Sanem Cimen is the founder of The Kidney Transplant program in Dıskapı Research and Training Hospital, one of the biggest government hospitals in Turkey, Ankara. She also gives lectures in University of Health Sciences on Abdominal Procurement Surgery, Kidney Transplantation and Deceased Donation.

She finished her general surgery training in Turkey, and moved to North America to gain expertise on transplant surgeries on 2011. Between 2011 and 2012 she worked as a surgical fellow at The Cleveland Clinic. Afterwards, she spent 4 years at the Dalhousie University of Canada where she performed over 200 deceased donor kidney transplantations. During her time in Canada she also got accustomed to ethical issues around DBD, DCD and related legislation.

Since 2016 she is appointed as an Associate Professor of Surgery with interest in Transplant and ESRD clinical research. As a lifelong learner, she also is a master’s student studying on Distance Education and e-Learning, which will give her the chance to connect with doctors and patients located in outreach areas of Turkey.