakıflar İdaresi), Nicosia, Cyprus
Professor of Medicine
Eastern Mediterranean University, Faculty of Medicine, Cyprus
Visiting Professor
Oxford University, Department of Pharmacology, Oxford – UK
Professor
Kuwait University, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine – Kuwait
Department Chairman
Kuwait University, Dept of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine – Kuwait
Visiting Professor
Cardiff University, School of Pharmacy, Centre for Genome-Based Therapeutics, Cardiff – UK
Associate Professor
Kuwait University, Dept of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine – Kuwait
Associate Professor
Southern College of Optometry, Memphis, Tennessee – USA
Assistant Professor
Southern College of Optometry, Memphis, Tennessee – USA
Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology
University of Tennessee, College of Medicine, Memphis, Tennessee – USA
Research Scientist
Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Hypertension Research Center, North Carolina – USA
Research Fellow
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Department of Brain and Vascular Research, Cleveland, Ohio – USA
Research & Teaching Assistant
The Ohio State University, College of Medicine, Dept of Pharmacology, Columbus, Ohio – USA
Research & Teaching Assistant
New York Medical College, Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology, New York – USA
Teaching Assistant
University of Florida, Department of Chemistry, Gainesville, Florida – USA
Awards & Scientific Affiliations
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award Details | Awarding Body / Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | First Prize - Graduate Research Day | Bennett Graduate Research Society, Ohio State University, USA |
| 1990 | First Prize - Graduate Research Day | Bennett Graduate Research Society, Ohio State University, USA |
| 1994 | First Prize - Resident’s & Fellows Research Day | Wake Forest University School of Medicine, USA |
| 1994 | Travel Award | American Society of Hypertension, USA |
| 1996 | New Investigator Award | American Heart Association, USA |
| 1998 | Elected Fellow | High Blood Pressure Research Council, AHA, USA |
| 1999 | Young Scholar Mentor Recognition | Young Memphis Scholars Program, University of Tennessee, USA |
| 2000 | Teacher of the Year Award | Southern College of Optometry, USA |
| 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 | Best Teacher Award (Multiple Years) | Kuwait University Medical Student Association, Kuwait |
| 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008 | Best Basic Medical Science Research Award | Health Sciences Centre Poster Conference, Kuwait University |
| 2006 | Elected Member | American Physiological Society, USA |
| 2012 | Best Undergraduate Basic Medical Science Research Award | Health Sciences Centre Poster Conference, Kuwait University |
Editorial Services
- Frontiers in Physiology - Review Editorial Board Member
- Frontiers in Pharmacology - Review Editorial Board Member
- Journal Referee (Hakemlik): Hypertension, Cardiovascular Research, Journal of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Journal of Drug Targeting, American Journal of Hypertension, British Journal of Pharmacology.
Professional Affiliations
- The American Society of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET)
- The American Society of Hypertension (ASH)
- European Society of Hypertension (ESH)
- High Blood Pressure Research Council, American Heart Association (AHA)
- American Physiological Society (APS)
- International Society of Hypertension (ISH)
Committee & Administrative Activities
USA & UK Activities
- Southern College of Optometry: Coordinator of Medical Pharmacology course & Examination Committee (1994 - 2000).
- Physiology Laboratory: Course Coordinator (1994 - 2000).
- University Committees: Member of University Research Committee, Awards Committee, and Faculty Affairs Committee.
- Training Programs: Organized workshops for training junior faculty in writing research manuscripts (1996 - 2000).
- Tennessee University: High school research mentoring (Young Memphis Scholars Program).
- Preventative Health: Appointed Director of Preventative Health at Memphis (1999 - 2000).
Kuwait University Activities
- Department Chairman: Chairman of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (2002 - 2009).
- Curriculum Development: Phase II Curriculum Review Group & Exam Committee Member (2006 - 2009).
- Accreditation: Chairman of the Faculty Academic Accreditation Committee (2011 - 2014).
- HSC Conference Chair: Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the 11th Health Sciences Poster Conference. Invited Nobel Laureate Sir Martin Evans (2005 - 2006).
- Toxicology Center Initative: Collaborated with Philadelphia Temple University to design and initiate the first clinical toxicology center framework in Kuwait (2009).
- Lab Directorship: Director of TDM/Toxicology Service Laboratory (2006 - 2009).
Teaching & Courses
Undergraduate Teaching
Final International University (Cyprus):
- Pharmacology I, II, III, Clinical Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacy, Toxicology.
