English - Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar - Cornell University

QATAR CHRONICLESummer 2013Weill Cornell Medical College in QatarBreast cancer is one ofthe world’s biggest killersof women. WCMC-Q isdetermined to stop it

HIGHLIGHTSThe magazine of Weill CornellMedical College in QatarProduced and published by the Officeof Government & Public Affairs, WeillCornell Medical College in QatarDEANJavaid Sheikh, M.D.DIRECTOR OF Government& PUBLIC AFFAIRSNesreen M. Al-RifaiEDITORRichard HarrisSENIOR WRITERDr. Hilton KolbeWRITERJohn HaywardPHOTOGRAPHERJohn SamplesPRODUCTION MANAGERMohanad Khori20Graduation ceremony honors the Class of 2013

News • 3A 21stcenturysolution towatchingyour weightA new mobile phone app that helps users maintaina healthy diet and encourages them toexercise as well has been launched by WCMC-Q.The application, which is available on Androidand iOS devices and called Your Health First:Calorie Counter, was released as part of thecollege’s ongoing Sahtak Awalan: Your HealthFirst campaign.Users are able to easily and conveniently countthe number of calories they are consuming eachday and will be prompted to choose healthy,nutritious foods instead of those high in saturatedfats, sugar and salt. The vision is that userswill use the app to help them maintain a healthyweight and make appropriate lifestyle choices.The application is available in both Arabic andEnglish-language versions.The app deploys a system of traffic lightsto denote how healthy or unhealthy differentdietary choices are, drawing on a vast databaseof common foodstuffs. For example, if the userlogs a meal of a burger and fries, they will beawarded a red light. If they choose a healthysalad or a dessert of fruit, they will receive agreen light. Opting for too many unhealthy foodswill cause the app to suggest healthy alternativesfor the next meal. Even when eating withinthe recommended daily calorie intake, it will alsonotify a person as to whether they aren’t gettingenough of a specific fruit or vegetable.Dr. Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCMC-Q,welcomed the launch of the new app.“With this new application WCMC-Q isembracing the opportunities offered by mobilephone technologies to deliver our message abouthealthy lifestyles to an ever larger audience,”he said.“The Sahtak Awalan: Your Health Firstcampaign aims to encourage everyone in Qatarto adopt behaviors that will promote their longtermhealth, and diet is a key element of thecampaign’s message. By making it very easyfor people to monitor their diets, the app allowsusers to track exactly what they are eating andsee where they are eating too many of the wrongthings. Having access to this sort of informationcan give someone a real boost when they aretrying to improve their diet.“Ultimately, the app can help more peopleswitch to the healthy lifestyle necessary toenable people to contribute to the goal of movingtowards a knowledge-based economy, as laid outin the Qatar National Vision 2030.”A unique feature of the app is a completelynew database of typical Arabic foods, such asthureed or machboos, which until now havenever featured in popular dietary databases.Furthermore, anyone who downloads the appwill be able to use their phone to suggest otherArabic foods to add to the database, meaningthe app will become ever more comprehensiveover time.The app has been developed and poweredby the campaign’s exclusive communicationspartner, Vodafone Qatar, in conjunction withthe college.John Saad, chief marketing officer at VodafoneQatar, said: “We’re proud to have created anapplication with the Your Health First team. Ourfocus was to build something simple, intuitive,and easy to understand. Users can calculatetheir optimum calorie intake by just sharing afew details and their personal goal. Users willbe able to track their progress and even rely onit to tell them whether their choice in food ishealthy or not.“We’re committed to supporting WCMC-Q’svision to promote a healthier Qatar and toeducate people to make wiser decisions whenit comes to their choice of food.”

4 • NewsStudents celebratecompletion of thepre-medical programMohammed Haji receives his certificate from Dr. Marco AmeduriDalal Hussain, Sarah Kanbour, Razan Al Marri and Amina Bougaila.Family, friends, faculty and staff all gatheredtogether to celebrate the completion ceremonyof WCMC-Q’s pre-medical program.In all, 41 students completed the rigoroustwo-year program that has seen them studythe sciences, English and mathematics throughlectures, laboratory sessions and problem-basedlearning exercises.At an event on April 25, they were congratulatedby faculty members and receivedcertificates marking their achievement.Dr. Marco Ameduri, associate dean forpre-medical education, thanked the students’families for their continued support and spokeof the pleasure that is felt in the college at thestudents’ success.He said: “To the students I say that the facultyand I are very proud of your achievements andso are your families.”The keynote speech was given by Ian Miller,lecturer of English writing, whose eclecticspeech veered from despair in the forests ofOregon to The keynote speech was given by IanMiller, lecturer of English writing, whose eclecticspeech veered from despair in the forests ofOregon, to Star Wars, to mythologist JosephCampbell; the thread throughout being for thestudents to stay true to themselves and to say“yes” to life and the challenges they will face.Student speaker Moath Abdelrehim’s tonguein-cheekspeech drew laughs from his peers ashe detailed the hard work and long nights ofstudying that is expected from students on thepremedical program.But he added: “We’ve been given the gift of aworld-class education so it is our duty to serveour community and share our assets.”The successful students were:Moaz AbdelrehimJoud Abu OdehAli Al-JabriFatima Al-BaqaliKhalid AlbureshadSahar Al-KurbiMohammadshah GulMohammed HajiAhmed HammoudaDalal HussainLina IrshaidBilal JaradatAbdulaziz Al-MalkiRazan Al-MarriAlaa Al-NaamaIan Miller discusses Star WarsAhmad Al-ShahraniAbdulaziz Al-ThaniHaya Al-ThaniElizabeth BoctorAmina BougailaAnchalia ChandrakumaranSaly El HajjAya El JerbiAbdullah El ZafaranyAlaaeldin ElsayedSarah ElsoukkaryOmar FalahSarah KanbourAli KhairatAyesha KhalidOmar KhurshidHaidar KubbaAlaa KubbarAhmed MushannenHamzah OglatJosia SchloglFatima ShebanMohammed SheriffDiala SteitiehShruthi SureshKhalid Taha

News • 5Dr. Javaid Sheikh, Dr. Marco Ameduri and Dr. Rachid Bendriss with the successful foundation studentsDay of celebration forfoundation studentsThe goal of becoming a qualified physician moveda little closer for 16 students as they celebratedcompleting the university’s foundation program.The students were presented with certificatesin front of an audience of their parentsand faculty members in a ceremony held atWCMC-Q in May.The foundation program helps studentsimprove their English and provides a solidgrounding in the basic sciences, equippingthem with the skills and knowledge neededto successfully undertake the university’s premedicalprogram.Dr. Marco Ameduri, associate dean for premedicaleducation, addressed the audience tocongratulate the students.He said: “You all worked very hard whilewe put a lot of demands on you, so you reallydeserve to celebrate today. I want to thank youfor your commitment, your families for supportingyou and our wonderful faculty and teachingassistants for their hard work. We are honoredand proud to acknowledge the support of QatarFoundation under the visionary leadership of HerHighness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser.“In this course we have been dealing withthe very fundamental and basic facts of nature,but these concepts are not easy to understandor to grasp – you have done a wonderful job.”Dr. Ameduri and Dr. Kevin Smith, assistantdean for pre-medical education, then presentedthe completion certificates to the students.Student Aldana Shahbik said: “It’s a relief tohave completed the program, which has beenreally inspiring for me. We went through a lotto get here, but it has been worth it because Inow feel much more confident about taking onthe pre-medical program.”Foundation ProgramCompletion Student RollHanof AhmedLatifa Al-BadrDena Al-DabhaniFatima Al-MohannadiHamad AlmuhannadiSoud Al-MullaAisha Al-ShahwaniMohammed AlsubaieShaikha Al-ThaniMohammed El-DebsGawaher ElkhatibYasser JanahiReem MubarakMaryam OwnRamez RawhaniAldana Shahbik

6 • NewsGraduate pleads forenvironmental changeat COP18 meetingDr. Noor Al-KhoriAlumna Dr. Noor Al-Khori was featured in anenvironmental documentary shown at the COP18climate change conference as part of a plea tothe high profile audience.Dr. Al-Khori is a graduate of WCMC-Q Class of2010 and is currently doing a radiology residencyat NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.“The documentary was screened at theopening ceremony of COP18 in November andat the end of it I appeared on stage and delivereda few lines urging the audience to take action.Honestly, I was a bit nervous delivering my lines,”Dr. Al-Khori said.“I felt very honored to be given this opportunity,especially because the subject of climatechange has always been one I have deeply caredabout. Growing up, I have always felt stronglyabout issues like recycling, preserving naturalresources, and protection of endangered forestsand animals. Furthermore, as a physician andtherefore a humanitarian, I felt obligated tospread awareness about such a humanitariancause.“When I read the script, I felt that it was trueto me and how I felt about the issue. There is nodoubt that climate change represents the biggestchallenge we face as humanity, perhaps evenbigger than war and disease. The seriousnessof the matter really hit me when I witnessedfirst-hand the panic and chaos caused in NewYork by Hurricane Sandy. People’s homes weredestroyed. Access to clean water and electricitywas lost in many areas, and there were majorinterruptions in transportation.“Entire hospitals shut down, hospitalcomputer systems crashed, and patientssuffered enormous disruptions in care. I realizedhow important the issue of climate was, and howimportant it was to mitigate its consequences.Sandy may have not been directly caused byclimate change, but its effects were definitelyexacerbated by climate change.”Dr. Al-Khori was part of a group that presenteda film urging people to take climate changeseriously. The documentary included severalinspiring stories of people in different communitiesaround the world striving to protect theearth’s natural resources.The film also included examples of how Qatar,under the leadership of His Highness the EmirSheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani and HerHighness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser, is makinggreat strides in the direction of sustainabilityby establishing the Qatar Science & TechnologyPark and investing in solar energy research, forexample.“There is a small personal element to myrole in the film, where some parallels are drawnbetween the goals of medicine and those ofclimate change prevention,” Dr. Al-Khori said.“However, an important point from the filmwas that climate change is a universal issuethat affects all people of this earth, no matterwhat their age, country, socio-economic status,or profession. You don’t have to belong to anyparticular group to care about and to do somethingabout the issue. We all share one earth,and are responsible for the damage we do to it.Since harming the earth will inevitably lead toour own harm, it is imperative that all of us actbefore it’s too late.”Since the United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) cameinto force in 1994, the Conference of the Parties(COP) to the UNFCCC has been meeting annuallyto assess progress in dealing with climatechange. There are now 195 parties to the conventiontaking part in climate change negotiations.All parties to the UNFCCC were represented atthe Doha conference.

News • 7Recognizing excellence in educationWinners of the Excellencein Education Awards 2013Pre-Medical Program AwardsDr. Sheikh with some of the Excellence in Education winnersFaculty members at WCMC-Q have beenpresented with awards in recognition of theirdedication to students.Students voted for their favorite professorsand teaching assistants in the Excellence inEducation awards, which culminated in a presentationceremony at the university in April.The ceremony was presided over by Dr.Marcellina Mian, acting associate dean formedical education, and Dr. Marco Ameduri,associate dean for pre-medical education, whoannounced the award winners in each of the 15award categories.Dr. Ameduri told the audience: “This is aceremony at which all of us have the chanceto get together and celebrate the true teachingexcellence we have within our walls.“I don’t see the awards as just being a competition.Yes, it is based on the votes of studentsand there will be winners in each category, butthis is really a moment for us all to rejoice inthe quality of the teaching that we have here.“Thank you all for being so deeply committedto the success of our students and to the teachingmission of our college.”Dr. Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCMC-Q, thenpresented the awards.The foundation program award went to visitingassistant professor Dr. Renee Richer, while thewinners in two categories for best teaching inthe first-year pre-medical program were Dr.James Roach, visiting associate professor ofchemistry, and Dr. Daniel Renzi, visiting assistantprofessor for mathematics.Notable winners in the medical programsection included Dr. Naim Haddad, associateprofessor of clinical neurology, for his Brainand Mind teaching sessions, and Dr. ThurayyaArayssi, associate dean for graduate medicaleducation, for her Basis of Disease teachingmodule.Paying tribute to the faculty at WCMC-Q,Dr. Mian said: “All of our faculty are verycommitted to the success of our students. Theymake every effort to ensure that each of ourstudents reaches his or her maximum potential.“Because we have a high faculty to studentratio, our students are often able to receiveone-to-one teaching and individual programsto motivate them and push them forward.”Dr. Richer was delighted to win an award. “Itis such an honor to be recognized by the studentslike this,” she said.“The greatest pleasure for all of us as educatorsis when we see students both enjoy andreally grasp a subject. That is what makesteaching worthwhile.”• Foundation Program: Dr. Renee Richer• 1st Year Pre-Medical Program:Dr. Daniel Renzi• 1st Year Pre-Medical Program:Dr. James Roach• English Writing Pre-Medical Program:Mr. Ian Miller• 2nd Year Pre-Medical Program:Dr. Moncef Ladjimi• 2nd Year Pre-Medical Program:Dr. Kevin Smith• Teaching Assistant: Mr. Timothy BeckerMedical Program Awards• Molecules, Genes and Cells:Dr. Khaled Machaca• Human Structure and Function:Dr. Rachel Koshi• Host Defenses: Dr. Ali Sultan• Brain and Mind: Dr. Naim Haddad• Basis of Disease: Dr. Thurayya Arayssi• Basis of Disease: Dr. Gerardo Guiter• Medicine, Patients and Society I:Dr. Ziyad Mahfoud• Medicine, Patients and Society II: Dr.Naim Haddad• Clinical Clerkship: Dr. Badreldeen Ahmed• Clinical Clerkship: Dr. Hassen Al Amin• Clinical Clerkship: Dr. Thurayya Arayssi• Clinical Clerkship: Dr. Bakr Nour• 1st Year Visiting Faculty: Dr. EstomihMtui• 2nd Year Visiting Faculty: Dr. Robert Kim• 2nd Year Visiting Faculty: Dr. EstomihMtui

8 • FeatureShishaposessevere riskto publichealthThe global shisha fad has the potential to causea public health catastrophe, warns Dr. ZiyadMahfoud, WCMC-Q’s associate professor ofpublic health.The myth that shisha is a safe alternativeto cigarettes has led to more people pickingup the habit and putting themselves at risk ofdeveloping a range of serious diseases, saidDr. Mahfoud in an address given as part of theuniversity’s Medicine and U public lecture series.Dr. Mahfoud said: “Shisha smoking hasbecome extremely popular in the last 20 yearsor so since the introduction of new forms offlavored tobacco, and it is being smoked by amuch wider range of people.“Previously, shisha was smoked only by theolder generation and only traditional tobaccowas available. Now you can get flavors likeapple, pineapple and chocolate, and there hasbeen a lot of misleading advertising falselyclaiming that shisha is not dangerous to health.Some advertisements even claim shisha is goodfor you, which is completely untrue.”Dr. Mahfoud explained that shisha is consideredmore socially acceptable for women thancigarettes, especially in the Middle East and Gulfregion, and that shisha is cheaper than cigarettesin many places.He added: “These factors have radicallybroadened the appeal of smoking shisha, makingit attractive to young people and to both menand women.“This is dangerous because shisha smokersput themselves at risk of developing seriousillnesses like lung cancer, periodontal disease,respiratory illness and heart disease.”A large part of the problem is the misconceptionthat shisha smoke is milder and lessdangerous to health than cigarette smoke,explained Dr. Mahfoud.He said: “Many people think that because thetobacco smells and tastes fruity, it is somehowless harmful than normal tobacco, which has a

