WCMC-Q Celebrates Ten Years of Excellence in Education, Research and Clinical Care HIGHLIGHTS CONTENTS
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WINTER 2012 WCMC-Q celebrates ten years of excellence in education, research and clinical care HIGHLIGHTS CONTENTS The magazine of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar Produced and published by the Office of Public Affairs, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar Your Health First and the SEC The Supreme Education Council joins forces with DEAN WCMC-Q for the college’s ambitious health campaign 07 Javaid Sheikh, M.D. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS WCMC-Q’s 10th anniversary Nesreen Al-Refai The college’s achievements over the past decade were celebrated with a dazzling ceremony attended 08 ASSOCIATE EDITOR by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Richard Harris SENIOR WRITER Hilton Kolbe Researcher sets the pace Dr. Arash Rafii talks about taking part in an 119km trail run in the Alps 20 SENIOR WRITER John Hayward PHOTOGRAPHER Bridging the linguistic gap John Samples The Center for Cultural Competence in Healthcare holds its first medical interpretation course for volunteers 27 PRODUCTION MANAGER Mohanad Khouri A new approach to healthcare The new CEO of Sidra Medical and Research Center discusses his plans for the future of the hospital 30 Doctors of the future The winners of WCMC-Q’s Healing Hands competition talk about their experiences in New York 33 Medicine in Tanzania The experiences of two students at Weill Bugando Medical Center in East Africa 36 The sweet smell of success Researchers investigate the olfactory systems of desert 24 animals to gain insights into the process of evolution 2 • News News • 3 The danger of a $12.5 million funding windfall diabetes epidemic for WCMC-Q research projects Dr. Mamtani addresses the World Diabetes Day symposium urrently, there are 347 million people the development of diabetes, Dr. Mamtani said. at Hamad General Hospital, Dr. Mahmoud C worldwide who have diabetes mellitus, In addition, obesity, lack of exercise and an Zirie, highlighted the problems associated with Dr. Ravinder Mamtani, associate dean for global unhealthy diet are also major contributing factors diabetes and the urgent need to educate the and public health at WCMC-Q, told a diabetes especially for persons aged over 45. general public about its risk and prevalence. awareness forum hosted at Hamad General According to the World Health Organization, Dr. Machaca said the funding will help the people of Qatar Hospital in Doha. “Seventy percent of diabetes risk is attributable consequences of increased blood sugar led to to being overweight and 90 percent of diabetics an estimated 3.4 million deaths worldwide in CMC-Q was awarded $12.5 million in the fifth cycle of the National high rate of success for the college’s funding applications demonstrated The statistics for Qatar are not much better, Dr. are overweight,” Dr. Mamtani said. “Losing 2004. Deaths due to diabetes according to WHO W Priority Research Program (NPRP) from the Qatar National Research the excellence of the proposed research and the dedication, success and Mamtani said, where nearly 17 percent of the weight reduces the risk of diabetes or results in projections are likely to increase by two-thirds Fund (QNRF). high-level science performed by the faculty. He also said that this sustained population have diabetes and a third of sufferers its remission. Overweight individuals who lose between 2008 and 2030. level of funding from the QNRF is evidence of the central role that the fund In all, 13 WCMC-Q research projects have benefited, which translates as a are unaware that they have diabetes. even small amounts of weight, like 10 pounds, will is playing in establishing a research culture in the State of Qatar. find their medical condition improve, progression Dr. Zirie and Dr. Mamtani were joined by diabetes 37 percent success rate for the college – one of the highest for large, Qatar- based educational establishments. He was addressing the World Diabetes Day of diabetes slowed or its symptoms disappear. experts, Dr. Amin Jayyousi, Dr. Mahmoud Zayoud Dr. Machaca added: “The funded projects have clear benefits for Qatar 2012 symposium that is observed worldwide on This can be achieved by regular exercise and and Ms. Maya Atani who focused on diabetes The projects span the scientific range with a focus on biomedical issues and its people. As part of our commitment to Qatar Foundation, Cornell is November 14. The theme of the symposium for appropriate dietary changes.” and pregnancy, type 2 diabetes in children and important for Qatar and the region, including research into genomics, committed to train doctors and help create and foster a culture of research this year was ‘Let’s Protect Our Future’. obesity in children respectively at the World diabetes, pregnancy, epidemiology, cellular and molecular biology, in the country. These projects do that and the results are likely to have long- In his opening address to the high profile gathering Diabetes Day symposium. neurodegenerative diseases, and mental health issues. term advantages for Qatar.” Individuals with a family history of diabetes of medical and academic staff, the assistant and high blood pressure are most at risk for professor of medicine and head of endocrinology By Hilton Kolbe Dr. Khaled Machaca, associate dean for research at WCMC-Q, said the The funding provided by QNRF will be released over a period of three years. 