Neoplasms and Factors Associated with Their Development in Patients Diagnosed with Myotonic Dystrophy Type I Item Type dissertation Authors Alsaggaf, Rotana Publication Date 2018 Abstract Background. Recent epidemiological studies have provided evidence that myotonic dystrophy type I (DM1) patients are at excess risk of cancer, but inconsistencies in reported cancer sites exist. The risk of benign tumors and contributing factors to tu... Keywords Cancer; Tumors; Cataract; Comorbidity; Diabetes Mellitus; Myotonic Dystrophy; Neoplasms; Thyroid Diseases Download date 07/10/2021 07:06:48 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10713/7926 Rotana Alsaggaf, M.S. Pre-doctoral Fellow - Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics, National Cancer Institute, NIH PhD Candidate – Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, University of Maryland, Baltimore Contact Information Business Address 9609 Medical Center Drive, 6E530 Rockville, MD 20850 Business Phone 240-276-6402 Emails [email protected] [email protected] Education University of Maryland – Baltimore, Baltimore, MD Ongoing Ph.D. Epidemiology Expected graduation: May 2018 2015 M.S. Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine Concentration: Human Genetics 2014 GradCert. Research Ethics Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 2009 B.S. Biological Science Minor: Biomedical Sciences 2009 Cert. Biomedical Engineering Interdisciplinary studies program Professional Experience Research Experience 2016 – present Pre-doctoral Fellow National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics Mentor: Dr. Shahinaz Gadalla Main Research Projects: § Assessing benign and malignant tumor risks in patients with myotonic dystrophy § Understanding clinical factors associated with cancer development in myotonic dystrophy § Data management activities related to the project: the United Kingdom Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) 2015 – 2016 Graduate Research Assistant University of Maryland, Baltimore Infectious Disease & Hospital Epidemiology rotation Mentor: Dr. Anthony Harris § Conducted a systematic review of quasi- experimental studies in infection control and antibiotic resistance § Performed data validation for a large cohort study: “Epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumannii: An Emerging Nosocomial Pathogen” 2013 – 2014 Assistant Clinical Research Coordinator King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center Jeddah, Saudi Arabia § Assisted in preparation, implementation, and evaluation of clinical research performed at the hospital § Developed, evaluated, and translated case report/informed consent forms § Collaborated on regulatory and ethical submissions, and communicated with relevant authorities § Aided in recruitment and coordination for clinical trials. Responsibilities included: obtaining informed consent, screening and inclusion of subjects, ensuring adherence to safety and compliance § Performed data collection, management, and analysis 2009 – 2010 Graduate Student Researcher University of Northern Colorado Biotechnology and Genomics research Mentor: Dr. Chhandak Basu § Performed genetic modification of cells and vector construction § Analyzed transgenic cells for production of biofuel and other economically important compounds in plants 2005 – 2006 Undergraduate student researcher Colorado State University Ecological and Evolutionary Research Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Pilon-Smits § Studied the effects of selenium hyper-accumulation in soil on feeding behavior and predator-prey interactions Teaching Experience 2015 – 2016 Teaching Assistant University of Maryland - Baltimore Fall 2016 Environmental and Occupational Health (PREV 668) Spring 2016 Observational Studies in Epidemiology (PREV 659) Fall 2015 Biostatistical Methods (PREV 621) Responsibilities included: § Delivered select lectures § Lead in-class discussions and tutorial sessions § Graded homework assignments § Assisted in constructing assignments and exams Provided assistance with course materials to students, individually and in small groups 2006 – 2007 Statistics tutor Colorado State University, Science & Mathematics Tutorial Hall, Ft. Collins, CO § Provided assistance to students individually and in small groups § Reviewed course materials, texts, and provided support with homework assignments Administrative experience 2010 – 2013 Assistant General Manager Alsaggaf Sons Co Ltd., Jeddah, Saudi Arabia § Oversaw daily operations § Developed, analyzed, and managed the company’s budgets and financial plans § Served as primary liaison with international manufacturers and international dealers/distributors Leadership/Service Activities 2017-Present Member Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics, Fellows’ training symposium planning committee • Planned the event with fellow committee members • Selected and invited speakers and event hosts • Recorded minutes of meetings 2017 Facilitator Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD • Lead 2 ethics discussion sessions 2017-Present Reviewer International Journal of Chronic Diseases 2016 Coordinator Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD • Coordinated the February Fellows’ colloquium 2016 – Present Student representative University of Maryland, Graduate Student Association, Baltimore, MD § Serve as primary representative for the department of epidemiology and human genetics § Serve on the finance committee o Review and score student travel award applications Awards & Honors 2017 IDMC-11 Young Investigator Travel Award ($1,500) 2016 Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society 2005 Golden Key International Honour Society (invitation) 2005 National Society of Collegiate Scholars 2004 Dean’s List, College of Natural Sciences, Colorado State University 2004 President’s List, Tallahassee Community College Skills • Statistical software: SAS, SPSS, MYSTAT, R • Database management software: Microsoft Access, Refworks, Endnote • Foreign language: Arabic Training • Short Course: Introduction to Causal Inference. Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health, June 2017 • R Programming. Johns Hopkins University, Coursera, March 2017 • CITI and HIPPA Compliance Memberships • Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER) • American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Publications Alsaggaf R, O’Hara L, Stafford K, Leekha S, Harris AD. Quasi-experimental studies in the fields of infection control and antibiotic resistance, 10 years later: A systematic review. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. 2018; 39:170-176. Wang Y, Pfeiffer RM, Alsaggaf R, Meeraus W, Gage JC, Anderson LA, et al. Risk of skin cancer among patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 based on Primary care physician data from the United Kingdom Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Int J Cancer. 2017. Alsaggaf R, Wang Y, Marini-Bettolo C, Wood L, Nikolenko N, Lochmüller H, Greene M, Gadalla S. Benign and Malignant Tumors in the UK Myotonic Dystrophy Patient Registry. Muscle & Nerve. 2017. Zwenger SR, Alsaggaf R, Basu C. Does an expressed sequence tag (EST) library of Salsola iberica (tumbleweed) help to understand plant responses to environmental stresses? Plant Signaling & Behavior. Nov 2010; 5(11): 1330–1335. Platform Presentations Alsaggaf R, St. George DM, Pfeiffer RM, Wang Y, Zhan M, Wagner KR, Greene MH, Amr S, Gadalla S. Benign and Malignant Tumors in Patients with Myotonic Dystrophy Type I: A UK-CPRD Double Cohort Study. Presented at: International Myotonic Dystrophy Consortium Meeting (IDMC-11); Sep 2017; San Francisco, CA. Poster Presentations Alsaggaf R, O’Hara L, Stafford K, Leekha S, Harris AD. Quasi Experimental Studies in the Fields of Infection Control and Antibiotic Resistance, 10 Years Later: A Systematic Review. Poster presented at: IDWeek 2017; October 2017; San Diego, CA. Wang Y, Pfeiffer RM, Alsaggaf R, Meeraus W, Gage JC, Anderson LA, Bremer RC, Nikolenko N, Lochmuller H, Greene MH, Gadalla SM. Risk of skin cancer among patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1: data from the United Kingdom Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Poster presented at: 33rd International Conference on Pharmacoepidemiology & Therapeutic Risk Management Meeting; August 2017, Montreal, Canada. Alsaggaf R, Khincha P, Aubert G, Dagnall C, Katki H, Spellman S, Hicks B, Jones K, Savage S, Gadalla S. Correlation and agreement of qPCR and flow-FISH lymphocyte telomere length measurements in healthy adults. Poster presented at: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Meeting - Telomeres & Telomerase; May 2017; Cold Spring Harbor, NY. Alsaggaf R, Wang Y, Marini-Bettolo C, Wood L, Nikolenko N, Lochmüller H, Greene M, Gadalla S. Benign and Malignant Tumors in the UK Myotonic Dystrophy Patient Registry. Poster presented at: Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation Annual Conference; September 2016; Washington DC. Abstract Title of Dissertation: Neoplasms and Factors Associated with Their Development in Patients Diagnosed with Myotonic Dystrophy Type I Rotana Alsaggaf, Doctor of Philosophy, 2018 Dissertation Directed by: Diane Marie M. St. George, PhD; Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland, Baltimore (co- chair) and Shahinaz M. Gadalla, MD, PhD; Principal Investigator, Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (co-chair) Background. Recent epidemiological studies have provided evidence that myotonic dystrophy type I (DM1) patients are at excess risk of cancer,