SPEAKERS

Prof. Eva Morava

Professor of Medical Genetics, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, USA

Dr Morava did her specialty training in Europe and also in the US as pediatrician, geneticist, and metabolic specialist. Her major clinical expertise is inborn errors of metabolism (IEM). She has decades of experience in the diagnostics, follow-up, and treatment in IEM, especially in congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) and mitochondrial disorders. She is on the Minnesota newborn screening committee. She has been a council member of the Society for the Study on Inborn Errors of Metabolism (SSIEM). She is actively involved in developing novel therapies in genetic disorders. Currently, she focuses on clinical trials in IEM. She is also the main PI of the U54 FCDGC consortium https://www.rarediseasesnetwork.org/fcdgc studying congenital disorders of glycosylation.

Prof. Tamas Kozicz

Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA

Dr. Tamas Kozicz is a professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and serves as one of the core leaders on the NIH-funded U54 grant entitled Frontiers of Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation Consortium. The overarching objective of this proposal is to delineate biochemical changes beyond the glycosylation abnormalities underpinning cardiac pathology in PGM1- and PMM2-CDG and to discover novel therapeutic avenues to reverse cardiac pathology. His laboratory studies the metabolic aspects of cellular plasticity in various in vitro and in vivo model systems and has established a transdisciplinary pre-clinical research program with a special attention to the significance of cellular glycosylation and its relation to (energy) metabolism. his extensive experimental and theoretical work on understanding cellular metabolism in various disorders makes him well positioned to help establish the effect of altered protein glycosylation on cardiac dysfunction in congenital disorders of glycosylation. He has been collaborating with the laboratories of Drs Morava, Cousin and Radenkovic for many years on various projects involving perturbed glycosylation in various human diseases and their in vivo and in vitro model systems.

Prof. Paolo G.V. Martini

Chief Scientific Officer Rare Diseases, Hematology and External R&D, Moderna Inc. at Moderna, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Born in Milano, Italy in 1967, Paolo studied at the University of Milano in Italy and graduated with a PhD in Molecular Endocrinology focusing on hormone-dependent cancers such as breast and prostate cancers. He had 3 different post-doctoral Fellowships starting at the University in Milan in 1995, followed by a Fellowship from the Schering Foundation (now Bayer) from 1996 to 1997collaborating to the cloning of the human estrogen receptor b. He moved in early January1998 to the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign (USA) with a fellowship from the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to study mechanism underlying estrogen receptors regulations by coregulatory proteins and cloning a novel regulator for the estrogen receptors responsive to estrogen receptors modulators.

Paolo Martini is now the Chief Scientific Officer for Rare Diseases, Hematology and Rare Alliances at Moderna. With more than 20 years of experience in drug discovery working on molecular mechanisms underlying monogenic and multigenic metabolic and fibrotic disorders, his laboratory is focused on identifying novel therapies and applying translational approaches for drug development in Rare Diseases and Hematology disorders. Currently exploring the identification of several targets and key animal models for translating messenger RNA therapeutic in human patients.

Previously at Shire Pharmaceutical in Lexington, MA, as Senior Director of Discovery Biology and Translational Research, Massachusetts, his focus was on fibrotic diseases of muscle, kidney, skin, lung, bone marrow and metabolic liver diseases with particular emphasis on different therapeutic modalities for pathway modulation. He has been part of the launch of V-Priv (velaglucerase alpha) for Gaucher disease and Firazyr for hemoangioedema. He has supported phase 1 and 2 clinical studies for lysosomal storage and chronic kidney diseases.

He has also worked at EMD-Serono prior to Shire in Discovery Research focusing on identifying key compounds for breast cancer treatment and understanding the complexity of breast tumor tissues and related markers. He is the authors of more than 40 publications in high peer-reviewed journals and several articles on scientific magazines spanning from oncology research to rare genetic disorder. He has been collaborating with organizations supporting research and clinical development of rare metabolic disorders and fibrotic diseases and serves as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Keystone Symposia, Certa Therapeutics (Melbourne, AUS) , and Board member of the Institute of Life Changing Medicines (USA) a non-profit company focusing on CN1 (Crigler-Najjar disease type 1).

Prof. Robert Hegle

Professor, Schulich School of Medicine, Western University, Ontario, Canada

Dr. Robert Hegele is the Jacob J. (Wolfe Distinguished Medical Research Chair as well Martha Blackburn Chair in Cardiovascular Research.) He is a Distinguished University Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, and the Director of the London Regional Genomics Centre.