Feature • 9Dr. Ziyad Mahfoudbitter taste. This is completely wrong - shishatobacco contains at least as many toxins andcarcinogens as traditional tobacco.”There is also a widespread belief that thewater in the pipe filters the harmful toxins outof the smoke. This is also false.“Research has found that the water in thepipe does not actually filter out the toxins,” saidDr. Mahfoud.Moreover, shisha pipes tend to produce moresmoke than cigarettes, exposing shisha smokersto higher levels of dangerous toxins. In addition,the charcoal used to burn the tobacco in shishapipes produces very high levels of harmful carbonmonoxide, which is inhaled by the smoker.“Because of the charcoal, shisha smokerscan be exposed to 20 to 30 times more carbonmonoxide than cigarette smokers,” added Dr.Mahfoud.Another problem is the aluminum foil onwhich the charcoal is burned. The foil releasespoisonous heavy metals, which are inhaled bythe smoker.The cooling effect of the pipe is misleading,said Dr. Mahfoud. “People think that the smokeis less harmful because it is cooled by the water,but this is not true. The smoke still containstoxins, and it is the toxins that are harmful, notthe heat.“Shisha smokers need to know that the mythssurrounding shisha are untrue, and to be awarethat they are putting themselves at greater riskof developing serious, even fatal, diseases.“People must also be aware that women whosmoke while pregnant risk their babies beingborn with low birth weights.”Dr. Mahfoud believes the enthusiasm forshisha smoking is a global phenomenon and thatit will cause a public health crisis in the next 10to 20 years, unless action is taken soon.He said: “While shisha smoking is usuallyassociated with the Middle East and NorthAfrica, it is also very popular in the United Statesand Canada, the UK, right across Europe, and inIndia and parts of Asia.“Although there have been no long-termstudies on the effects of shisha smoking becauseof its relatively recent surge in popularity, we caninfer that its long-term effects will be similar tothose of cigarette smoking.“For this reason, shisha smoking shouldbe subject to the same legal restrictions ascigarettes are, and governments have an obligationto warn the public about the dangers ofshisha smoking. If action is not taken, I believewe will see a significant rise in the number ofsmoking-related illnesses and deaths all over theworld, which will put a great deal of pressure onboth national and private healthcare providers.“If we are not prepared for this, we willstruggle to cope. But the best option would beto prevent these illnesses occurring in the firstplace.”Dr. Mahfoud advocates public healthcampaigns that dispel the myths surroundingshisha and replace them with facts about thereal health risks it poses. He says tobaccocontrol laws must be widened to include shishaand enforced more rigorously. And he believeshealthcare providers should offer smokingcessation services tailored specifically to shishasmokers.He said: “We should not wait until this crisisis upon us, we should act now to prevent peoplefrom getting ill in the future.”By John Hayward

10 • FeatureResearchers tacklescourge of breast cancerThe goal of WCMC-Q’s biomedical researchprogram is to focus on the most pressingmedical needs of the region. These includediabetes, metabolic syndrome and cancer.For women, breast cancer is the big killerbut a study conducted earlier in the year byHamad Medical Corporation, University ofCalgary - Qatar, and Primary Health Care,found that less than a third of Arab womenliving in Qatar participated in screening forthe disease.At WCMC-Q, two separate researchteams are working to improve our understandingof the disease and the methodswith which it can be treated.Breast cancer ranks among the most perniciousdiseases affecting women, with one in eight atrisk by the age of 70.The World Health Organization (WHO) ratesbreast cancer as the most common cancer inwomen worldwide and the main cause of deathfrom cancer among women globally. Despite thehigh incidence rates in Western countries, 89percent of women diagnosed with breast cancerare still alive five years after their diagnosis. Thisis due to early detection and treatment.Research figures from the National CancerInstitute in the U.S. estimated that in early 2013there were already 232,340 women and 2,240men who presented with new cases of breastcancer in the country and a staggering 39,620women and 410 men had already died this yearfrom breast cancer.Breast cancer is defined as cancer that formsin tissues of the breast, usually the ducts (tubesthat carry milk to the nipple) and lobules (glandsthat make milk). It occurs in both men andwomen, although male breast cancer is rare.It comes then as no surprise that researchers,laboratories and health academics around theglobe have turned the focus of attention on thisproblem by seeking to provide improved treatment,greater knowledge, better diagnosticsand, dare to even suggest; a solution to thedisease. At WCMC-Q the Tabrizi stem cell andGhiabi is studying tumor microenvironment effect on breast cancer progression, stemness and metastasis

Feature • 11The incidence of breast cancer is increasing in the developing world due to increased urbanization and adoption of Western lifestylesmicroenvironment laboratory under the leadershipand direction of Dr. Jeremie Arash Tabrizi,associate professor of genetic medicine, isundertaking impressive breast cancer research.Pegah Ghiabi is a researcher on the team anda PhD student whose work focuses on breastcancer and its microenvironment. “The focus ofmy work is on studying tumor microenvironmenteffect on breast cancer progression, stemnessand metastasis,” Ghiabi said.Her work has already attracted high-levelacademic interest. At a recent award ceremonyhosted by Qatar Foundation at Qatar NationalConvention Centre - the venue for QatarInternational Conference on Stem Cell Scienceand Policy - she was recognized for excellence instem cell research, with the research exhibitedthrough poster presentations during the conference.Ghiabi actually received an award for herpresentation which focused on research intotherapy to inhibit the cancer stem cell populationthat was aimed at preventing the recurrence ofbreast cancer.The World Health Organization warns that theincidence of breast cancer is increasing in thedeveloping world due to increased life expectancy,increased urbanization and adoption ofWestern lifestyles. Although some risk reductionmight be achieved with prevention, these strategiescannot eliminate the majority of breastcancers that develop in low and middle-incomecountries where breast cancer is diagnosed invery late stages. Therefore, early detection inorder to improve breast cancer outcome andsurvival remains the cornerstone of breastcancer control.“One of the components of the tumor microenvironmentthat I am interested in is theendothelial cells,” Ghiabi said. These cells arethe building blocks of blood vessels; however,recently scientists have shown that in additionto acting as conduits for oxygen and nutrients,they are responsible for regulating tumor growthby secreting several growth factors.“In order to study how endothelial cells affectbreast cancer progression, I have designedseveral co-culture experiments by mixingbreast cancer and endothelial cells together inthe laboratory. After several days of co-cultivation,breast cancer cells were separated fromendothelial cells by flow cytometry and theirfunctional properties were assessed.“Interestingly, endothelial cells were capableof enhancing breast cancer cell growth, invasiveness,and metastatic properties. Mostimportantly, endothelial cells enhanced thecancer stem cell population of breast cancercells. This is noteworthy because breast cancerstem cells, like any other cancer stem cells, areresponsible for cancer re-initiation after therapy.“If we can eliminate this small population byblocking their interaction with endothelial cells,

12 • FeatureEndothelial cells (green) penetrating among breastcancer cells (gray) in a co-culture settingConfocal image showing close interactionbetween breast cancer stem cells (red) andendothelial cells (green) in vitrowe are capable of coming up with more effectivetherapy approaches to combat cancer.”Ghiabi said another aspect of her work focuseson how breast cancer cells induce endothelialcells to undergo phenotypic changes that makethem more potent in supporting tumor progression.“My initial observations support ourhypothesis on the involvement of breast cancercells in deriving endothelial cells into fibroblaststhat can actually help cancer cells grow better.”Ghiabi’s work on the reciprocal interactionbetween endothelial and breast cancer cells isbeing conducted in the stem cell and microenvironmentlaboratory at WCMC-Q and at ParisXI University, France, and will be published inthe near future.Dr. Tabrizi says Ghiabi’s work perfectly integratesin the scope of the laboratory. “Indeed,despite tremendous progress in cancer therapiesthe mortality still remains high. Recently,many groups have illustrated the role of the host(microenvironment) in nurturing tumor cells. TheTabrizi laboratory focuses on the interactionbetween cancer cells and normal cells of thebody. Ghiabi’s work conforms to similar findingswe have in ovarian cancer and helps in definingnew therapeutic strategies that will disrupt thecross-talk between cancer and normal cells.“Focusing on breast and ovarian cancer isquite logical as these are the most frequentand the most deadly cancers affecting women.When we consider the role of women in oursocieties (often being the core of the family) acancer is not only tragic for the patient but alsodevastating at the family level.“We are therefore trying to have a group ofsolid scientists that unite their effort to find newsolutions today and maybe the cure one day tothis terrible disease,” said Dr. Tabrizi.By Hilton KolbeThe abstractThe work determines a role for tumor microenvironment(niche) in cancer progression thathas been recently indicated. Several componentsreside in the niche that is partly responsible forthe survival advantages acquired by tumorcells. Among them, endothelial cells - thebuilding blocks of tumor vasculature - have beenshown to have additional benefits than merelya conduit for supplying oxygen and nutrients.The research intends to show the critical role ofthe Akt-activated endothelial cells (E4ORF1) onbreast cancer development, survival and invasiveness.Breast cancer cell (BCC) and cancerstem cell (BCSC) proliferation was measured byco-cultivating E4ORF1 with BCCs under adherentand non-adherent conditions.Furthermore, BCSC enrichment by E4ORF1was evaluated by analyzing the CD44+/CD24Low/- population of BCCs by FACS and byassessing the expression of pluripotency markersusing RT-PCR. BCSCs resistance to drugs wasinvestigated by addition of metformin drug inthe presence/absence of E4ORF1.The involvement of E4ORF1 in BCC metastasiswas shown by scratch and adhesion assayswith/out E4ORF1 cells.The results demonstrated that E4ORF1 wascapable of conferring survival advantages totumor cells including a 5-fold increase in theself-renewal capacity of BCCs and BCSCs;4-fold increase in CD44+/CD24Low/- population;up-regulation of pluripotency markers; a2.5-fold increase in survival rate of BCSCs; andenhanced invasion/adhesion property of BCCs.The data suggest a major role for E4ORFlin BC progression, stemness, resistance andmetastasis. This characteristic of E4ORF1 cellscan be exploited in developing novel therapyapproaches to combat BC more effectively.

News • 13Qatari interns join research programAmna Al-Thani and Dr. Najla Al-HajFive new Qatari interns were welcomed on tothe Biomedical Research Training Program forNationals.The six-month research training program is aunique opportunity for Qatari college graduateswith an interest in biomedical research to gainhands on experience in world-class researchlaboratories at WCMC-Q. The aim is to help buildthe sustainable scientific human capital in thecountry in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.Dr. Khaled Machaca, associate dean forresearch at WCMC-Q, said the program demonstratesthe commitment that the college hasto developing human capacity and researchopportunities in Qatar.Dr. Machaca said: “The Biomedical ResearchTraining Program for Nationals is now in its thirdyear and we have seen some exceptional youngQatari graduates come through our doors, someof whom are still working with us in the researchdivision.“Part of the mission of Weill Cornell MedicalCollege in Qatar is to conduct research at thecutting edge of knowledge and to train the nextgeneration of Qatari researchers.”One of those graduates is Najla Al-Haj, whomajored in psychiatry and is now working withWCMC-Q’s Dr. Hassen Al-Amin, associateprofessor of psychiatry and a consultant atHamad Medical Corporation.Another of the new interns is Amna Al-Thani,who graduated in biomedical science from QatarUniversity. She is now working in the laboratoryof Dr. Moncef Ladjimi, professor of biochemistryat WCMC-Q, and is studying proteins associatedwith Parkinson’s disease.Amna said: “I saw the advert for theBiomedical Research Training Program and I wasinterested in joining WCMC-Q as it’s a leader inthe science field and it would mean that I wouldgain more laboratory experience.”Another intern, Fatima Fakhroo, graduatedfrom Qatar University with a degree in statistics.She said the chance to work at WCMC-Q wassomething “she could not miss”.“It’s an opportunity for me to start work andit’s an opportunity for me to combine what I’velearned in my degree with what I’m interestedin, which is biomedical science,” Fatima added.She is now working with Dr. Karsten Suhreand his team on the best statistical methods toapply to metabolomics data.Although the program is aimed at recent graduateswho are interested in pursuing a careeras a bench scientist, clinician or biomedicalresearcher, graduates are also accepted whohave non-science degrees that can be used inthe field of research administration.By Richard Harris

14 • FeatureA genetic battle against tumorsDr. Shan and Dr. Chouchane focused their research on a gene known as TNRC9A study conducted by researchers at WCMC-Qhas identified a previously unknown geneticpathway that determines the aggressivenessof breast cancer tumors.The study, authored by Dr. Lotfi Chouchane,professor of genetic medicine and immunologyand assistant dean for basic sciences atWCMC-Q, and Dr. Jingxuan Shan, a postdoctoralresearch associate, could lead to the developmentof new treatments to combat the disease.Dr. Chouchane and Dr. Shan focused theirresearch on a gene known as TNRC9 and theway in which it interacts with another gene,labeled BRCA1. While both genes have longbeen known to be involved in the developmentof breast cancer, their precise functions and theways in which they interact with each other tocause the disease were not understood. Throughanalysis of data from breast cancer patients andexperiments on mice and tumor tissue, the studywas able to identify a relationship between thetwo genes that gives rise to the proliferation ofmalignant tumor cells.The study, entitled ‘TNRC9 downregulatesBRCA1 expression and promotes breast canceraggressiveness’ has now been published in thepeer-reviewed Cancer Research, the journal ofthe American Association for Cancer Research.Dr. Chouchane explained the findings of thestudy.“Both genes have a well-established link withbreast cancer,” he said.“It is known that mutations of BRCA1 causesthe disease and people with the TNRC9 geneare known to be susceptible to breast cancer.While we are quite familiar with BRCA1, the roleof TNRC9 is less well understood. The questionwe asked when we began the study was ‘whatis the role of TNRC9 in breast cancer?’“Through our study of TNRC9 we discoveredthat the two genes have a direct relationship andwe were able to show this with our experiments.”In order to understand how TNRC9 leads tobreast cancer, it is first necessary to know therole of the BRCA1 gene, said Dr. Chouchane.“BRCA1 plays a role in suppressing tumorswithin cells. In fact, we consider BRCA1 to bethe ‘guardian’ of other tumor-suppressing genes.

