QATAR CHRONICLE Summer 2013 Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar Breast cancer is one of the world’s biggest killers of women. WCMC-Q is determined to stop it HIGHLIGHTS The magazine of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar Produced and published by the Office of Government & Public Affairs, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar DEAN Javaid Sheikh, M.D. DIRECTOR OF GOVernMent & PUBLIC AFFAIRS Nesreen M. Al-Rifai EDITOR Richard Harris SENIOR WRITER Dr. Hilton Kolbe WRITER John Hayward PHOTOGRAPHER John Samples PRODUCTION MANAGER Mohanad Khori 20 Graduation ceremony honors the Class of 2013 CONTENTS • 1 CONTENTS 03 08 A 21st century solution to watching Shisha poses severe risk to public your weight health 10 17 Researchers tackle breast cancer scourge Prestigious initiative in global medical education 26 32 A yellow fever epidemic in Sudan The Challenge: a day of exercise, education and enjoyment 36 41 35 Poor diet and unhealthy lifestyles are Top student essayists unveiled Students who have made an outstanding a deadly choice at book launch contribution to extracurricular activities were recognized at an awards ceremony held at the Hamad Bin Khalifa University Student Center 2 • News Award for prolific WCMC-Q research team Dr. Abdul Sattar Al-Taie, executive director of QNRF; Faisal Alsuwaidi, president of research and development at QF; with Dr. Abu Raddad Investigators from WCMC-Q were presented including the University of Washington, the Fred at its different levels. The award was nominally with the Best Research Team prize at the Qatar Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle for the hard of work of our research team, but National Research Fund (QNRF) 5th Annual and Imperial College London. in truth, little would have been achieved if we Forum. The team effort produced 49 publications, did not have an effective research program and The research team, led by Dr. Laith Abu 23 journal papers, one online paper, one book administration. Raddad, associate professor of public health, chapter and 24 conference papers. “This award is for all of us in this institution, won the award for its work on a project Dr. Abu Raddad paid tribute to everyone who because everyone in every division has contrib- entitled ‘Role of Biological Co-Factors in HIV contributed to the project. uted to this project. The hard work of everyone at Epidemiology and Impact of Biomedical HIV He said: “It’s a great honor for us to win the the university has made WCMC-Q one of the key Prevention Interventions’. The award was award and to have this recognition. We have a presented in May at the forum, held at Qatar rapidly growing research establishment here in destinations for those aspiring to an outstanding National Convention Centre. Qatar and it brings much happiness to be recog- research career in this region and beyond. We The project, which was backed by QNRF’s nized for our contribution to this drive towards a are also deeply appreciative to QNRF and Qatar National Priorities Research Program, involved scientific renaissance of this region. Foundation for giving us the generous resources collaboration with researchers from several “What is special about this award is that it and the opportunity to convert scientific dreams high-profile institutions around the world, speaks for the accomplishment of this institution into realities.” News • 3 A 21st century solution to watching your weight A new mobile phone app that helps users main- the recommended daily calorie intake, it will also A unique feature of the app is a completely tain a healthy diet and encourages them to notify a person as to whether they aren’t getting new database of typical Arabic foods, such as exercise as well has been launched by WCMC-Q. enough of a specific fruit or vegetable. thureed or machboos, which until now have The application, which is available on Android Dr. Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCMC-Q, never featured in popular dietary databases. and iOS devices and called Your Health First: welcomed the launch of the new app. Furthermore, anyone who downloads the app Calorie Counter, was released as part of the “With this new application WCMC-Q is will be able to use their phone to suggest other college’s ongoing Sahtak Awalan: Your Health embracing the opportunities offered by mobile Arabic foods to add to the database, meaning First campaign. phone technologies to deliver our message about the app will become ever more comprehensive Users are able to easily and conveniently count healthy lifestyles to an ever larger audience,” over time. the number of calories they are consuming each he said. The app has been developed and powered day and will be prompted to choose healthy, by the campaign’s exclusive communications “The Sahtak Awalan: Your Health First nutritious foods instead