Southern College of Optometry & UT (USA):
- Drug-Receptor Interactions, Pharmacodynamics I-IV, Pharmacokinetics I-V, Autonomic Nervous System I-VI, Cardiovascular System I-V, Endocrine Pharmacology I-IV, Chemotherapy I-VII, Neuropharmacology I-V.
Kuwait University (Kuwait):
- Introduction to Pharmacology, Pharmacokinetics I-VII, Pharmacogenomics, Polypeptides, Treatment of Hypertension, Cardiac Arrhythmias, Antimicrobials/Antibacterials, PBL Facilitator for core medicine modules.
Graduate Teaching
Kuwait University:
- Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Molecular Pharmacology (Course Coordinator), Molecular Medicine, Principles of Pharmacology I and II, Experimental Techniques (Course Coordinator).
Supervised M.Sc. / Ph.D. Theses
| Year | Student Name | Degree / Field | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Lamia Hoteit | M.Sc. in Physiology | Thesis Committee Member |
| 2005 | Nisreen G. Hares | M.Sc. in Pharmacology & Toxicology | Thesis Supervisor |
| 2006 | Fatma M. Al-Saleh | M.Sc. in Pharmacology & Toxicology | Thesis Supervisor |
| 2006 | Osama Rashid | M.Sc. in Biochemistry | Thesis Committee Member |
| 2008 | Mohammed Al-Mulla | M.Sc. in Physiology | Thesis Supervisor |
| 2008 | Batool Makki | M.Sc. in Pharmacology & Toxicology | Thesis Supervisor |
| 2010 | Najla Marafie | M.Sc. in Pharmacology & Toxicology | Thesis Supervisor |
| 2010 | Omama Al-Farisi | M.Sc. in Pharmacology & Toxicology | Thesis Co-supervisor |
| 2010 | Haifa’a J. Al-Otaibi | M.Sc. in Pharmacology & Toxicology | Thesis Supervisor |
| 2011 | Bashayer Baroon | M.Sc. in Pharmacology & Toxicology | Thesis Supervisor |
| 2012 | Amal Al-Sumairi | M.Sc. in Pharmacology | Thesis Supervisor |
| 2012 | Fatma Al-Rashidi | M.Sc. in Molecular Biology | Thesis Committee Member |
Research Areas & Scientific Projects
Core Discoveries & Established Laboratories
- Angiotensin-(1-7) Keşifleri (1993 - 2014): Dünyada Ang-(1-7)'nin tansiyon düşürücü etkilerini gösteren, bu hormonun kendine has Mas reseptörleri aracılığıyla damar genişlettiğini ve diyabete bağlı kardiyovasküler fonksiyon bozukluklarını tersine çevirdiğini ortaya koyan ilk çalışmalara imza atmıştır.
- Kuveyt Üniversitesi'nde Kurulan Laboratuvarlar: Kardiyovasküler Araştırma Laboratuvarı, Anabilim Dalı Ortak Laboratuvarı, Moleküler Çekirdek Laboratuvarı ve TDM/Toksikoloji Hizmet Laboratuvarı'nı kurmuştur.
- Araştırma İşbirlikleri: Prof. Debra Diz (Wake Forest, USA), Prof. Antony Galione (Oxford, UK), Prof. J. Russel Falck (UT Southwestern, USA), Prof. Kafait Malik (University of Tennessee, USA), Prof. Saghir Akhtar (Qatar University).