Feature • 15So, dysfunction or reduced expression of BRCA1means that tumor-suppressing functions areinhibited, which causes tumors to grow.”The study found that the TNRC9 gene is oftenamplified and overexpressed in breast cancerpatients, particularly in advanced cases of thedisease.Dr. Chouchane said: “Where TNRC9 is overexpressed,we find that BRCA1 expression isdiminished. The experiments that we carried outand the datasets we analyzed suggest that theexpression of TNRC9 and BRCA1 are inverselycorrelated.”The findings led Dr. Chouchane and Dr. Shanto surmise that a high level of TNRC9 expressioncauses low expression or ‘downregulation’ ofBRCA1, leading to breast cancer.In order to determine if this was the case, theresearchers carried out in vitro tests on tumortissue in the laboratories at WCMC-Q. They alsoperformed in vivo tests on mice injected withhuman breast cancer cells.In one group, the mice were injected withboth breast cancer cells and so-called TNRC9‘knock-down’ genes, which prevent TNRC9from functioning. In a second group, the micereceived no TNRC9 knock-down genes. Theresults showed that the mice in the groupwith inhibited TNRC9 function did not developtumors, while the mice in the control group did.Dr. Chouchane said: “We assessed thebehavior of the tumor cells in both groups ofmice and we found that the average tumor sizewas considerably smaller in mice injected withthe TNRC9 knock-down cells. In fact, the micein this group had barely palpable tumor cells.”The study also analyzed data from a groupof breast cancer patients in Tunisia and found astrong relationship between mortality and highTNRC9 levels.Dr. Chouchane added: “We concluded thatthere is a very clear correlation between thelevel of TNRC9 expression and the aggressivenessof tumor cells.“This opens up new avenues because itpresents a very attractive target for cancertreatment research. There is potential forfuture research to find molecules that disruptthe function of TNRC9, which could reduce theaggressiveness of tumors.“The findings have unveiled new pathwaysinvolved in cancer pathologies, which could leadto the development of new therapeutic targets.”By John HaywardThe research showed there appears to be a correlation between TNRC9 expression and the aggressiveness of tumor cells

16 • NewsStudents and workers learn togetherThe program has brought benefits to both students and workersIn their spare time, students have shifted theirfocus of attention to improving the lives ofcampus assistants and cleaners by providingcomputer training and basic English languagetuition classes as part of the Reach out to Asia(ROTA) program.The turnout has been impressive with largenumbers of workers turning up for the free tuition,which has been overseen by the college’s associateprofessor of English, Dr. Rodney Sharkey.“We have been a bit overwhelmed by theresponse,” Dr. Sharkey said. “But we havemanaged to accommodate all the people whowere interested in learning IT and improvingtheir English skills. Next semester we are hopingto make even more places available for thoseinterested and we will also be starting classesfor the cleaners who work in the Student Center.“For many of these migrant workers, it is amajor battle to improve their English skills. Theyare keen to learn because it is a great asset intheir daily lives,” he added.The group of IT and English students gatheredon campus in May for the end-of-programcelebrations where lunch was served andcertificates of completion awarded. Prizes werealso awarded for enthusiasm and outstandingperformance in the program. Participants votedfor Inesh Kumar, from Sri Lanka, who works asa cleaner in the WCMC-Q storeroom. Inesh wonthe main prize for putting in the most effort andhe was delighted with his new iPad.Pre-medical student Aisha Khalid is presidentof the WCMC-Q ROTA Teaching Club and shehanded out the certificates and prizes.“This has been such a wonderful opportunityfor all of us as students to do somethingmeaningful and helpful for others,” Aisha said.“Together with my fellow students, we wereall very happy to be involved in this program. Itmeans so much to the workers and it will increasenot only their work skills and job opportunitiesbut it will also contribute to the improvementof their lives.”Gita Bhandari, a cleaner at WCMC-Q, who leftNepal for a better life in Qatar more than twoyears ago but with a limited grasp of Englishlanguage skills, said she was very happy thatshe could benefit from the program and improveher English. “It is very important to be able tospeak English properly. It makes my life easierand I can now express myself a lot better,” shesaid. Gita was awarded a certificate of completionand hopes to continue with the programnext semester.Gary Rabang, from the Philippines, whohas been working as an office assistant atWCMC-Q for nearly two years, completed acourse in Photoshop and is now looking forwardto attempting the advanced course next year.“This was such a good idea. It gives us an extraskill and it is all for free,” he said.Dr. Sharkey said the programs benefited boththe students, who learned new communicationskillsthrough their interaction with the workers,and the workers, who improved their life skillsand English language proficiency by working withand learning from the students.“There are winners on both sides,” he said,“and we are all very happy that our ROTA programhas had such great impact so far. We are lookingto build on this success by offering the programsto more people who may be interested in selfimprovementand there are also plans to includea few more subjects.“Thanks also go to Thomas Rooney in Facilitiesfor helping us set up the running of the program.”

18 • NewsStudents’ workimmortalized in printPre-medical student Angela Dandan reads from her contribution tothe bookA diverse collection of artworks created bystudents was released with the publication ofthe third edition of Between Seminar Rooms.The compendium is released each spring andcomprises poetry, short stories, autobiographicalliterature, photographs, paintings and drawings,among other works.The book was launched on April 1 at an eventheld in the college’s student lounge, whichfeatured musical performances by students andreadings by contributors.Second-year pre-medical student AyeshaKhalid began with a reading of her piece TheOther Home, which was followed by excerptsfrom works penned by fourth-year medicalstudent Moath Hamed, third-year medicalstudent Navid Iqbal and third-year medicalstudent Afaf Osman, among others. All of thereadings were received with wild applauseDr. Adam Larsonfrom the audience and words of encouragementfrom event coordinator Dr. Adam Larson, visitinglecturer in English as a second language.Dr. Larson explained the ethos of BetweenSeminar Rooms.“The book is a place where we can showcasethe talents of our students beyond theclassroom,” he said. “We appreciate that ourstudents enjoy expressing themselves in a verywide variety of ways, so we accept submissionsof nearly anything, from stories, comic strips andpoems to photographs and even recipes.“There are some excellent pieces of work inthis book and there is a great sense of humorrunning all the way through it.”Dr. Larson paid tribute to the sponsors ofBetween Seminar Rooms - Dr. Marco Ameduri,associate dean for pre-medical education, andAhmad Sami and Ameen Al-Aghil were two of the students thatparticipatedhis department - for their continued support forthe book.Students were also keen to register theirappreciation. Moath Hamed, who contributeda literary piece entitled Rapid Eye Movement,said: “This is the third time I have contributedto Between Seminar Rooms - I really enjoy theprocess of writing and the opportunity to bepublished. I enjoy writing for its own sake but Ithink it is also a useful exercise for developingthe ability to communicate effectively, which ishelpful because in the future I will need to givepatients a narrative about their condition andtheir treatment that they can understand andengage with.”Copies of Between Seminar Rooms are availablefree from WCMC-Q’s Writing Center.By John Hayward

News • 19Qatari students embraceliterary classicsIan Miller and Dr. Bendriss with the foundation studentsThe three best book reviews written by foundationstudents were announced at the culminationof WCMC-Q’s foundation extensive readingprogram.Participating students, all of whom wereQatari nationals, gathered in the university’sDeLib Reading Room to see Shaikha Al Thani,Hamad Al Muhannadi and Hanof Ahmedawarded certificates in recognition of the qualityof their reviews.Dr. Rachid Bendriss, visiting lecturer of Englishas a second language, introduced the winnersand explained the purpose of the program.He said: “The quality of the book reviews hasbeen very impressive and it was extremely difficultto choose the top three, so Shaikha, Hamadand Hanof truly deserve our congratulations. Theaim of the program is not only to help foundationstudents improve their English language skillsbut also to encourage them to develop a lovefor literature and reading.“From the insights you have given in yourreviews it is clear that many of you have donejust that.”Shaikha, who reviewed As I Lay Dyingby Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning authorWilliam Faulkner, said: “At the beginning Ifound Faulkner’s writing style difficult and thestory hard to follow because it jumps betweencharacters and scenes a great deal. But once Iacclimatized to his style I loved the book andfound it had incredible depth and subtlety.”Hamad reviewed J.D. Salinger’s A Catcher inthe Rye. He said: “The book really makes youidentify with Holden Caulfield and I just couldn’tput it down. I’m really encouraged to read moreand I notice in class that my English skills haveimproved dramatically.”In Fall 2012, Dr. Bendriss launched the foundationextensive reading program. Foundationstudents chose three books to read and gavetheir thoughts on them to their peers in classpresentations, weekly reading circles and bycontributing to writingmajlis.com, an online blog.The final stage of the course saw students writereviews of their third book for publication on theofficial WCMC-Q Distributed eLibrary website.Dr. Bendriss explained the approach.“Studies have proven that extensive reading isone of the most effective methods of languageacquisition,” he said.“Students see marked improvements in theirvocabulary, grammar and the way they structuresentences, and the ideas they put forwardbecome more sophisticated. These are clearlyskills that will help them to study the complexmaterial of the pre-medical and medical coursesmore effectively.”Reviews written by students for the readingprogram can be viewed via http://qatar-weill.cornell.edu/elibrary/

20 • NewsGlittering ceremony welcomesnew doctors to medicineThe Class of 2013 with Dr. Sheikh, Dr. Glimcher and Dr. Antonio GottoThirty-five of the world’s newest doctorsreceived their M.D. degrees in a ceremony heldat Qatar National Convention Centre.The students of the Class of 2013 took to thestage to receive their U.S. accredited medicaldegrees in front of an audience of proud familymembers, friends and WCMC-Q faculty who hadcome to cheer them on.Dr. Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCMC-Q, was inattendance to read the Hippocratic Oath and paytribute to the achievements of the university’slargest ever graduating class.Dr. Sheikh said: “It gives all of us at WeillCornell Medical College in Qatar great pleasureto be here to formally acknowledge our graduatesas doctors for the first time.“The members of the Class of 2013 haveearned the right to enter the medical professionthrough their great commitment to their studies,their compassion for people in need of care andtheir unfailing intellectual curiosity.“These talented young physicians will nowgo on to take their places in the internationalmedical community, contributing the skills andknowledge they have learned here in Qatar tothe goal of improving human lives in this regionand across the globe.“We have no doubt that they will be wonderfulambassadors for Qatar and for WCMC-Q,contributing to the growing international reputationthat both have for pursuing excellence inhigher education.”The event heard an address from studentspeaker and graduate of the Class of 2013, Dr.Zaid Tafesh.Dr. Tafesh said: “A physician is someone whostrives to master the art of medicine, and thus aphysician must be someone that values a humanlife on all levels. So to my classmates and dearfriends, always maintain your dedication, reliabilityand companionship that define you sowell.“For it is these very qualities that will allowyou to value the life of your patients and to practicemedicine as the great physicians you are alldestined to be.”Including the 35 new graduates, WCMC-Qhas now produced a total of 147 doctors sincethe university was inaugurated in 2002. Thisyear’s graduating class comprises 15 men and20 women, representing 19 different countries.Graduates of WCMC-Q receive their qualificationfrom Cornell University, the first and onlyU.S institution to offer its M.D. degree overseas.Also in attendance was Dr. Laurie Glimcher,dean of Weill Cornell Medical College in NewYork.Dr. Glimcher said: “I am delighted to havethe opportunity to witness the Class of 2013

News • 21Dr. Javaid SheikhDr. Laurie Glimcherreceiving their medical degrees and to offer themmy warmest congratulations.“The success of the Class of 2013 is testamentnot only to their own hard work anddedication, but also to the ongoing progress ofWeill Cornell Medical College in Qatar and itsgoal of advancing excellence in medical practicethroughout the Middle East.“We look forward to building on this successin collaboration with our partners here in Qatar.”Dr. David Skorton, president of CornellUniversity, addressed the audience via arecorded video message.He said: “It is my great pleasure to celebratethe commencement of the Weill Cornell MedicalCollege in Qatar Class of 2013. Members of thisgraduating class have worked with great commitmenttoward their medical degrees, and alongwith successful completion they have earned ourwarm congratulations and good wishes.“At this important moment in the life of themedical school, we gratefully acknowledge theleadership and support of His Highness SheikhHamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar andHer Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairof Qatar Foundation. They have been visionaryin their aspirations for their people, and mostgenerous in their commitment to this medicalcollege.”Top students scoop awards atConvocation 2013The most talented graduating students ofWCMC-Q’s Class of 2013 were handed awardsrecognizing their academic achievements atthe university’s Senior Honors Convocationceremony.The event was attended by Dr. Laurie Glimcherand Dr. Antonio Gotto, co-chair of the WCMC-QJoint Advisory Board.Awards were also presented to facultymembers, including the Senior List award, whichhonored eight WCMC-Q and two WCMC-NYfaculty members for their commitment to excellencein teaching.Senior Honors Convocation Class of2013: Awards Winners in FullStudent Awards- Pre-Clinical Courses• Excellence in the Molecules, Genesand Cells Course: Khawla Ali• Excellence in the Human Structureand Function Course: Khawla Ali• Excellence in the Host DefensesCourse: Ladan Davallow Ghajar• Excellence in the Medicine, Patientsand Society I Course: LadanDavallow Ghajar• Excellence in the Brain and MindCourse: Khawla Ali• Excellence in the Basis of DiseaseCourse: Co-awarded to LadanDavallow Ghajar and Khawla Ali• Excellence in the Medicine, Patientsand Society II Course: Khawla Ali• Excellence in the Pre-ClinicalCurriculum: Khawla AliStudent Awards – Clinical Courses• Excellence in Internal Medicine:Co-awarded to Sadeer Al Kindi andFadwa Ali

22 • NewsKhawla Ali takes the Hippocratic OathHaya Ahram listens intently• Excellence in the Medicine, Patientsand Society III Course: Rana Emam• Excellence in Neurology: SetarehSalehi Omran• Excellence in Obstetrics andGynecology: Sundus Mari• Excellence in Pediatrics: LadanDavallow Ghajar• Excellence in Primary Care:Co-awarded to Ladan DavallowGhajar and Iqbal El Assaad• Excellence in Psychiatry: LadanDavallow Ghajar• Excellence in Public Health:Co-awarded to Abdullah FirozeAhmed and Sundus Mari• Excellence in Surgery:Tarrek HegabSadeer Al Kindi and Zaid Tafesh check their appearancesStudent Awards – Senior Awards• Leadership in Medicine Award:Ladan Davallow Ghajar• Biomedical Research Award:Co-awarded to Sadeer Al-Kindi andFadwa Ali• Outstanding Community ServiceAward: Co-awarded to AbdullahFiroze Ahmed and Jowhara Al-Qahtani• The Good Physician Award: ZaidTafesh• Student Leadership Award: RanaEmam• Oustanding Public Health andCommunity Medicine ResearchAward: Ladan Davallow Ghajar• Global and Public Health Award ofMerit: Maryam AyazFaculty and House Officer Awards• House Staff Teaching Award: Dr.Mohammed Yousif, Department ofSurgery, Hamad MedicalCorporation• The Senior List: WCMC-Q Faculty:Dr. Hassen Al Amin, Dr. ThurayyaArayssi, Dr. Gerardo Guiter, Dr.Wanis Hamad Ibrahim, Dr. BakrNour, Dr. Pablo Rodriguez del Pozo,Dr. Dora Stadler, Dr. Basim Uthman.WCMC-NY Faculty: Dr. Mark Pecker,Dr. Joseph Safdieh• Humanism in Medicine Award:Faculty: Dr. Mohamud Verjee.Student: Rana Emam• Excellence in Pre-Clinical TeachingAward: Co-awarded to Dr. GerardoGuiter and Dr. Rachel Koshi• Excellence in Clinical TeachingAward: Dr. Bakr Nour