of those high in satu- partner, Vodafone Qatar, in conjunction with campaign aims to encourage everyone in Qatar rated fats, sugar and salt. The vision is that users the college. to adopt behaviors that will promote their long- will use the app to help them maintain a healthy John Saad, chief marketing officer at Vodafone term health, and diet is a key element of the weight and make appropriate lifestyle choices. Qatar, said: “We’re proud to have created an campaign’s message. By making it very easy The application is available in both Arabic and application with the Your Health First team. Our English-language versions. for people to monitor their diets, the app allows focus was to build something simple, intuitive, The app deploys a system of traffic lights users to track exactly what they are eating and and easy to understand. Users can calculate to denote how healthy or unhealthy different see where they are eating too many of the wrong their optimum calorie intake by just sharing a dietary choices are, drawing on a vast database things. Having access to this sort of information few details and their personal goal. Users will of common foodstuffs. For example, if the user can give someone a real boost when they are be able to track their progress and even rely on logs a meal of a burger and fries, they will be trying to improve their diet. it to tell them whether their choice in food is awarded a red light. If they choose a healthy “Ultimately, the app can help more people healthy or not. salad or a dessert of fruit, they will receive a switch to the healthy lifestyle necessary to “We’re committed to supporting WCMC-Q’s green light. Opting for too many unhealthy foods enable people to contribute to the goal of moving vision to promote a healthier Qatar and to will cause the app to suggest healthy alterna- towards a knowledge-based economy, as laid out educate people to make wiser decisions when tives for the next meal. Even when eating within in the Qatar National Vision 2030.” it comes to their choice of food.” 4 • News Students celebrate completion of the pre-medical program Mohammed Haji receives his certificate from Dr. Marco Ameduri Dalal Hussain, Sarah Kanbour, Razan Al Marri and Amina Bougaila. Ian Miller discusses Star Wars Family, friends, faculty and staff all gathered students to stay true to themselves and to say Ahmad Al-Shahrani together to celebrate the completion ceremony “yes” to life and the challenges they will face. Abdulaziz Al-Thani of WCMC-Q’s pre-medical program. Student speaker Moath Abdelrehim’s tongue- Haya Al-Thani In all, 41 students completed the rigorous in-cheek speech drew laughs from his peers as Elizabeth Boctor two-year program that has seen them study he detailed the hard work and long nights of Amina Bougaila studying that is expected from students on the the sciences, English and mathematics through Anchalia Chandrakumaran premedical program. lectures, laboratory sessions and problem-based Saly El Hajj But he added: “We’ve been given the gift of a learning exercises. Aya El Jerbi At an event on April 25, they were congratu- world-class education so it is our duty to serve our community and share our assets.” Abdullah El Zafarany lated by faculty members and received Alaaeldin Elsayed certificates marking their achievement. Sarah Elsoukkary Dr. Marco Ameduri, associate dean for The successful students were: Omar Falah pre-medical education, thanked the students’ Moaz Abdelrehim Sarah Kanbour families for their continued support and spoke Joud Abu Odeh Ali Khairat of the pleasure that is felt in the college at the Ali Al-Jabri Ayesha Khalid students’ success. Fatima Al-Baqali Omar Khurshid He said: “To the students I say that the faculty Khalid Albureshad Haidar Kubba and I are very proud of your achievements and Sahar Al-Kurbi so are your families.” Alaa Kubbar Mohammadshah Gul Ahmed Mushannen The keynote speech was given by Ian Miller, Mohammed Haji Hamzah Oglat lecturer of English writing, whose eclectic Ahmed Hammouda Josia Schlogl speech veered from despair in the forests of Dalal Hussain Oregon to The keynote speech was given by Ian Lina Irshaid Fatima Sheban Miller, lecturer of English writing, whose eclectic Bilal Jaradat Mohammed Sheriff speech veered from despair in the forests of Abdulaziz Al-Malki Diala Steitieh Oregon, to Star Wars, to mythologist Joseph Razan Al-Marri Shruthi Suresh Campbell; the thread throughout being for the Alaa Al-Naama Khalid Taha News • 5 Dr. Javaid Sheikh, Dr. Marco Ameduri and Dr. Rachid Bendriss with the successful foundation students Day of celebration for foundation students The goal of becoming a qualified physician moved for your commitment, your families for supporting a little closer for 16 students as they celebrated you and our wonderful faculty and teaching Foundation Program completing the university’s foundation program.