Through the use of DNA sequencing technology, Dr. Hegele’s research examines the human genome for DNA markers which indicate whether an individual’s susceptibility to disease is inherited. Familial medical history has long been utilized by physicians to diagnose and treat patients; Dr. Hegele’s research creates a distinction between shared family history as a result of genetic makeup, and that as a result of shared social and environmental factors. The goal of his research is to be able to identify individuals who are genetically at risk for particular conditions, and employ preventative, personalized treatment to improve their outcomes.

Dr. Louis Renyuan Luo

VP of BGI International Project Center

Joined BGI 11 years ago. He was appointed Chief Operation Officer of Reproductive Health Business Unit in Jan, 2017. He has been appointed Vice President of BGI international Project Center in 2022.

Dr. Myriam Srour

Pediatric Neurologist and Assistant Professor at McGill University Health Centre, Assistant Professor, Departments of Pediatrics, Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University. Director of the Neurogenetics and Brain Malformations Clinics, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

After completing her medical studies and Pediatric neurology residency at Mc Gill University, Dr Srour pursued a fellowship in Neurogenetics and a PhD in molecular biology at the Universit de Montreal. Dr. Srour has discovered multiple genes responsible for various neurodevelopmental disorders such as DCC (mirror movements), C5ORF42, TMEM231, CEP104 (Joubert Syndrome), RARB (PDAC syndrome), SLC45A1(Intellectual disabilities and epilepsy) and CDH2 (Neurodevelopmental disorder with corpus callosum, axonal, cardiac, ocular and genital defects).

Prof. Nadia Sakati

Senior Consultant, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Center for Genomic Medicine, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Prof Nadia Awni Sakati is a prominent Saudi pediatrician and genecist who contributed to many discoveries and advances in the field of medical genetics. She received her medical degree in 1965 from the Damascus University Medical School. Prof. Nadia Sakati holds an American Board of Pediatrics, an American Board of Pediatrics Endocrinology, and an American Board of Medical Genetics, Clinical Genetics. She is also a member of many prestigious medical societies mainly the American Society of Human Genetics, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society, American College of Medical Genetics, and American Pediatric Society. Her discoveries and research in genetic disorders resulted in the books she co-authored books with Dr. William Nyhan; Genetic and Malformation Syndrome in Clinical Medicine, 1976; Diagnostic Recognition of Genetic Disease, 1987. For the last 50 years, she has witnessed, lived and worked through a lot of advances in the field of medical genetics; from knowing the exact number of chromosomes to the genome project and the whole exome sequence to now offering families pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. She has also worked on chorionic villus sampling and carrier detection to help many families have healthy children. During her 40 years at King Faisal Specialists Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, she found general pediatrics to be challenging and rewarding as much as her other specialty.

Prof. Fowzan Sami Alkuraya

Department of Genetics King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Fowzan S Alkuraya is a Professor of Human Genetics at Alfaisal University and the Chairman of the Department of Translational Genomics at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center. He joined medical school (King Saud University) before turning 15 and graduated first in his class with first class honor. He did his pediatric residency at Georgetown University Hospital, followed by a fellowship in clinical genetics and another in molecular genetics at Harvard Medical School. He also did a postdoctoral research fellowship in the area of developmental genetics in the lab of Prof. Richard Maas at Harvard Medical School. He returned to his native Saudi Arabia to establish the Developmental Genetics Lab, which later evolved into the Center for Genomic Medicine at KFSHRC. He is an authority in the area of Mendelian genetics with more than 480 published manuscripts that describe his lab’s discovery of hundreds of novel disease genes in humans as well as many other seminal contributions to the field of human genetics as featured in profiles published by The Lancet and Science. He is a frequently invited speaker at local, regional and international conferences, on the editorial board of prominent human genetics journals, and the recipient of numerous prestigious awards including William King Bowes Award in Medical Genetics (first non-US based winner), King Salman Award for Disability Research and Curt Stern Award (first non-US based winner).

Prof. Moeen AlSayed

Chairman, Department of Medical Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Professor of Genetics, College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh Saudi Arabia

Moeenaldeen AlSayed is a Consultant Clinical Geneticist, Clinical Biochemical Genetics and Metabolic Diseases at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a Professor of Genetics at Al-Faisal University in Riyadh. Professor AlSayed has established and is the Director of the MSc Genetic Counselling Programme at AlFaisal University.

Professor AlSayed is the x-chair of the Department of Medical of the Department of Medical Genetics at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh. He served in this position for 11 years. During his tenure as a chair and among many achievements, he has established a completely new and unique Adult Genetics and Metabolic Diseases service and a fully dedicated genetic counselling service in his institution. Most of the practicing genetic counsellors in Saudi Arabia are graduates of the MSc Genetic Counselling Programme that was established by Professor AlSayed in 2014.