News • 23The students have made friends for life.Iqbal Assad and Dr. Marcellina Mian, acting associate dean formedical education• Excellence in the ClinicalCurriculum: Khawla AliWCMC-Q congratulatesyoungest medical schoolgraduateAt just 20 years old, Iqbal El-Assaad is theyoungest student to ever graduate fromWCMC-Q.Iqbal, who is Palestinian but born and raisedin Lebanon, arrived at WCMC-Q to start her premedicalstudies aged just 14. Six years later shesuccessfully completed the challenging M.D.course to become probably one of the youngestdoctors in the world.She said her inspiration has been Palestinianrefugees, particularly children, who are oftendesperately short of medical care.“Those children and the upcoming generationsneed a doctor to heal their wounds and someoneto be by their side as an advocate to guide themand light their path during their most difficultstages,” she said.To begin her medical education at such ayoung age, Iqbal graduated from high school at12 years old and with the assistance of a scholarshipfrom Qatar Foundation secured a place inthe medical program at WCMC-Q.“My dad tells me that when I was reallyyounger, like two and a half years old, I used tolearn from my other siblings,” she said. “I learnedhow to count from one to 10 just by myself andlistening to my brothers and sisters who werereciting homework tasks.”From kindergarten - where teachers sawthat she was advanced for her age - Iqbal wentFor many, graduation marks their greatest achievement so farstraight to year 2 and it has been a steadyprogression of jumping classes through primaryand high school since then. She also has an olderbrother who finished high school when he was14 and is now into his second year of a PhD inphysics at Lyon University.Currently Iqbal’s interest is in pediatricsand she is also thinking about taking a pediatriccardiology fellowship in the future. Shewas drawn to pediatrics because she grew uphearing stories about Palestinian parents andtheir children suffering because they could notafford treatment. Soon she will be leaving forresidency at the Cleveland Clinic for Pediatrics,in Cleveland, Ohio but hopes to return to theMiddle East to work.

24 • NewsHonor for top scoringstudentsAnother milestone was celebrated in the 10-yearhistory of WCMC-Q when 29 high achieving premedicalstudents were named on the Dean’sHonors List at a ceremony on the Hamad BinKhalifa University campus.Students who successfully earned a 3.75 GPAor higher in the fall 2012 term were inductedto the Dean’s Honors List. The event is now anannual fixture of the college’s academic calendar.WCMC-Q’s dean, Dr. Javaid Sheikh presentedthe awards and congratulated the students ontheir impressive academic achievements. He alsoencouraged the students to continue to strivefor excellence.“I am delighted to applaud the exceptionalperformance of these students as they arerecognized for this significant academic honor,”said Dr. Sheikh.“The Dean’s Honors List reflects the highcaliber of WCMC-Q’s student body and it is atradition that is becoming firmly entrenched inthe college.“These young men and women have demonstratedan outstanding level of work to achievethis honor and their commitment and talentis inspiring to all at WCMC-Q. We are proudto support them and help them achieve theirundoubtedly remarkable potential.”Dr. Dietrich Büsselberg, professor of physiologyand biophysics and assistant dean forstudent affairs gave the opening speech whileWCMC-Q’s assistant professor of writing, Dr.Rodney Sharkey, delivered the keynote address.Dr. Sharkey said: “As these excellent studentscontinue to excel, they confirm for us the valueof hard work, determination, self-belief and thevalue of a commitment to improving the livesof others. They are to be commended for theirsterling efforts.”Dean’s Honors ListYoumna Abdel Ghany, Sara Taha, Basem Ali,Yanal Shaheen, Faryal Malick, Nora Al-Fakhri,Ahmad Salah Sami, Nahel Tunio, Aulia Ahmad,Nourhan Kika, Mountasir El-Tohami, Mhd SalamaChaker, Mu Ji Hwang, Imen Becetti, HawraAl Lawati, Ayesha Khalid, Ali Al Jabri, SarahElsoukkary, Diala Steitieh, Hamza Oglat, ShruthiSuresh, Josia Schlogl, Aya El Jerbi, ElizabethBoctor, Sarah Kanbour, Lina Irshaid, AnchaliaChandrakumaran, Khalid Taha, MohammedSheriff.

News • 25A career inemergencymedicineHamad Hospital has one of the busiest emergency departments in the worldEmergency medicine is the ultimate teamsport where specialists, physicians andparamedics work together under extremepressures in any number of life threateningevents, students at WCMC-Q were told.The analogy was made by Dr. PeterCameron at a forum of the college’sEmergency Medicine Interest Group.Dr. Cameron is the chairman and head of theemergency department at HMC and presidentof the International Federation for EmergencyMedicine. He leads a new multi-disciplinaryteam that is tasked with transforming emergencyservices across all of HMC’s hospitals. It washis first visit to WCMC-Q, where he addressedmedical students and staff and encouragedcurrent students to consider a career in emergencymedicine at HMC after graduation.“Hamad is currently undergoing anextensive program of redevelopment andconstruction that will place it at the forefrontof emergency medical services of a similarstandard to the best hospitals in the world,”Dr. Cameron said.“A comprehensive review of Hamad’semergency department practices has led toimprovement recommendations based oninternational best practices that have beenimplemented rapidly by a globally recognizedmulti-professional team.“We now have an exceptionally strongteam of local and international experts tolead the continuing transformation of ouremergency medical services. Our recruitmentstrategy is designed to attract even more newemergency specialists and retain the best ofour trainee emergency doctors. Our objectiveis to transform our emergency department intoa world leading emergency center, ensuringimproved patient care and satisfaction.”Hamad General Hospital (HGH) has one ofthe busiest emergency departments in theworld, treating between 1,200 and 1,500patients on an average day. The emergencydepartment is supplemented by servicesprovided at Al Khor and Al Wakra with themost serious cases handled at HGH.Qatar is in a unique position, and with athriving economic base, among very few countriescapable of large scale implementation ofquality healthcare facilities, said Dr. Cameron.He added: “Under the visionary leadershipof the Emir, His Highness Sheikh Hamad BinKhalifa Al Thani and Her Highness SheikhaMoza Bint Nasser there is a desire and willingnessto transform the health system in Qatar.”Dr. Cameron said the emergency departmentat HMC provided both a stimulatingand challenging environment where youngphysicians can develop and be exposed to awide range of useful and often rare medicalexperiences. This was largely because of thediverse population and the influx of temporarymigrant laborers from mainly underdevelopedcountries who present with a range ofuncommon diseases.In a country where nearly half the populationis obese and half of the population agedDr. Cameron said the emergency department at HMC was a stimulating place towork.over 40 suffers from diabetes that willinvariably lead to further serious health problemsincluding heart disease and renal failure,there will be an increasing need for youngphysicians to consider a career in emergencymedicine in Qatar, Dr. Cameron said.“It is not a career suited to everyone,” hewarned but he encouraged students with aninterest in emergency medicine to seriouslyconsider the opportunities available at HMC.

26 • NewsA yellowfeverepidemic inSudanThe worst outbreak of yellow fever seen for 20years and the prospect of the virus taking holdon the Arabian Peninsula was the focus of a talkorganized by WCMC-Q’s department for globaland public health.The lecture was held in January and deliveredby Aly Verjee, a senior researcher with the RiftValley Institute based in Kenya.Mr Verjee’s talk was based on the recentepidemic of yellow fever in Darfur in Sudan thatbegan in September 2012, peaked in October andNovember and tailed off in January 2013. Thisfollowed a sustained immunization campaignby the Sudanese government, the World HealthOrganization (WHO) and non-governmentalorganizations (NGOs). It was the WHO thatdescribed the outbreak as the worst for 20 years.The Aedes aegyptii mosquitoIn the 1930s it was not believed that yellowfever, which has a mortality rate of 20 per cent,was found in Sudan. But with the advent of airtravel the country became a major transit postand the disease arrived. A spraying campaignagainst the Aedes aegypti mosquito thattransmits the virus, along with a vaccinationprogram, brought the disease under control. Butby the 1980s yellow fever had re-emerged andhas remained in the region ever since due tore-infestations of the Aedes mosquito and a dropin vaccinations. Currently the disease is endemicin a huge swathe of sub-Saharan Africa fromthe east to west coastline and it is also foundin South America.Until recently, however, the virus was notconsidered to be a major problem in Sudan but MrVerjee suggested that the current socio-politicalsituation in Darfur may have been a contributingfactor as conflict and human displacementalways have a negative effect on public health.There have also been no sustained vaccinationprograms.He said: “Public health has clearly taken a backseat in Darfur and that is linked to trust. Trusthas been eroded between local populations andthe government which may have led to peoplein certain areas not seeking treatment until itwas too late.”But he added that the Sudanese government,with aid agencies, has reacted quickly to theoutbreak of the epidemic and three million peoplehave since been vaccinated with a further twomillion to follow. Reported cases of the virushave reached around 1,000 and there have been

News • 27Aly Verjee (center) with Dr. Ravinder Mamtani, associate dean for global and public health, and Dr. Sohaila Cheema, manager of the division of global and public healthabout 200 deaths although there may well beunreported outbreaks.Mr Verjee also raised the prospect thatthe disease could one day reach the ArabianPeninsula, particularly the western coast ofSaudi Arabia. The Aedes aegypti mosquito isalready found in Jeddah and carries dengue feverbut for some unknown reason no Aedes mosquitoesin Asia have been found carrying the yellowfever virus, despite dengue fever being rampanton the Indian subcontinent. However, with themosquitoes now found in southern Egypt thepotential remains for the disease to spread east.Symptoms and pathologyYellow fever is a viral, hemorrhagic fever ofthe same category as ebola although the diseaseis most closely related to dengue fever –thelatter, however, has a mortality rate of only fiveper cent.The incubation period for yellow fever afterbeing bitten by an infected mosquito is betweenthree and six days with sufferers then experiencinga high fever, myalgia and vomiting. Mostpatients then recover but some – after a periodof apparent remission – may then suffer jaundice,vomiting, general hemorrhaging, hepaticfever and death.The disease is maintained in nature bymonkeys, which are believed to be the reservoirof the virus. Although more naturally foundin forests, where deforestation occurs themosquitos are well adapted for life in an urbanenvironment, laying their eggs just above thewater line in all manner of containers –, bottles,barrels, discarded tires, plant pots and the like.The eggs can hatch in as little as two days andtraditional preventive measures like mosquitonets are not always effective as the insect isactive during the day.In the 1930s the disease was found as farnorth as southern Europe, the U.S. as well asIndia and Asia. Historically, too, it has beengeographically widespread; the population ofPhiladelphia in 1793 was decimated by 20 percent as a result of the virus.FACT FILE• Vaccine developed by Max Theiler whowon the 1951 Nobel Prize in Physiologyor Medicine for his discovery;• In Africa, an estimated 508 million peopleliving in 32 countries are at risk.• The first written evidence of a yellowfever epidemic occurred in the Yucatanin Mexico in 1648.• Worldwide there are 300,000 annualcases resulting in 60,000 deaths.• There is no specific cure for the disease.

28 • NewsMatch Day defines the students’ careers for between two and seven yearsStudentsexcel atMatch DayWeill Cornell Medical College in Qatar is celebratingafter 31 students were offered residencyplaces at hospitals for after they graduate.The annual Match Day event, on March 15,was held at the WCMC-Q campus in the presenceof family, friends, faculty and staff memberswhere the students learned in which hospitalthey would be doing their residency training forthe next two to seven years of their medicalcareers.Eight WCMC-Q graduates will now be goingto the internationally respected NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, two to Hamad MedicalCorporation (HMC) and the 21 others are headingoff to equally impressive hospitals in the U.S.WCMC-Q dean, Dr. Javaid Sheikh congratulatedall the students and wished them well forthe rest of their careers.Dr. Sheikh said: “This is a fantastic achievementby our students. These impressive resultsare a wonderful tribute to their hard work andeffort as well as a clear demonstration of thequality of education they have received atSeifeldin Sadek (left) and Tarrek Hegab (right) celebrate with firstyear medical student Mostafa RefaatWCMC-Q. Our faculty and staff are very proudof each and every one of them.”For Mason Al Nouri, HMC was the place ofchoice for his residency in orthopedic surgery.Mason said his time at WCMC-Q had been greatpreparation for the future.He said: “It’s been six years and it’s beena great experience. From the start it’s been awhole rollercoaster of adapting to new informationand medical knowledge and it prepares youwell for residency as you need to learn a lot in ashort space of time.”Mason added that he applied for HMC becauseof its reputation.“Orthopedic surgery is a growing field that Ireally wanted to pursue,” he said, “and I wantedto pursue it at an institute that is well known andgood and HMC is the best place in the region.”While Mason is at HMC, Haya Ahram will betaking a three-year residency in family medicineat University of Connecticut School of Medicinein the U.S.Of her time at WCMC-Q, she said: “It’s beenwonderful. Education-wise it’s been excellent,Hanin Abou Ayash, Zena Ghazala and Ladan Davallow all learnedwhere they would be goinghelp was always there and the environment wasalways warm and friendly.”Haya said she chose family medicine as it willallow her to treat a wide range of ages, conditionsand pathogens and allow her to providecontinuity of care to the whole family. In thefuture she said she might pursue a fellowship inpalliative care and possibly even enter the worldof academia – although she would always wantto continue practicing as a clinician.Match Day is an intensely competitive experiencethat can shape budding medical careers.It is the culmination of a four-year journey forgraduating medical students, one of the finalhurdles before graduation but equally importantin their emerging careers in medicine.More than 40,000 graduating medical studentsaround the world competed for approximately25,000 residency positions in the largest matchin the National Resident Matching Program’shistory. More than half of U.S. seniors matchedto their first choice and graduating students fromWCMC-Q showed similar results.

