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Sustainable Laboratories in the Middle East and
North Africa
Participant Biographies:
Sherif R. Zaki,
M.D., Ph.D. Since joining the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) in 1988, Dr. Zaki has held several leadership
positions in molecular and experimental pathology, including his
current position as is the chief of the Infectious Disease Pathology
Branch in the Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases in Atlanta,
Georgia. During his tenure at CDC, Dr. Zaki has successfully led
the effort to bring the pathology laboratory to the forefront of
the agency’s work in responding to public health threats posed
by various infectious disease agents.
Through the application of classic and evolving new technologies,
Dr. Zaki and his team have made significant contributions to advancing
the understanding of the pathogenesis and epidemiology of emerging
infectious diseases. In particular, their work has focused on West
Nile virus, Anthrax infections, severe acute respiratory syndrome
(SARS), avian influenza, and a variety of potential bioterrorism
threats. For his leadership, scientific contributions, and commitment
to CDC’s public health mission, Dr. Zaki has been widely recognized
and awarded, including receiving the U.S. Health and Human Services
Secretary’s Awards for Distinguished Service - the Department’s
highest honor - nine times.
Rajae El Aouad,
M.D., is director of Morocco’s National Institute
of Hygiene (NIH) and a member of the Hassan II Academy of Science
and Technology (AHIIST). Her previous appointment as chief of the
Immunology Virology Department at NIH allowed her to create and
develop several laboratory services: the National Reference Center
of Diagnostic and Follow-up of HIV; World Health Organization (WHO)
Reference Centers for Poliomyelitis and Enteroviruses; Measles,
Rubella, and Influenza: the Infectious Diseases Molecular Biology
Laboratory; the Histo-compatibility Laboratory; the Auto-immune
Diseases and Primary Immuno-Deficiencies Laboratories; and, more
recently, the P3 Facility for Avian Influenza.
Dr. Aouad has devoted a large part of her career to improving public
health laboratory services in Morocco by implementing a national
program of quality control for laboratories, organizing training
seminars and workshops for laboratory professionals, and creating
the Bureau of Laboratories to help handle this task. In 1997, she
was nominated as a WHO expert of public health laboratories in recognition
of this achievement. More recently, she has been granted principal
investigator and coordinator for two research projects on tuberculosis
as well as two research projects on HIV, both focused on the Moroccan
population. Dr. Aouad is a member of several national and international
scientific societies and has built a solid network of reputable
partners among world-class universities, public health institutions,
the private sector, and national and international non-governmental
organizations.
Maha Mohamed
Kamel Mahmoud, Ph.D, is the science advisor for the Ministry
of Higher Education at the Egyptian Embassy in Washington, D.C.,
where she works to promote Egyptian/U.S. scientific collaboration.
After receiving her undergraduate medical training, M.Sc., and Ph.D.
in medical biochemistry from Cairo University, Dr. Mahmoud continued
her training at the Max Planck Institute in Munich, Germany, and
Hahneman University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Now recognized as one of the pioneers of molecular biology research
in Egypt, Dr. Mahmoud has published over 40 scientific papers in
molecular biology and biochemistry with ten publications in molecular
cancer biology research. She has taught undergraduate and postgraduate
students at the Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo
University, for 25 years. From 2000 to 2003 Dr. Mahmoud worked with
the Egyptian National Science and Technology Information Network
to create programs for tele-medicine and enhance medical informatics.
She has also worked on tele-medicine projects during the two years
she spent at Southern Illinois University, School of Medicine in
Springfield, Illinois working on molecular biology research.
Rola
Nasrallah is the water quality coordinator at the Ministry
of Energy and Water in Beirut, Lebanon. After receiving her degree
from the American University of Beirut, Nasrallah went on to receive
her Master of Sciences in environmental sciences from the same university.
She has been trained in a variety of water management requirements
by the World Health Organization as well as the Lebanese Water Management
Program.
In addition to her role at the Ministry of Energy and Water, Nasrallah
is an instructor at the Arab Open University as well as a member
of the Social Science Research Network and Environmental Representative
of the Development of Beirut Southern Coastal Zone Organization.
Nasrallah has studied many different arenas of environmental management,
including differing perceptions of the environment by community
members, indoor air quality, and waste management.
Robert S. Senseney is the Senior Advisor for Science Partnerships in the Office of Science and Technology Cooperation in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Oceans, and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. He guides science diplomacy efforts with the Arab and Muslim world and is the lead negotiator for S&T Agreements with North Africa, establishing a suite of Agreements which work to build regional unity through science collaboration. In 1994, he established technical exchange arrangements between U.S. national laboratories and technical research institutes in Egypt and Morocco related to scientific research, and the peaceful uses of atomic energy. Mr. Senseney is also the U.S. Chair of the U.S.—Egypt Joint Board for Science and Technology.
Prior to joining the Department of State, Mr. Senseney served for 12 years in the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Office of International Programs, supporting technical information exchange and training programs between U.S. and foreign regulatory agencies.
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East and North Africa Symposium Page
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