Professor AlSayed obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) from the Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh. He completed his paediatric residency at Yale–New Haven Children’s Hospital, Connecticut, USA and his fellowship in clinical genetics and clinical biochemical genetics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, USA. Professor Al-Sayed has an MBA from the University of Tennessee, USA.

His interests include identification of founder mutations related to metabolic and genetic disorders in the Saudi population, screening, and treatment of lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) and the management of organic acidurias. He is a frequently invited speaker at local, regional and international meetings. Professor Al-Sayed is a founding member of the Middle Eastern Metabolic Group (MEMG), the Saudi Paediatric Association – Medical Genetics Subcommittee, the Saudi Charitable Society for Genetic Disorders, the Saudi Society of Medical Genetics, and the Middle Eastern Lysosomal Storage Diseases Expert Council (MELSDEC). He has served and continues to serve on many advisory boards related to rare genetic diseases.

Prof. Majid Alfadhel

Chairman of Genetics and Precision Medicine Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Abdulaziz Medical City, MNG-HA , Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Dr. Alfadhel is currently Deputy Executive Director of King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), Chairman of Genetics and Precision Medicine department at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Director of Medical Genomic lab at King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), and Professor of Pediatrics and Genetics at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS). Additionally, he is the founder and editor-in-chief of Journal of Biochemical and Clinical Genetics, Editorial board member of International Journal of Health Sciences, Editorial board member of the Journal of Nature and Science of Medicine (JNSM), Editorial board member of BMC Pediatrics, Editorial board member of Frontier in Pediatric Neurology, Authors of 3 books and one chapter in a book and editorial board member of several international journals. Has more than 155 publications in high-impact factor journals and more than 100 abstracts. He is a supervisor and teacher for plenty of fellows, residents, and medical students. He was successful in contributing in the discovery of 50 novel genes specifically for disorders involving the brain, inborn errors of metabolism, and other single-gene defects. Prof. Alfadhel’s foresight and passion for innovation earned him an award for inventing a new application in the Apple store and Google play for the treatment of inborn errors of metabolism.

Prof. Amal Alhashem

Pediatrician, Medical Geneticist (clinical genetics), Department of Pediatrics Prince Sultan Military Medical City, & Professor of Genetics, College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Dr. Amal Alhashem is a Saudi doctor who graduated from King Saud University, SA. She was awarded pediatric and Arab Saudi Bord, then she got her fellowship certificate in medical genetic and metabolic from King Faisal university hospital and research center. She has been working as a consultant in Pediatrics and Genetic-Metabolic diseases for the last 10 years. Now currently working as head division, Consultant pediatric, medical genetic at Pediatrician in Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Currently, she is the president of the Saudi society of medical genetic, head of the Saudi birth defect registry committee, and champion of the genetic specialist center in the ministry of health. She published more than 100 papers in indexed journals and presented more than 75 conference presentations.

Prof. Aida Ibrahim Al Aqeel

Senior Consultant Pediatrics, Medical Genetics, Metabolic, and Endocrinology Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Senior Consultant Pediatrics, Medical Genetics, Metabolic, and Endocrinology Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Professor of Medical Genetics, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Adjunct Professor, College of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Lebanon.

Prof. Sarar Mohamed

Professor & Consultant pediatric endocrinologist/metabolic physician,Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Prof. Fatma Al Jasmi

Professor of Pediatrics at College of Medicine & Health science, UAE University, Al Ain Metabolic consultant at Tawam Hospital, UAE