News • 29A summerWCMC-Q faculty members, the high school students and their families.of researchfor essaywinnersThree Qatari high school students will be jettingoff to New York on summer research scholarshipsafter winning WCMC-Q’s annual HealingHands essay contest.The competition is now in its sixth year andgives local high school students the chanceto spend time in the research laboratory ofDr. Ronald G. Crystal at Weill Cornell MedicalCollege in New York. This year’s essay themewas Caring Without Borders with the questionasking the entrants to write about how theywould ensure the health of the victims of animagined humanitarian crisis.The essays were judged by a panel of expertsfrom WCMC-Q and the eventual winners chosen.These were Kholoud Essa Abu-Holayqah ofAl Bayan Education Complex for Girls, NaimaAbdulrahman Alobaidli from Debakey HighSchool for Health Professionals at Qatar, andSalah Majid Mahmoud from Qatar Academy.Dr. Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCMC-Q, said theHealing Hands competition was a chance forthe college to get young people excited aboutmedicine and interested in studying at WCMC-Q.He said: “This is the opportunity of a lifetimefor these three winners. To be so young yet toDr. Dietrich Büsselberg, assistant dean for student affairs, and Dr. Sheikh with the winners, from left to right, Kholoud Essa Abu-Holayqah, NaimaAbdulrahman Alobaidli and Salah Majid Mahmoudbe welcomed into a professional research laboratoryis an experience they will never forget.Under the care of Dr. Crystal, they will learnexactly what the research process involves, thecare and precision needed, and the dedicationof the researchers.“It will be an unforgettable intellectual journeyfor them.”Noha Saleh, director of student recruitment,said the Healing Hands contest is a wonderfulway to introduce potential students to WCMC-Q.She said that as part of its community outreachprogram, WCMC-Q encourages Qatari nationalswho are considering a career in medicine to learnmore about WCMC-Q and take an active interestin college life and healthcare issues.For Naima Abdulrahman Alobaidli the prizemeans she can experience the career she hopesto one day pursue. She said: “I’m looking forwardto learning more about the medical field. I’mextremely interested in a career in medicine andI would just like to thank everyone.”Kholoud Essa Abu-Holayqah said she hopedto study at WCMC-Q and thought that beingchosen as one of the three winners would nowhelp her application.She added: “I’m interested in becoming asurgeon in later life but I never thought I wouldwin.”Fifteen-year-old Salah Majid Mahmoud hashis father to thank for bringing the essay contestto his attention.Salah said: “My dad brought me the applicationpapers and I thought it was a really goodquestion. Medicine is important to me and I’dlike to be a physician when I grow up. I am proudof my country and I’d like to help it by being adoctor.”The three winners and their nominated guardianswill now spend two weeks in New York,hosted by Dr. Crystal, the chairman of geneticmedicine at WCMC.Everyone who entered the Healing Handscontest also received a certificate of appreciationand three received an honorable mention – DanaMohammed Alyafei of Al Kawthar SecondarySchool for Girls; Fahad Saad Al-Suwaidi, ofNasser Al Atteya Secondary Independent Schoolfor Boys; and Sarah Jassim Al-Kuwari, fromDebakey High School for Health Professionalsat Qatar.

30 • NewsA leader ofthe futureNationals Training Program coordinator YassirHussain was among a dynamic group of younghigh-achievers invited to attend the prestigiousGeorgetown Young Leaders Seminar.Yassir, who works in WCMC-Q’s researchdivision, was one of 18 young achievers from theMENA region who were invited to the seminar,which was held at Georgetown University Schoolof Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Q) during April.The two-day annual forum is organizedby SFS-Q and the Institute for the Study ofDiplomacy. It is modeled on the GeorgetownLeadership Seminar held in Washington,D.C., and is described as a premier executiveeducation and networking program focused oninternational affairs for senior leaders from thepublic, private, and non-profit sectors all overthe world.For Yassir, a Qatari national, it was an opportunityto meet and network with some of thesharpest young minds in the region.“It was an interesting exercise,” he said,“because the people who attended are alltalented and gifted in some kind of activity likepolitics, the environment and education and theywere all selected to attend this seminar becausethey are most likely to play an important leadershiprole in society in the future.”Yasser himself holds a bachelor of sciencedegree with a focus on neurobiology from CornellUniversity in Ithaca, where he also worked asan undergraduate teaching assistant in organicchemistry for life sciences.He said: “For me it was an honor to beselected and it was also a useful opportunityto make new friends and contacts both here inQatar and across the Middle East.”The seminar brings together a group ofemerging leaders from the region to examinethe most pressing global trends and internationalissues affecting them. The participantsare chosen from many different communitiesincluding political/social activists, religiousYassir Hussain, one of 18 young achievers who were invited to the seminarfigures, journalists, scholars, government officials,NGO representatives, and corporate/financial executives.Major themes explored at this year’s seminarincluded:• The challenges and opportunities ofthe Arab Spring.• Building sustainable, competitiveeconomies.• Global issues (e.g. environment,health, food security, and population).• The influence of new and traditionalmedia on international affairs.• The rise of new economic powersand their impact on the globaleconomy, international development, and worldwide energyresources.

News • 31Success fornew lectureseriesA training course in biomedical research methodologiesrun by faculty from New York andQatar has proved a hit with graduate students,postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty.The course - entitled Concepts in BiomedicalResearch Methodologies - attracted 166subscribers, paving the way for the programto be repeated in the near future. Attendees,the majority of whom were Hamad MedicalCorporation (HMC) physicians and clinical staff,heard 15 lectures over the course of two weekson topics such as ethics in research, how todesign clinical studies, how to write a scientificpaper, the benefits of collaborative research andhow to secure funding from the private sector.Dr. David Hajjar, professor of biochemistryat Weill Cornell Medical College in New York,directed the course, while WCMC-Q facultymembers Dr. Ziyad Mahfoud, associate professorof public health, and Dr. Amal Khidir, assistantprofessor of pediatrics, both delivered lectures.Lectures were also given by Dr. Hajjar and hisNew York colleagues Dr. Brian Lamon, Dr. RandiSilver, Dr. Curtis Cole and Dr. Lisa Kern.Dr. Hajjar was encouraged by the level ofsupport for the course.He said: “I was extremely pleased with thereaction we got to the program. We started outwith around 20 trainees from the medical schoolDr. David Hajjar, professor of biochemistry at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, and Dr. Khaled Machaca, associate dean for research atWCMC-Qenrolled on the course, but when more peopleheard about it, enrollment blossomed to morethan 165.“We plan to offer the course again and to openit up to even more participants, including facultyand students at Qatar University. We want thecourse to be as inclusive as possible.”Dr. Hajjar explained that many of the skillstaught on the course are essential for ensuringsuccess in research but are generally notaddressed by medical degree programs.“We are teaching skills and imparting knowledgethat medical professionals are expectedto pick up through experience outside of theirformal medical training,” he said. “A medicaldegree is excellent at teaching the science ofour discipline, but it will generally not explainsomething like how to discover new fundingsources for research projects, a skill that canbe extremely beneficial to a researcher’s career.”The first of the course’s three phases beganwith a lecture entitled Fundamentals of ResearchMethodology and was followed by four furtherlectures addressing design of scientific studies,the use of biostatistics in medical research, informationtechnology in research and translationalinformatics.Participants then joined a tutorial sessionto review case studies related to the firstfive lectures. Lectures six to nine addressedcommunity-based research, foundations ofclinical research and trials, and ethical conduct ofresearch in relation to both humans and animals,before a second tutorial session to review thematerial.The final phase of the course consisted ofsix lectures, covering an analysis of a modelscientific paper, the roles of the biotech andpharmaceutical industries in research, a guide topresenting research proposals, how to discoverfunding sources and the emergence of collaborativescience, with the final lecture devoted to asummary of all of the concepts addressed bythe program.Dr. Khaled Machaca, associate dean forresearch, said: “We are extremely encouragedby the success of the methodologies course,both in terms of its popularity and the valuethat participants have gained from the subjectmatter that was taught. Not only does the coursestrengthen the healthy working relationship thatWCMC-Q has with HMC, but it also serves toenhance the rapidly developing biomedicalresearch culture here in Qatar.“This success gives us the green light to goahead and develop the course further and spreadthe benefits to even more medical professionalsin Qatar.”

34 • NewsLife througha lens:filmmakerscreensmovies atDr. Suzannah Mirghani with Uday Rosario and Arnel SalimWCMC-QBudding director Dr. Suzannah Mirghani treatedstudents and faculty of WCMC-Q to a screeningof two of her short films.Dr. Mirghani presented her independentlymade films, Hamour and Eddie, at WCMC-Qas part of the college’s Literary Lecture Series,hoping to both entertain the members of heraudience and inspire them to join Doha’s fledglingamateur film scene.Dr. Ian Miller, visiting lecturer of Englishwriting at WCMC-Q, also encouraged studentsto experiment with film as an art form. He said:“From our writing workshops we know that ourstudents here at WCMC-Q have a great appetitefor artistic storytelling. Making films is an excellentoutlet for that creative drive.”Hamour tells a fictional story from Doha’sfishing community, exploring the disparitybetween the lifestyles of the fishermen whobring in the catch and the customers who buytheir produce. At once an entertaining tale abouta group of fishermen who land a gigantic hamourand a biting social commentary, the film revealsthe unseen lives of Doha’s working people,whose day-to-day struggles contrast markedlywith the city’s conspicuous prosperity.Discussing Hamour, which was shown at theDoha Tribeca Film Festival 2011, Dr. Mirghaniexplained how the medium of film allows directorsto express themselves in a unique waythrough the juxtaposition of images, sound andstoryline.Speaking at the event in March, she said:“The beauty of film is that you can influence themood of the audience by contrasting differentimages against each other and through music.For instance, the lives of the fishermen revolvearound their fishing dhow, which probably looksmuch like fishing dhows did 1,000 years ago,but in the background we can see the modernskyline of Doha. The contrast draws you in andmakes you think of the lives of the fishermen assomehow distinct from the identity of the citythat most of us are familiar with.”Dr. Mirghani, who is manager and editor ofpublications at the Center for International andRegional Studies of Georgetown University –School of Foreign Service in Qatar, used localpeople with no acting experience for both ofher films, which were self-financed. In Eddie,starring Arnel Salim as the film’s eponymoushero, she tells the tragicomic story of a lonelystreet sweeper who borrows a jacket and tiein the hope of wooing a girl to have dinnerwith him. The film also stars Uday Rosario andWCMC-Q’s assistant professor of English, Dr.Rodney Sharkey.Dr. Mirghani said: “Both films draw on themulticultural character of Doha and the interestingencounters between people of differentcultures that are thrown up. There is a realwealth of untold stories to be dug up in Doha,offering lots of opportunities and inspiration foramateur filmmakers.”

News • 35Students walkthe red carpetat GoldenStethoscopesawardsceremonyStudents who have made an outstandingcontribution to extracurricular activities wererecognized at an awards ceremony held at theHamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) StudentCenter.The Golden Stethoscope Awards werepresented to WCMC-Q students on 8 April ata glitzy event modeled on high-profile awardsceremonies like the Golden Globes and theGrammys.Students entered the building along a redcarpet and took part in a photoshoot, beforesettling down to a three-course meal andwatching the awards being presented. Theevening, which was organized by the MedicalStudent Executive Council, also featured musicalperformances by WCMC-Q students and ademonstration of the Palestinian dabke dance,given by students from across HBKU.The awards acknowledge the efforts ofstudents who organize or excel at extracurricularactivities including sports, the arts andcommunity building, which help to develop andenhance civil society at WCMC-Q. The winnersof all the awards were decided by a popular voteamong the WCMC-Q student body.The outstanding student leader awardwas won by first-year medical student RebalTurjoman, president of the WCMC-Q studentThe event was a break from studying for the studentsgovernment, while the outstanding club awardwent to the Student Research Association.First-year medical student Ahmed Saleh wonthe outstanding community developer award forthe medical program, with first-year pre-medicalstudent Sahar Mahadik clinching the same titlefor the pre-medical program.Other notable winners included second-yearmedical student Min Kyung Choi for outstandingmusical performance and Abdullah El Zafarany,also a second-year medical student, who wonthe Big Red Award for attracting large audiencesto student events. Donney Moroney, director ofstudent affairs and academic counseling, wonthe outstanding student advocate award, theonly honor presented to a non-student.Third-year medical student Yazan Abou-Ismail,one of the organizers of the event, was enthusedby the positive reaction to the ceremony bystudents, many of whom took time out of theirbusy exam schedules to attend.Yazan said: “In spite of the curricular pressuresexerted on our students, these awards have highlightedour best leaders, athletes and talents. Ihope the effort that has gone into creating thisannual ceremony encourages more and morestudents to be involved and proactive at buildingthe student community at WCMC-Q.”Winners of the GoldenStethoscope Awards• Outstanding Club Award: The StudentResearch Association• Outstanding Student Leader: RebalTurjoman• The Big Red Award: Abdullah El Zafarany• Outstanding Community Developer(Medical): Ahmed Saleh• Outstanding Community Developer(Pre-medical): Sahar Mahadik• Outstanding WCMC-Q Representation inEducation City: Ahmed Hamed• Outstanding Music Performance: MinkYung Choi• Outstanding Dance Performance: ThePalestinian Dabke• The Artistic Award: Fatima Al Baqali• Most Valuable Players: MohamadAbdulhai, AlHasan Sedeeq, Leen AlHafez• Person of the Year: Yazan Abou-Ismail• Outstanding Student Advocate: DonneyMoroney• Class of the Year: Class of 2018