4 • News Events • 5 “This has been such a great experience for me. I am fortunate to be Traditional White Coat awarded such an opportunity and I will use this experience to build on a career as a specialist in hematology/oncology. It is an opportunity of a lifetime that will hopefully be the foundation of a successful research and medical career for me,” Dr. Al-Khafaji said. Ceremony marks start of Dr. Al-Khafaji is one of 44 trainees selected by the ASH who will each receive $4,000 to conduct research on blood and blood-related diseases. The award is designed to foster interest and to expose them medical career for students to both hematology and research early in their careers and to inspire them to pursue research in hematology as part of their future training. Dr. Al-Khafaji arrived at WCMC-Q from Iraq on a scholarship offered by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. His award will allow him to build upon the research experience he gained at WCMC-Q. During his time at the college he was involved in a research collaboration between WCMC-Q’s Department of Genetic Medicine and WCMC’s Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Development. The project, Folic Acid Supplementation Affects Epigenetic Changes Associated with the Wnt Pathway: Implications for Neural Tube Defects, resulted in an abstract presented at the 40th annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience 2010 in San Diego, California. In addition to receiving research funds, each ASH awardee will receive $1,000 to travel to the 54th ASH annual meeting at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta in December. Attendance at this event, the premier annual education and scientific meeting in the field of hematology, provides Trainee Research Award recipients with many opportunities to network with leaders in the field and to learn about the latest research and therapies in hematology. The Trainee Research Awards have supported hundreds of students and medical residents in the United States, Mexico and Canada since Alumnus wins 1995. The funding is distributed through the awardees’ institutions and supports the trainees’ research projects for a duration of three to 12 hematology trainee months. ASH president Armand Keating, M.D. of Princess Margaret Hospital in The dean and senior faculty members pose with WCMC-Q’s newest trainee physicians Toronto congratulated the winners. “We anticipate hearing more about research award f any students in the Class of 2016 still had some lingering doubts about Dr. Sheikh welcomed the students and wished them success with their the discoveries made by this talented group in the years to come,” Dr. studies. “You are joining the most noble of professions,” he said. “There Keating said. I the challenges facing them over the next four years, WCMC-Q’s dean, Dr. Javaid Sheikh, highlighted the bumpy road ahead at the traditional White will be hard work ahead but you will benefit from the world class facilities of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar and the experience of our faculty ife just continues to get better for recent WCMC-Q graduate Dr. Jawad The American Society of Hematology, based in Washington, D.C., is Coat Ceremony held as the first semester got underway. who will help you along the way.” L Al-Khafaji who has been selected for the prestigious American Society of the world’s largest professional society concerned with the causes and Hematology’s (ASH) 2012 Trainee Researcher Award. treatment of blood disorders. Its mission is to further the understanding, Hosted at the Hamad Bin Khalifa Student Center, family, friends and faculty The new chief executive officer of Sidra Medical and Research Center, Dr. diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting blood, bone members watched as 39 first-year medical students were presented with a William Owen, delivered an inspiring keynote address and challenged the Years of hard work and dedication have paid off for this 2011 graduate who is marrow, and the immunologic, hemostatic, and vascular systems by stethoscope and the short version of the traditional doctor’s white coat as students to take up the opportunities available to them. The Class of 2016 currently a medical resident at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of promoting research, clinical care, education, training, and advocacy in a symbol of introduction to the medical fraternity. This is a ritual that has will be an integral part of Sidra in the years ahead, Dr.