Funded Research Projects
| Project ID / Sponsor | Project Title | Budget | Role / Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| RM02/03 (Kuwait Univ.) | Microarray-based global gene expression profiling in hypertension. | $235,000 USD | Principal Investigator / Completed (Rated: Excellent) |
| GM01/01 (Kuwait Univ.) | Maintenance, upgrade, and running cost funding for existing shared lab facility. | $450,000 USD | Co-Investigator / Completed |
| MR 04/09 (Kuwait Univ.) | Signalling mechanisms contributing to Ang-(1-7) in diabetes-induced erectile dysfunction. | $230,000 USD | Co-Investigator / Completed |
| YM 15/07 (Kuwait Univ.) | Characterization of angiotensin-(1-7)-mediated cardioprotection in diabetes. | $145,000 USD | Principal Investigator / Completed (Rated: Excellent) |
| XK04/05 (KFAS) | Effects of acute Ras-GTPase mediated pathway inhibition in regional myocardial ischemia. | $125,000 USD | Co-investigator / Completed |
| YM 06/08 (Kuwait Univ.) | Understanding the role of EGF signaling in Ang-(1-7) cardioprotection in diabetes. | $20,000 USD | Co-Investigator / Completed (Rated: Excellent) |
| YM 15/07 (Kuwait Univ.) | Role of endogenous Angiotensin-(1-7) in preventing diabetes-induced cardiac dysfunction. | $20,000 USD | Principal Investigator / Completed (Rated: Excellent) |
| YM09/08 (Kuwait Univ.) | Role of EGF signaling in angiotensin-(1-7) mediated cardioprotection in diabetes. | $15,000 USD | Principal Investigator / Completed (Rated: Excellent) |
| MR03/00 (Kuwait Univ.) | Inhibitors of Ras GTPase/MAP kinase in deoxycorticosterone-salt-induced hypertension. | $15,000 USD | Co-Investigator / Completed (Rated: Excellent) |
| RM01/04 (Kuwait Univ.) | Effects of preconditioning on left ventricular gene expression in ischemic heart. | $22,000 USD | Co-Investigator / Completed (Rated: Excellent) |
| MR 03/06 (Kuwait Univ.) | Effect of soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibition in prevention of hypertension. | $22,000 USD | Co-Investigator / Completed (Rated: Excellent) |
| YM06/08 (Kuwait Univ.) | Does Ang-(1-7) prevent diabetes-induced vascular dysfunction via EGFR inhibition? | $20,000 USD | Co-Investigator / Completed |
| YM11/08 (Kuwait Univ.) | Impact of pregnancy on the pharmacokinetics of topiramate in rabbits. | $15,000 USD | Principal Investigator / Completed |
Postdoctoral Researchers Trained
- Dr. N. A. Karzoun: University of Tennessee, USA (1997 - 1999)
- Dr. Ahmed H. Abul: Kuwait University, Faculty of Medicine (2007 - 2009)
- Dr. Ahmed Al-Turki: Kuwait University, Faculty of Medicine (2009 - 2012)
Publications & Abstracts
Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Benter has published over 100 research articles in international peer-reviewed journals and over 90 abstracts in international conferences. Listed below are some of his landmark studies. The full bibliography is dynamic and accessible in the Publications section:
Cardiovascular actions of angiotensin-(1-7).
Benter IF, Diz DI, Ferrario CM. Peptides 1993; 14(4):679-84.
The first paper demonstrating the vasodilator properties of Angiotensin-(1-7) in vascular biology, sparking a global research line.
Antihypertensive actions of angiotensin-(1-7) in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
Benter IF, Ferrario CM, Morris M, Diz DI. American Journal of Physiology 1995; 269:H313-H319.
Landmark study proving the in vivo anti-hypertensive actions of Angiotensin-(1-7) in spontaneously hypertensive models.
Angiotensin-(1-7) prevents development of severe hypertension and end-organ damage in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
Benter IF, Yousif MH, Anim JT, Cojocel C, Diz DI. American Journal of Physiology Heart Circ Physiol. 2006; 290(2):H684-H691.
Demonstrated that chronic Ang-(1-7) administration prevents end-organ injury and limits the development of severe hypertension.
Angiotensin-(1-7) prevents diabetes-induced cardiovascular dysfunction.
Benter IF, Yousif MH, Cojocel C, Al-Maghrebi M, Diz DI. American Journal of Physiology Heart Circ Physiol. 2007; 292(1):H666-H672.
Pivotal study demonstrating that Ang-(1-7) counteracts and reverses diabetes-induced cardiovascular and vascular complications.
Targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR/ErbB) for the potential treatment of renal pathologies.
Tawengi M, Al-Dali Y, Benter IF, Akhtar S. Frontiers in Pharmacology 2024; 15:1394997.
A modern pharmacological review targeting the EGFR system for therapeutic intervention in kidney disorders.
Cardiac toxicity of PAMAM dendrimer drug delivery systems can be attenuated with the adjunct use of cardioprotective agents.
Biomolecules and Biomedicine 2025; 25(4):914-924. doi: 10.17305/bb.2024.10735.
Scientific study exploring how the cardiac toxicity of PAMAM dendrimer drug delivery systems can be mitigated using adjunct cardioprotective agents.
Angiotensin-(1-7) counteracts Angiotensin II-induced senescence in telomerase-immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells.
Marmara Medical Journal 2026; 39(1):50-57. doi: 10.5472/marumj.1873490.
Breakthrough research demonstrating that Angiotensin-(1-7) prevents and counteracts Angiotensin II-induced cellular senescence in human mesenchymal stem cells.