36 • NewsPoor diet,unhealthylifestylesa deadlychoiceDr. Ali, Dr. Sheikh and Dr. Lowenfels with the Journal of Local and Global Health PerspectivesQatar has overtaken the U.S. in the obesitystakes and people must do more to ensure ahealthy future, free of diabetes and associatedillnesses, for themselves and their children.That was the message that came from ahigh-level symposium organized by WCMC-Q’sdepartment of global and public health.The event, which was co-sponsored by theSupreme Council of Health (SCH), was entitled“Emerging Trends in Health Care and LifestyleDiseases: A Special Focus on Qatar”, andfeatured speakers from around the world. Itwas also an opportunity for the department ofglobal and public health to launch the Journal ofLocal and Global Health Perspectives. This is aninternational peer-reviewed, open access journalfrom QScience.com. Dr. Ravinder Mamtani,WCMC-Q’s associate dean for global and publichealth and Dr. Albert Lowenfels from New YorkMedical College are the joint editors-in-chiefand the aim is to provide a global perspectiveon health issues and to publish research into theapplication of public health strategies in diverseregions and environments.The new journal was welcomed by Dr. FalehMohamed Hussain Ali, assistant secretarygeneral for policy affairs at the SCH, whodelivered the keynote remarks and welcomedthe publication as a much needed and timelyarrival for researchers, physicians and medicalstudents.“We are missing such journals and it is awelcome addition to the medical publicationslandscape and will also be a great contributiontowards the health of our nation as a whole,”Dr. Faleh said. “This is something that showsperspective, both in local and internationaldimensions. Having something that looks at thescientific issues from a local and internationalperspective is a great benefit to us all.”Dr. Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCMC-Q delivereda speech on “Optimizing Health Care throughEducation, Research and Clinical Programs”,while Dr. Mamtani spoke on the topic “ChronicDisease Risk Factors in Qatar: Recent Findings”.Dr. Mamtani said recent research hadshown that lifestyle diseases are of concern inQatar. Obesity is an important risk factor andthe number of people living in Qatar who areoverweight is increasing. Obesity increases therisk of chronic diseases such as heart disease,hypertension and diabetes.“Globally, 63 per cent of people die fromnoncommunicable diseases. In these illnessesthe top four are cardiovascular conditions,cancer, respiratory diseases and diabetes andthey constitute about 80 per cent of mortalities,”Dr. Mamtani said.Prevalence of these diseases and risk factorsare also widespread in Qatar. About 70 per centof people in Qatar are overweight and 41 per centare obese in recent data provided by the SCH.“These diseases, as science has shown, killprematurely, they compromise quality of life andwe also know they are influenced by behavior,”Dr. Mamtani added. “Even though genetics isan important component, these issues can beprevented or their onset delayed.“Often we think that we need to do a lot toprevent these illnesses. That is not the case.Often simply making some marginal changes willhelp. In the case of obesity, for example, as little

as eight to 10 pounds reduction in weight willcontribute to improved health. Equally important,simple self-care approaches such as a healthydiet, regular physical activity and maintaininga normal body weight are immensely helpfulin reducing the incidents of diseases such asdiabetes.”That message was echoed by Dr. David Katz,the director of Yale University’s PreventionResearch Center, and an internationallyrenowned expert on nutrition, weight managementand chronic disease prevention.Dr. Katz added that the problems Qatar facedwere mirrored across the world.He said: “Obesity threatens the U.S future asmuch as it threatens the future of Qatar. Theseproblems are global. Obesity is a major problemthat leads to many illnesses and diseases.”The symposium was told that 42 per cent ofAmericans are expected to be obese by 2030and one third of all American adults will faceproblems caused by diabetes by 2050.Dr. Katz blamed lack of physical activity,tobacco and poor diet as the main causes ofearly death by illness and it is something thatwe can all control in our daily lives. What isneeded is a return to basic lifestyle choices, hesaid, stressing that personal motivation remainsa crucial element in changing dietary habits,raising activity levels and adopting healthieroptions to ward off the possibility of illnessessuch as cardiovascular disease, diabetes,obesity and cancer which have the highestmortality rates across the globe.The symposium also heard speeches fromProfessor Stephanie Abbuhl, a leading women’sadvocacy speaker from Pennsylvania Universitywhere she is the executive director of focuson health and leadership for women. ProfessorAbbuhl provided a perspective on advancingwomen in medicine and science.Finally, Dr. Albert Lowenfels’ talk focused onhealth, disease and the intestinal microbiome.In his discussion he explained about the possiblerelationship between the gut bacteria andchronic disease such as obesity and diabetes.Further research is currently underway regardingthe possible health effects of changing the intestinalmicrobes.By Hilton KolbeNews • 37

38 • FeatureDiabetes prevention campaigns criticalto risk of heart attacks and strokesDiabetes tops the list of preventable conditionsand risk factors associated with heart attackand stroke in Qatar, according to a study thatappeared in the inaugural issue of the Journalof Local and Global Health Perspectives.The article, “Prevention during the epidemiologicshift to chronic illness: a case control studyof risk factors associated with cardiovasculardisease in Qatar”, presents the results of astudy conducted at Hamad Medical Corporation(HMC) in Qatar from June 2006 to June 2008.The study was led by public health researchersat Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar andNew York as well as physicians at HMC. It wassupported by Qatar Foundation, the Weill CornellClinical and Translational Science Center, and thebiostatistics, epidemiology and biomathematicsresearch core of WCMC-Q.“Diabetes is a very expensive disease thatcarries multiple risk factors for other serioushealth problems, and a considerable fractionof people with diabetes may not be aware oftheir diagnosis,” said study co-author Dr. Laith J.Abu-Raddad, associate professor of public healthat WCMC-Q and director of the biostatistics,epidemiology and biomathematics research core.“We need to understand the precise scale andnature of the problem. Our study indicates a needfor preventive measures as well as a large-scale,nationally representative epidemiologic studyon levels of diabetes and pre-diabetes in thepopulation.”Principal investigator and senior author ofthe study, Dr. Alvin I. Mushlin, professor andchairman of the department of public health atWCMC-NY, added: “Cardiovascular diseaseshave for some time been the leading cause ofdeath worldwide.“But high income countries in the ArabianGulf region, such as Qatar, have experienced anespecially dramatic increase in cardiovasculardisease and other non-communicable and chronic

Feature • 39diseases, driven in part by major changes inpopulation and lifestyle factors in recent years.Our study tried to estimate the associationbetween five preventable risk factors and thedevelopment of heart attack and stroke.”The five risk factors studied were diabetes,hypertension, dyslipidemia (high levels ofcholesterol and other blood fats), smoking, andobesity.The study recruited patients admitted to HMCwith heart attack or stroke. Cases included bothQatari nationals and non-Qatari expatriates.Controls were randomly selected from unrelatedinpatient and outpatient departments.Data collected included socio-demographicinformation, medical and family history, lifestylecharacteristics, and depression assessments.In Qatar today, expatriates and migrantworkers account for more than 70 percent ofthe population. Thus, the Qatari nationals inthe study were also studied as a sub-group, todetermine if they have characteristics relatedto the development of cardiovascular diseasethat may distinguish them from others living inthe country.“Our study had some interesting findings,”said lead author Dr. Paul J. Christos, lecturer inpublic health in the division of biostatistics andepidemiology at WCMC-NY. “More than twothirds of the heart attack patients and half ofthe stroke patients were younger than 55 years;some were younger than 40. Men made up themajority of cases. Approximately 40 percent ofparticipants were overweight and an additional30 percent were obese.“We found that diabetes increased the riskby more than four fold and was the strongestpreventable risk factor for both heart attackand stroke. High blood pressure was the secondmajor preventable risk factor for stroke and animportant factor for heart attack. Low amountsof physical activity increased the risk of bothheart attack and stroke by approximately 80percent, while smoking increased the risk ofheart attack two-fold.“For the sub-group of Qatari nationals whotook part in the study, diabetes, high blood pressure,high cholesterol, and smoking were alsoidentified as potential preventable risk factorsfor cardiovascular disease. Additionally, thesefactors seemed to increase heart attack andstroke risk to a greater extent among the Qatarinatives as compared to other groups.”Dr. Mushlin added: “While the risk factors forheart attack and stroke are the same in Qatar asDr. Abu-Raddad and Hiam Chemaitellyin the rest of the world, the magnitude of thesefactors in Qatar suggests that the effectivenessof altering these largely preventable risk factorsis even more likely to have a significant impact.“Designing population-level preventioninterventions with awareness campaigns andsupporting a culture of preventive health arecritical for both Qatari nationals and the expatriatepopulation.”He explained that the study also reinforcesthe likelihood that special genetic factors maybe increasing the severity of diabetes amongQataris. In collaboration with Dr. Ronald Crystal,he and other investigators at WCMC-Q andWCMC-NY have begun two grant projectssponsored by the Qatar National Research Fundto study genetic variability and susceptibility totype 2 diabetes in the Qatari population and thegenetics of risk for retinopathy among Qatariswith type 2 diabetes.Additional study co-authors include HiamChemaitelly of the infectious disease epidemiologygroup at WCMC-Q, and Dr. Abdul RazakGehani and Dr. Dirk Deleu of HMC.

40 • NewsStudents geta taste of lifeat collegeThe high school students learned about medical techniques using a mannequinStudents from high schools across Qatar sampleduniversity life for two weeks during the QatarMedical Explorer Winter Program.Taking advantage of the winter holidaysenjoyed by Qatari high schools, 26 male andfemale students from grades 10, 11 and 12 joinedthe program run by WCMC-Q during February.Students were welcomed and introduced tothe courses on offer at WCMC-Q in a sessiongiven by Noha Saleh, director of student recruitment.They then spent the first week takinglectures and laboratory sessions in chemistry,physics and biology, learning presentationskills and discovering the history of medicine ina lecture given by Dr. Hekmat Al Rouh, projectcoordinator in the global public health division. Ahighlight of first week was a visit to the ClinicalSkills Center, when students had the chance toexamine standardized patients and work withthe center’s learning aids, including Harvey, theuniversity’s hi-tech robotic dummy.In the second week, the program was heldat the Hamad Bin Khalifa University StudentCenter and saw students learn study skills,tips for passing tests and how to write effectivepersonal statements. Dr. Pablo del Pozo,associate professor of public health, led a studysession on medical ethics, while Dr. Amal Khidir,assistant professor of pediatrics, spoke aboutadolescent health. Dr. Chris Triggle, professor ofpharmacology and assistant dean for admissions,presented an introduction to pharmacology.During week one, students were divided intogroups, assigned topics to research and taskedwith presenting their findings to their peers onthe final day of the program. Topics focused onsome of the most pressing contemporary publichealth issues such as obesity, hypertension,diabetes, smoking, cancer, and road trafficaccidents and trauma.To demonstrate the holistic approach tolearning at the university, Dr. Rodney Sharkey,assistant English professor, ran three workshopson poetry, understanding narratives anddramatic techniques. Paul Mussleman, informationservices librarian, introduced the studentsto the Distributed e-Library.Throughout the two-week program, studentsreceived guidance about how to make their applicationsto WCMC-Q as strong as possible. Thepurpose of the program is to give high schoolstudents a taste of life at WCMC-Q, allowingthem to make an informed choice about whetherthey are well suited to a career in medicine, aswell as helping them through the admissionsprocess, explained Syed Hasnain, studentrecruitment programs manager.“It is important to give the students a reallyaccurate impression of what it is like to study atWCMC-Q,” he said. “That way, they can clearlysee whether this career path is right for them.The program gives them the opportunity to testtheir skills, work out if they can follow the materialpresented in the lectures and lab sessions,and decide if they have the passion for medicinethat will sustain them through several years ofstudy.“We also give them plenty of guidance onhow to get their application to the university ingood order.”Grade 11 student Abdulrahman Janahi, aged16, was visiting from Omar Bin Khattab Schoolfor Boys.He said: “I would love to become a doctor andI hope to be able to study at WCMC-Q.“Coming to the university is very inspiringbecause of the professional attitude of thefaculty here - they make you feel like you canlearn a lot from them. As students, we knowthat it is hard to get into WCMC-Q because thestandards are very high, so it is useful to visitand see if we are able to follow the material.”At a closing ceremony, Noha Saleh and Dr.Triggle presented participating students withcertificates for completing the program.Participating schools:• Al Bayan Educational Complex for Girls• Al Doha Independent School for Boys• Al Maha Academy• Al Wakra Independent Secondary Schoolfor Boys• Omar Bin Khattab School for Boys• Qatar Academy• Qatar International School• Qatar International School of Choueifat• Rabiaa Aladawyea Secondary Schoolfor Girls

News • 41Top studentessayistsunveiled atbook launchThe best essays written by students at WCMC-Qhave been unveiled with the launch of Qira’at,a compendium of literary works published bythe university.The book, published biennially and now inits third volume, was officially presented tothe public at a ceremony held at the universitythat also saw the three best student essayistsawarded prizes for the quality of their work.First place in the Best Essay awards wasclinched by third-year medical student AbdelazizFarhat for his exploration of medical ethics, entitled“The Right to Know: Informing TerminallyIll Patients”. Second prize went to secondyearpre-medical student Josia Schlögl for anessay penned as part of a writing seminar onIslamic medicine, entitled “Compatibility ofAnthropological Views with Islamic Teachingsabout the Evil Eye”. Both Josia and Abdelazizgave presentations at the launch event in Marchto set their essays in context.Abdelaziz, whose essay was supervised by Dr.Pablo Rodríguez del Pozo, associate professor ofpublic health, told the audience: “The purposeof my essay was to dispute the idea that therecan be a justification for withholding the truthfrom terminally ill patients. I argued that patientsmust always be told the truth, no matter howdifficult the circumstances might be.“Reasons for withholding the truth generallybenefit the physician and not the patient.Ian Miller with Josia Schlögl who took the second prize for his essay on the “Compatibility of Anthropological Views with Islamic Teachings aboutthe Evil Eye”Avoiding telling a patient the truth may savehim or her some pain, but it will also deprive thepatient of their autonomy, prevent them frommaking informed decisions regarding their treatmentand deprive them of the opportunity to saygoodbye to their family and friends, among otherimportant considerations.”A total of 43 essays are included in Qira’at,which means ‘Readings’ in English, tacklingsubjects from healthcare provision in India andthe challenges facing brain-dead patients, tothemes of violence and revenge in Shakespeare.First-year medical student Risheek Kaul’sMarxist critique of a Hollywood blockbuster,entitled “The Misrepresentation of ‘Reality’ inThe Kingdom”, won third place in the contest,which was judged by two Ithaca facultymembers, Dr. Katherine Gottschalk, the Walter C.Teagle director of first-year writing seminars, andDr. Paul Sawyer, director of the Knight Institutefor Writing in the Disciplines.Dr. Gottschalk, visiting from the U.S.,addressed the launch event: “When we sat downto select winners, Paul and I were in the happyposition of being confronted with a collection ofexcellent essays,” she said.“When you read these essays, you will noticehow aware the writers are of the need to analyzethe complexity of a situation before coming toconclusions; you will notice their awarenessof various perspectives. You will find that theycritically analyze ‘facts’ to see if they are indeedfacts. And you will find that they share a gift forclarity and strength of expression.“The qualities that we looked for in the essaysare, of course, qualities that one hopes to find ina medical practitioner.”Dr. Gottschalk also paid tribute to the editorialteam of Qira’at, which comprised Dr. AlanWeber, Dr. Krystyna Golkowska, Dr. Ian Miller,Dr. Mary Ann Rishel, and Dr. Rodney Sharkey.Lead editor Dr. Weber, assistant professor ofEnglish, explained the purpose of Qira’at.He said: “Qira’at was created because wewanted somewhere to showcase the talents ofour students. Qira’at is also very effective froma teaching perspective because we can use it togive students in our writing classes examples ofthe standard they should be aiming for.“Through Qira’at, and the process of reflectivewriting in general, our students learn criticalcommunication skills that will make them betterphysicians. They also learn to identify and empathizewith the experiences of patients, and toappreciate that they must understand the audiencethey are writing for in order to communicateeffectively.“Because Qira’at offers the possibility of beingpublished, we find that it inspires the students towrite and to write well, and I’m very impressedwith the standard of the essays.”

42 • NewsBreakthrough in diabetesresearch projectThe research team is searching for biomarkers, among other aims Sara Abdulkader in the laboratory Dr. Karsten Suhre, principal investigator and professor of physiologyand biophysicsA study by researchers at WCMC-Q has madediscoveries that could lead to the developmentof a non-invasive test for diabetes.The groundbreaking study has also establishedmany new processes that will facilitatefuture clinical research projects at the university.The project, entitled QMDiab: The QatarMetabolomics Study on Diabetes, gatheredsamples of blood, urine and saliva from patientsat Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) to be sentfor analysis at laboratories in Germany, the USand Canada. Patients, who represented a broadrange of ages, social and ethnic backgrounds,and education levels, also completed questionnairesto help researchers discover correlationsbetween personal characteristics and diabetes.Among other research goals, the study issearching for biomarkers – telltale moleculespresent in samples of blood, urine or saliva thatare associated with the metabolic processesknown to cause diabetes.Although the results of the study are stillbeing interpreted, the research team hasalready identified a biomarker that could beused for determining glycemic control levelsin patients through analysis of saliva samples.The test could be used for determining whethera patient is at risk of developing diabetes, therisk of suffering complications associated withthe disease, and how well a diabetes suffereris managing his or her condition. Crucially, thetest would be non-invasive, minimizing the painand inconvenience caused to patients.New ground was broken during the study inthat it is believed to be the first time researchershave analyzed the metabolomics of saliva – butwhat exactly is meant by the term metabolomics?Dr. Karsten Suhre is professor of physiologyand biophysics in WCMC-Q’s research divisionand the principal investigator of the study, whichis funded by Qatar Foundation’s BiomedicalResearch Program (BMRP).He explained: “Metabolomics is the study ofmetabolic processes at cellular level in a holisticfashion.“Just as genomics is the study of the entiregenome and proteomics is the study of all ofthe proteins created by that genome, metabolomicsseeks to understand all of the chemicalprocesses that those proteins then give rise toin order for an organism to function.”

News • 43The research has involved the cooperation of various departmentsThe study recruited 374 patients from HMC’sdermatology clinic, approximately half of whomsuffer from diabetes, explained Dr. Suhre.“Many patients with diabetes have skindisorders so you can easily find many diabetespatients in the dermatology clinic,” he said.“Sourcing patients from the dermatology clinicalso meant we were able to find non-diabetespatients, who provided us with control samples.”The study drew together the expertise andfacilities of several departments at WCMC-Q,prompting new working relationships to emergeand establishing new capabilities, much to thesatisfaction of Dr. Suhre.He said: “This study has really been a teameffort and it was very encouraging to see somany people from different departments atWCMC-Q and HMC working together towardsa common goal.“The project is really the first to be carriedout at WCMC-Q under the university’s clinicalresearch core and it involved research both inthe lab and in the clinic. This involved bringingmany different departments into the project andalso our partners at HMC.”At WCMC-Q, the study received a boost inits early stages from Dr. Kip Kantelo, director ofresearch compliance, who reviewed the project’sapplication to the Institutional Review Board(IRB), the committee responsible for upholdingstandards of patient safety and ethical conductin medical research projects. Tom Doyle, directorof environmental health and safety, developedprotocols for laboratory safety and security, aswell as devising a system for ensuring samplesposted overseas remained chilled to preventthem from spoiling. This involved packaging thesamples with dry ice and finding a specialistshipping firm able to monitor the temperatureof the parcels.A new system for storing samples was alsodeployed for the first time, with hundreds ofvials exhaustively catalogued and preservedat -80°C in the clinical research department’srobotic freezer. The programmable freezer allowsresearchers to retrieve scores of samples foranalysis at the touch of a button. Records ofsamples and analytical results were logged ona database created by members of WCMC-Q’s ITdepartment, overseen by research applicationsengineer Jillian Rowe.A key member of the research team was Dr.Dennis Mook, a research associate who visitedWCMC-Q for a year and was tasked with coordinatingthe practical side of the project.At HMC, the key contact for the research teamwas senior consultant in the dermatology clinic,Dr. Mohamed Mohy El Din Selim. Aged 85, Dr.Selim was at the center of the project at HMC,overseeing his team of five doctors, all of whomcontributed their patients to the study.Dr. Selim said: “The ongoing collaborationbetween HMC and WCMC-Q in this combinedresearch project has been very successful andhas benefited our Department of Dermatologyimmensely. We look forward to working withWCMC-Q’s researchers on future projectsrelated to other important diseases – there isa lot we can do together.”Dr. Suhre said: “The energy and enthusiasmof Dr. Selim and his entire clinic was wonderfuland contributed a great deal to making the studya success. We are very grateful for their help.”The upshot of the study is that the researchdivision at WCMC-Q now has a blueprint for clinicalresearch that can be adapted and is alreadybeing used in new projects. Dr. Suhre explainedthat large parts of the IRB protocol could bereused whenever studies require patients tocontribute samples or complete questionnaires.New procedures for managing questionnaireresults have been set up and can be used again,and the prototype database created for the studyhas established a robust method for ensuring theconnection between patients and their samplesis never lost.Dr. Suhre added: “We are really pleased tohave developed a new non-invasive test fordiabetes, which is a great breakthrough for us.But we are equally pleased that the study hasset up new working relationships and proceduresfor clinical research at WCMC-Q. This gives theuniversity the potential to explore many newresearch pathways and to link the laboratory tothe clinic, so that our research has real, tangiblebenefits for patients.”

44 • NewsWCMC-Q and QOCjoin forces forYour Health FirstH.E. Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, secretary general of QOC, and Dr. Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCMC-QQatar Olympic Committee (QOC) has become astrategic partner in Sahtak Awalan: Your HealthFirst, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar’shealth campaign.Sahtak Awalan’s goals are to encouragepeople to make positive lifestyle choices. Thecollege’s campaign already has several highprofilepartners, but the inclusion of QOC willbring sporting expertise of an internationallevel. For QOC, the campaign is an opportunityto widen the outreach work it already does inencouraging people to lead active lives.H.E. Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani,secretary general of QOC, said: “Through thisstrategic partnership with WCMC-Q, QOC will beable to contribute to building a healthy society. Infact, QOC and the Sahtak Awalan campaign havesimilar goals in that we both seek to promotethe physical well-being of the individuals uponwhom the future of our nation rests.“We are totally confident that by workingtogether we can reach more people in Qatar,paving the road to healthy individuals who cancontribute to Qatar National vision 2030,” H.E.added.As part of the new agreement, QOC willprovide Sahtak Awalan with access to sportsfacilities and will collaborate with communityactivities, helping to inspire the nation – andfuture generations – to participate in sport andexercise. It is hoped top athletes will be ambassadorsfor Sahtak Awalan events, motivatingothers to follow in their footsteps.Dr. Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCMC-Q,welcomed the partnership between the collegeand QOC.“This is tremendous news and can only have apositive impact on the health of the population,”said Dr. Sheikh. “When two organizations cometogether for a common purpose the whole isalways greater than the sum of the parts and Iam confident that through working together wecan do even more to create a healthy society ableto contribute to a knowledge-based economy.”Through partnering with QOC, WCMC-Qhopes to be able to instill some of the Olympicspirit into its campaign and encourage participantsin Sahtak Awalan to embrace that samespirit. QOC will provide support for the campaignat sports events and will allow Sahtak Awalanto reach more people, not just in Qatar but thewider GCC.Sahtak Awalan was launched in June 2012with the aim of educating the population of Qatarabout unhealthy lifestyle choices and encouragingthem to take positive action. The five-yearcampaign is targeted at all nationalities living inthe country but has a special focus on youth.QOC will join our strategic partners: TheSupreme Council of Health, The SupremeEducation Council, Qatar Petroleum, OccidentalQatar, ExxonMobil, and Vodafone Qatar.

News • 45Conference brings hi-techto higher educationThe conference examined the ways in which technology is used inthe education sectorFaculty, students and staff of WCMC-Q joineda conference exploring innovations in the waytechnology is used in higher education.The annual Technology in Higher Education(THE) Conference focuses on identifying theshifts, challenges and opportunities for educatorsand IT professionals, and aims to encourageinnovation in the sector. The conference is jointlyorganized by Qatar Foundation and the ninecolleges of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU).Stephen Kenney, chief administrative officerat WCMC-Q gave the opening remarks at theconference, held at Qatar National ConventionCentre in April. Kenney recounted his experiencein the early 1980s of working with one of the firstpersonal computers to become widely available.He said: “The machine changed the waypeople approached their work and it mademe ask myself some serious questions. Wouldthis machine make my job irrelevant? Was thismachine sitting on my desk going to take myjob away? These were things people wereconcerned about at the time.“Technology is often talked about today asbeing ‘disruptive’, but it is important that weshould not be afraid of new technologies. Instead,Sharon Hollinsworth, WCMC-Q’s director of education computingwe must take advantage of the many greatopportunities they offer us. This conferenceaims to encourage people in higher educationto embrace change and to share their technicalexpertise with their colleagues and students.”Delegates heard a keynote speech given byPhilip Long, retired chief information officer atYale University. Long explained that new technologieshave the potential to radically alter theway education is delivered, citing the example ofMOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), whichallow educators to reach hundreds of thousandsof students via the Internet.Day one of the event also saw a presentationgiven by two members of WCMC-Q’s advancedcomputing division, associate director HanifKhalak and systems administrator Greg Smith.Entitled High Performance Computing andAcademic Research, the session discussed theways in which scientific research has drivenadvances in computing.On day two, a workshop entitled PresentationTools: Back to Basics was given by Gloria Peay,applications trainer in WCMC-Q’s IT servicesdivision and Reya Saliba, information servicesspecialist in the university’s Distributed eLibrary.Stephen Kenney, chief administrative officer at WCMC-Q, gave theopening remarksPeay gave attendees advice on creatingsuccessful presentations using MicrosoftPowerPoint. “The key to effective communicationin a presentation is to achieve acomplementary balance between images andtext,” she said.The conference concluded with a plenarysession in which the Chief Information Officersof HBKU colleges shared their visions for thefuture of technology in higher education.THE 2013 strategic partners• Qatar Foundation• Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar• Texas A&M University at Qatar• Georgetown University – School ofForeign Service at Qatar• Northwestern University in Qatar• UCL Qatar• HEC Paris in Qatar• Virginia Commonwealth University inQatar• Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies• Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar

46 • NewsImprovingpatient carewith improved teachingThe benefits that improved teaching can bringto healthcare were discussed at this year’sEducators Across the Health Care Spectrum(EAHCSS) event held at Weill Cornell MedicalCollege in Qatar (WCMC-Q) and Hamad MedicalCorporation.The annual three-day event, which was heldfrom January 21 to 23, featured speeches andvarious workshops in which educators discussedhow teaching methods could be improved.This year the keynote speech, entitled“Improving Patient Care Through ImprovedTeaching,” was given by Professor ScottRichardson, an international expert on teachingevidence-based healthcare. He shared his viewswith healthcare professionals from across Dohaat the event, which was hosted by WCMC-Q’sGraduate Medical Education (GME) division inassociation with Hamad Medical Corporation(HMC) and introduced by Dr. Amal Khidir, chairof the EAHCSS organizing committee. Medicalstaff and academics in the Hajar Auditorium atHMC also received a live transmission of thekeynote address.In addition, a series of workshops on a varietyof topics were conducted over three days. Topicsincluded teaching evidence-based medicine(EBM) and clinical reasoning in clinical settings;enhancing our learners’ clinical reasoning skills;and incorporating EBM into our teaching.Dr. Khidir said the interest and energy duringdiscussion and evaluations of the EducatorsAcross the Health Care Spectrum to EAHCSS,as well as their interest in actually incorporatingevidence-based teaching.She said: “The discussion and interactionsin these workshops emphasized the movementin Qatar towards inter-professional education.I see this activity, and more to come, as anopportunity to continue the collaborative spiritand exchange of expertise across the healthcarespectrum.”The event highlighted the importance of life-long learningWCMC-Q’s manager for GME, DeemaAl-Sheikhly, said the educational series highlightedthe need for continuing education atthe highest levels and proved popular withacademics and staff.“It is an important cross-disciplinary educationalprogram that will bring two world-classscholars to WCMC-Q each year to speak onkey topics in health education,” she said. “Thiscollaborative effort between WCMC-Q’s GMEdepartment provided a great opportunity fornetworking and building a sustainable localcapacity in the field of health education.”Dr. Leopold Streletz, associate professor of neurology, discusses apoint with colleagues

News • 47QF support forhealth campaignQatar Foundation for Education, Science andCommunity Development is seeking to promotea wider understanding of critical health issues byextending its support to the Sahtak Awalan; YourHealth First campaign, and to ensure maximumcommunity outreach.In keeping with its mission to develop a cultureof medical research and knowledge, QatarFoundation is committed to supporting WeillCornell Medical College in Qatar’s (WCMC-Q)ongoing campaign by communicating preventivemeasures that can effectively reduce the numberof people suffering from debilitating diseases.The five-year educational campaign targetsall segments of society, with a particular focuson influencing young people between 10 and 25years of age to make healthy lifestyle choices.With the shared objective of enhancing thequality of healthcare across the population,Qatar Foundation is eager to reinforce and facilitateWCMC-Q efforts by encouraging youth totake positive action to get fit and stay healthy.Rashed Al-Qurese, Qatar Foundation’s Deputydeputy director of communication, said: “BothQatar Foundation and WCMC-Q aim to createwidespread awareness by educating andinspiring the community to make positive lifestylechoices that can go a long way towardspreventing many of our modern-day ailments.This objective is perfectly aligned with ourmission to support youth and to provide themwith the highest standards of education andhealthcare.”WCMC-Q consistently strives to implementquality healthcare concepts that can enhance thepublic’s understanding of modern-day diseases.Dr. Javaid Sheikh, dean of Weill Cornell MedicalCollege in Qatar, welcomed the support providedby Qatar Foundation and underlined the importanceof sharing the campaign’s focal messagewith a wider audience.“Qatar Foundation is a natural partner for thecollege’s Sahtak Awalan campaign, as we arealready partners in so many other ways,” hesaid. “WCMC-Q is passionate about fulfilling itscommitment to the public to improve healthcareboth now and for future generations and I knowthat Qatar Foundation is equally committed toimproving the lives of everyone in Qatar. Togetherwe can have a huge impact and help propel Qatarforward to the goals of Qatar National Vision2030.”The initiative, which was launched in June oflast year by His Excellency Abdulla Bin KhalidAl Qahtani, minister of public health and secretarygeneral of the Supreme Council of Health,comprises several stages. In the first phase,the community is introduced to issues relatedto public health, particularly healthy practicesand the importance of physical activity and diet.Subsequent phases will address a number ofmedical issues such as diabetes and cardiovasculardisease, osteoporosis, bone diseases,rheumatism, anxiety, and sleep disorders.The initiative is being run in conjunctionwith several strategic partners includingthe Supreme Council of Health, the SupremeEducation Council, Qatar Petroleum, OccidentalPetroleum of Qatar Ltd., ExxonMobil, VodafoneQatar and Qatar Olympic Committee. The YourHealth First campaign is expected to concludewith the completion of the National HealthStrategy in 2016.

48 • NewsShowcasing the workof the research divisionDr. Machaca highlighted some of the research program’s achievementsThe Annual Research Retreat was held inJanuary providing an opportunity for the collegeto showcase the achievements of both facultyand students involved in establishing WCMC-Qas a center of excellence for biomedical researchin the region.The event, which is now in its third year, wasopened with a speech by Dr. Javaid Sheikh, deanof WCMC-Q, while the keynote address wasgiven by Dr. Thomas Zacharia, executive vicepresident of research and development at QatarFoundation. His speech was entitled “Buildinga World Leading Research and InnovationEnterprise”. Dr. Khaled Machaca, associate deanof research at WCMC-Q, gave an overview ofthe college’s research program and highlightedsome of the notable achievements. He alsotalked about how the program was designed tocomplement Qatar’s own vision for its future.Dr. Machaca said: “We have a simple goalthat’s quite challenging – to create a center ofexcellence in basic, translational, biomedical andclinical research. Our goal is to come up withnovel discoveries at the bench, apply them tothe bedside and eventually in the community andkeep assessing and improving the healthcare atthe public health level of the population in Qatarand the region.”Dr. Machaca also spoke of the college’swork in increasing human capacity, tellingthe audience that 50 research specialists andclinical coordinators have been recruited andtrained locally, seven Qatari nationals have beentrained in various aspects of biomedical researchand that the WCMC-Q student body has beenactively involved in laboratory internships overthe past three years.He said: “A major goal of the research programis not only to publish papers and come up withnovel discoveries but also importantly to buildhuman capacity and technical capacity in Qatarso that whatever is being accomplished is notgoing to end when a scientist leaves but actuallyhas a continuum and is self-sustained with theknow-how that is in the country.”

News • 493 rd Annual Research Retreat 2013 -­‐ Award WinnersPrize Presenter Name Board No. Abstract Title1st Mohammed Premjee 12Predicting ventricular heart rhythms using a novel DominantFrequency method2nd Fathima S. Ameerudeen 193rd (a) Risheek Kaul 173rd (b) Sarah Saleh Al Khawaga 1Category 1 -­‐ Students -­‐ Short termAnalysis of Mating Plug Components in DrosophilamelanogasterNew “Dominant Frequency” Methods for use in the ImprovedTreatment of Cardiac ArrhythmiasNoninvasive Detection of Acute Rejection of KidneyAllograftsPrize Presenter Name Board No. Abstract Title1st Vignesh Shanmugam 28Comparative Gene Expression Profiling of Pilocytic andDiffuse astrocytomas2nd Hala Omar 243rd Mohammed Al Hajajji 26Category 2 -­‐ Students -­‐ Long termTargeting microRNAs 221 and 222 offers a new therapeuticapproach for the treatment of diabetes-relate cardiovasculardisease.Isolation and Characterization of the Odorant Receptor GeneFamily of Arabian CamelPrize Presenter Name Board No. Abstract Title1st Ishmail Abdus-­‐Saboor 39Evidence for a Cell Fate Refinement Mechanism in SensoryNeurons2nd Pegah Ghiabi 45Category 3 -­‐ Post DocAkt-activated Endothelial Cells Enhance Self-renewal,Stemness, Drug Resistance, and Metastasis in BreastCancer3rd Rashmi P. Kulkarni 40 miRNA mediated regulation of Stim and Orai expressionPrize Presenter Name Board No. Abstract Title1st Silva Kouyoumjian 48Category 4 -­‐ Research SpecialistThe epidemiology of HIV infection in Morocco: Systematicreview and data synthesis2nd Elizabeth Varghese 55Auranofin, an anti-rheumatic gold compound, modulatesapoptosis by elevating the intracellular calcium concentration([Ca2+]i) in MCF-7 breast cancer cells3rd Sara Kader 51 Ethnic and gender differences in skin auto-fluorescencePeople's Choice AwardPrize Presenter Name Board No. Abstract Title1st Ahmed El-­‐Meer 30Novel pyridinium-based cationic lipids as gene deliveryvectors2nd Satanay Z. Hubrack 573rd Vignesh Shanmugam 28Properties of the Xenopus TRPV6 channel and its regulationby TRPC1.Comparative Gene Expression Profiling of Pilocytic andDiffuse astrocytomasJennifer Pasquier, postdoctoral associate in genetic medicine, discusses a poster with Dr. Hassen Al-Amin,associate professor of psychiatryThe retreat was also a chance for all membersof Qatar’s research community to networkand discuss possible future collaborations.The highlights of the retreat were the posterpresentations by students, postdoctoral fellowsand research specialist and the faculty talks.The retreat featured dozens of poster presentationswith topics including breast cancer,genetics and epidemiology. Lectures weregiven by various WCMC-Q faculty on subjects,including olfaction, lipid metabolism, genedelivery, the epidemiology of HIV, depression,menopause and the role of the endothelium intumor progression.The event closed with awards for the bestposter presentations.Fathima Shajeedha Ameerudeen, Class of 2016, with Dr. Kevin Smith, assistant dean for pre-medical education

50 • FeatureMedicine & U continues to boostcommunity health objectivesInternational health experts continue to beattracted to the Medicine & U outreach programto provide advice on a variety of commonillnesses prevalent in Qatar.The program was started by WCMC-Q inMarch 2009 as a series of lectures that wereopen and accessible to the general public.The initiative has focused on health issueswidespread in Qatar such as diabetes, cardiovasculardiseases, obesity, hypertension and arange of other common diseases and illnesses.Running annually from September through toJune, the monthly talks have been well receivedby locals and expats alike with ever-increasingnumbers attending the sessions at WCMC-Q.The aim is to provide the public with basic healtheducation in a simple, easy to understand formatin a friendly atmosphere that promotes goodhealth and healthy living.Dr. Marcellina Mian, the acting associate deanfor medical education, designed the Medicine& U program to introduce the general public tothe world of medicine with topics importantto the community. Subjects have includedbreast cancer, emergency care and nutritionalsupplements.Dr. Mian continues to be an active participantin the activities.At a recent lecture, she advised families andchild carers to be alert to the dangers of accidentsin the home in keeping with their child’sdevelopmental age.“Children are vulnerable to a wide varietyof injuries and accidents around the home, inplaygrounds and in any number of situations thatmay pose danger. Parents need to be vigilant toprevent these injuries and also know some basicfirst-aid techniques that can be life saving,” Dr.Mian told the audience.The Medicine & U public lecture series is anintegral component of the mission of WCMC-Qto provide quality education, research andpatient care and to provide the highest qualityof care to the community. The vice-chair andprofessor of neurology and director of neurologyclerkship at WCMC-Q, Dr. Basim Uthman, hasDr. Mian recently talked about the dangers children face in the home

Feature • 51been planning and hosting the programs sinceSeptember 2009, assisted by other faculty andstaff from the Office of Curriculum Support,and Government and Public Affairs. WCMC-Qfaculty, faculty from Hamad Medical Corporationand other internationally renowned specialistshave also provided their expertise in helping toexplain complicated health issues for the peopleof Qatar.Dr. Uthman began the lecture series in April2009 with a discussion of a common neurologicaldisorder, epilepsy. During the lecturehe summarized the scope of the problem andits impact on society. Various presentations ofseizures and their causes were addressed andmyths and facts in regards to public opinionsof epilepsy and patients with epilepsy werediscussed.In working closely with speakers, a fact sheetand a press release is generated, in Arabic andEnglish, with highlights of practical informationthat attendees and the audience at large cantake home. Following each lecture, Dr. Uthmanmoderates a question-and-answer session thataddresses general concerns of the audience. Acertified translator provides real-time Arabictranslations of the lecture and Q&A sessions. Dr.Mary Anne Baker, WCMC-Q’s director of assessmentand academic achievement coordinatesthe Medicine & U series.There have been sessions that focused onstroke in pregnancy, particularly in older women,the prevalence of heartburn, the role of thepathologist when diagnosis is uncertain, andschizophreniaDuring Medicine & U 2013, Dr. Hina Ghoryfocused on the need for emergency servicesin Qatar. Dr. Ghory is an assistant attendingphysician at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospitaland holds two separate academic appointmentsas clinical instructor in medicine; one at WeillCornell Medical College in New York in the divisionof emergency medicine and the other atWCMC-Q in the medical education department.“Medical emergencies such as skin woundsand amputations, burns, strokes and seizures,medication overdoses, choking, allergic reactionsand heart attacks are among the morecommon events that may require initial outof-hospitalmanagement. This is where basictraining in first aid is very helpful and is somethingthat should be encouraged here in Qatar,”Dr. Ghory said.Dr. Mark Pecker discussed problems with highblood pressure and he warned that it posedamong the greatest health risks because mostThe need for emergency first aid training was the focus of Dr. Ghory’s lecturepeople remain unaware that they have thiscondition until it is too late.Uncomplicated high blood pressure oftencauses no symptoms for many years, evendecades, until it finally damages certain criticalorgans, Dr. Pecker said. He advised greaterpublic awareness and urged regular screeningfor hypertension, especially for pregnantwomen and the obese. Poorly controlled highblood pressure ultimately can cause damageto blood vessels in the eye, thickening of theheart muscle and heart attacks, hardening ofthe arteries, kidney failure, and strokes, all withsevere consequences.Dr. Pecker is attending physician at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, professor of clinicalmedicine and professor of clinical medicinein physiology and biophysics at Weill CornellMedical College in New York.Associate professor of public health Dr. ZiyadMahfoud highlighted the dangers of shishasmoking with a talk entitled The Health Risksof Smoking Shisha: Facts and Fiction.He warned that shisha smokers as comparedto non-smokers are at a higher risk of developingcancer, respiratory illness, and periodontaldisease. Shisha smoking has also been linkedto low birth weight.“Tobacco use and tobacco smoke producedduring shisha smoking contain similar toxicsubstances and known carcinogens, generally instronger concentrations than found in cigarettesmoking. The charcoal and aluminium foil usedin burning the tobacco produce high levels ofcarbon monoxide and heavy metals that arealso dangerous to health,” Dr. Mahfoud said.With growing public interest in the lectureseries and the commitment of WCMC-Q tosupporting the vision of the Qatari leadershipand partnering with other health care institutionsof the country, the college plans to continueproviding Medicine & U lectures to the public.Dr. Uthman said: “We hope that the knowledgegained will boost public awareness ofcommon medical conditions relevant to thesociety of Qatar and empower the residentsof this nation to seek appropriate and timelymedical advice and lead healthier life styles.”By Hilton Kolbe

52 • HappeningsCreating a masterpiece for Paint Your Healthy Future is a messy businessال ميكن الرسم من دون العبث بالألوانChildren had the opportunity to get creative with the Paint Your Healthy Futureinitiative, part of WCMC-Q’s Sahtak Awalan campaignاأطفال يظهرون اإبداعهم يف الرسم والتلوين خالل ‏»لون مستقبلك بألوان الصحة«،‏ كجزء من حملة ‏صحتكاأوالً‏ التي اأطلقتها كلية طب وايل كورنيل يف قطرYoung members of Qatar Scout and Guides with Hind Bouzra, assistant to the director of government and public affairsاأطفال من كشافة قطر ومن مرشدات قطر مع هند بوزراع مساعدة مديرة اإدارة الصوؤون احلكومية والعامةPaint Your Healthy Future gave children the chance to be creative on a huge scaleفعّالية ‏»لون مستقبلك بألوان الصحة«‏ اأتاحت اأمام االأطفال التعبري بالألوانConcentration is everything when coloring inتركيز خالل التلوين

• 53 فعالياتNoha Saleh, director of student recruitment, at Qatar Career Fairنهى ‏صالح مدير استقطاب الطالب خالل املعرض املهنيLamya Mubayed launches a kite outside the college during April’s basant eventملياء املبيض تطريّ‏ طيارة من ورق خالل فعّالية بايسنت التي ينظمها الطالب ‏سنوياً‏ خالل ‏شهر اأبريلSian Pearson, HR generalist, talks with clinical research coordinator Wafaa Gherbiat an HR Open House session in Januaryمن اليسار:‏ ‏شون بريسون مصوؤولة ‏صوؤون املوظفني تتحدث اإىل وفاء غربي خالل اليوم املفتوح الذي نظمته اإدارة املوارد البشريةFadwa Ali and Abdullah Firoze, both of the Class of 2013, take part in basantBasant gave the future doctors a chance to relaxبايسنت مينح اأطباء املستقبل فسحة بعيداً‏ عن الدراسة والتدريبفدوى علي وعبداهلل فريوز من دفعة ٢٠١٣ يشاركان يف فعاّلية بايسنت للطائرات الورقية

53 • HappeningsDr. Javaid Sheikh at the farewell reception of outgoing acting chief administrative officer Bruce Montgomeryالدكتور جاويد ‏شيخ خالل حفل وداع بروس مونتجومري الرئيس التنفيذي للصوؤون االإدارية بالوكالةDistinguished faculty members Dr. Lyuba Konopasek, associate dean for medical education,and Dr. Nithila Isaac, assistant professor of anatomy, were bid fond farewells in Mayخالل حفل وداعمها،‏ من اليسار:‏ الدكتورة لوبا كونوبسيك العميد املشارك للتعليم الطبي والدكتورة نيتيال ايزاكاأستاذ مساعد يف علم التشريحClockwise from left: Alice Burnett, Hitomi Nakashima, Sudha Karthikeyan, Rochelle Gatdula, Rita Vaz and Wumi Akinadein the Distributed eLibraryمن اليسار:‏ األيس بورنيت،‏ هيتومي ناكاشيما،سودا كرتتيكيان،‏ روشيل جاتدوال،‏ ريتا فاز،‏ يومي اأكيماد يف املكتبة االإلكرتونيةPaul Mussleman, information services librarian, with two visitors to the deLib Open Houseبول موسيلمان اأمني اخلدمات املعلوماتية يف املكتبة االإلكرتونية معل زوار املكتبة خالل يوم املكتبة املفتوحDr. Mohamud Verjee, assistant professor of family medicine, introduces high schoool students to ‘Harvey’, the college’srobotic learning aid, in the Clinical Skills Centerالدكتور حممد فريجي،‏ اأستاذ مساعد يف الطب العائلي،‏ يعرف طالب املدارس على ‏»هاريف«،‏ الدمية االإلكرتونية املربجمة التي يتعلم عليها طالب الطباملهارات االإكلينيكية

• ٥٢ فعالياتDr. Sohaila Cheema, Faten Shunnar and Donney Moroney enjoy the performances at Coffee House 2013 in Aprilمن اليسار:‏ الدكتورة ‏سهيلة ‏شيما،‏ فاتن الشنار ودوين موروين يشاهدن عروض الطالب يف فعّالية كويف هاوس التي اأقيمت يف ‏شهر اأبريلMin Kyung Choi plays the piano for the crowdمني كيونغ تشوي تعزف على البيانوThe event was well-attended as alwaysحضور كثيف كالعادةMohammed El-Debs performing at Coffee House 2013Coffee House saw the usual mix of eclectic acts entertain the audienceكويف هاوس ملتقى املواهب الطالبية ومناسبة يستمتع بها احلضورحممد الدبس يعزق على اجليتار خالل كويف هاوس