Prof. Al Jasmi is Chair of Genetic & Genomic department, at College of Medicine & Health science, UAE University, Al Ain. Metabolic consultant at Tawam Hospital. She did her undergraduate studies at UAE University, UAE and graduated in 2000 with bachelor’s in medicine and health science. She pursued her postgraduate studies at University of Toronto, and Hospital for Sick Children, Canada. In 2006, Prof. Al Jasmi received Canadian Board of Pediatrics after completing the Pediatric residency program. Subsequently, she did her fellowship in biochemical genetics and in 2008 and certified with Canadian College of Medical Genetics Board (Biochemical Genetics). Prof. Al Jasmi established the UAEU genomic lab at CMHS, UAEU. She is the chair of rare and metabolic disease committee at department of health. She participated in the expanding of national newborn screening and the premarital screening pilot study using Whole Exome sequencing. She organized and participated in numerous national and international conferences aiming to advance rare diseases community awareness, education and clinical sciences. She collaborated with numerous national and international clinical scientist to enhance rare metabolic disease research and clinical service. Prof. Al Jasmi research involved Oxygen analyzer as a screening tool for disorders of impaired cellular bioenergetics, prevalence of inborn errors of metabolism in United Arab Emirate, Newborn screening in UAE, Whole exome sequencing for inborn errors of metabolism, mitochondrial DNA variation, lysosomal storage disorders, Peroxisomal disorders in addition to identification of biomarker for propionate metabolism. Dr. Al Jasmi is one of the founder of UAE rare disease society. Prof. Al Jasmi established the biochemical Genetic Fellowship at UAEU in collaboration with Tawam hospital and graduated two prominent Emirati consultants. She is recipient of Prime Minister Award for excellence in a specialized job (2017) Chancellors’ Innovation Award (2015) Women in Science (WiS) Hall of Fame as an outstanding woman in science throughout the Middle East North Africa region (2015) and L’Oreal UNESCO For Women in Science Pan Arab award (2013) Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum Award for Excellent Achievements in Medicine (2000).

Prof. Arif Khan

Consultant in Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus and in Ocular Genetics at Cleveland Clinic, Abu Dhabi

Arif O. Khan MD is a Consultant in Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus and in Ocular Genetics at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Dr. Khan is also Division Chief of Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and Professor of Ophthalmology at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. Previously, through the end of 2015, Dr. Khan was Senior Academic Consultant at the King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital and Senior Scientist at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, both in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Dr. Khan's clinical and research interests are the management and genetics of ocular developmental disorders and strabismus. He has authored hundreds of articles and several book chapters related to his field.

Dr. Jorge, Basto Pinto

Centogene GMBH, Germany

Dr. Jorge has over 15 years’ of experience in clinical molecular testing/ DX genetic testing. He is a clinical geneticist by training and is currently the Chief Scientific Medical Director at Centogene”.

Dr. Khalid Al-Thihli

Senior Consultant Clinical and Biochemical Geneticist, Genetics Department, Genetics and Developmental Medicine Clinic, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

Dr. Althihli is a Senior Consultant Clinical and Biochemical Geneticist in Genetics and Developmental Medicine Clinic, Genetic Department at Sultan Qaboos University, Oman. He obtained his FRCPC, FCCMG and FCCMG at Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Canada. He is an outstanding physician and received several awards at Sultan Qaboos University. He is also a member in the communities such as Society for Inherited Metabolic Disorder (SIMD), Middle East Metabolic Group and Founding Member at the Omani Society for Genetic Medicine (OSGM). He enhanced and improved his skills, abilities and knowledge and to gain more experience by publishing research related to genes and other related genetic disorders, in reputed journals.

Dr. Malak Alghamdi

Medical Geneticist at king Saud University Medical City Head of medical genetic division at KSUMC, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Malak Alghamdi, MD, is a Medical Geneticist at King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC) and associate professor at College of Medicine, King Saud University (KSU). She received her MD from KSU, Saudi Arabia, Arab board and Saudi board in pediatric and her board of Medical Genetics from Canadian College of Medical Geneticists. Dr. Alghamdi completed her fellowship in Clinical Biochemical Genetics at British Colombia Children’s Hospital. She established the clinical and academic Medical Genetics Division in (KSUMC). Her clinical work and research have focused on neurogenetic disorders and Inborn Errors of Metabolism (IEM) and she has several publications in this field. She won the Smart health initiative at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

Dr. Nouriyah Al-Sannaa

Pediatric Genetic/Metabolic Consultant. Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dahran, Saudi Arabia

Dr. Nouriyah Al-Sannaa is a Metabolic Genetic Specialist at, Saudi Aramco Medical Services Organization (SAMSO)/Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dahran, Saudi Arabia. She graduated from College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. She did her Residency training at BC Children Hospital, Vancouver, Canada and her Fellowship from the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Dr. Fuad Almutairi

Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Consultant of Medical Genetics, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Dr. Fuad Almutairi is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Consultant of Medical Genetics at Genetic and Precision Medicine Department, King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital (KASCH). He obtained his MBBS degree from KSU and Pediatric residency in PSMMC, Riyadh. He did his fellowship Program in Biochemical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver Canada. Currently, he is the Program director of Medical Genetic Fellowship program at KASCH-KAMC, Chairman of National Medical Genetic Fellowship program at SCHS, Saudi Arabia. Additionally, he is a member of the Board of Directors of Saudi Society of Medical Genetics and member of many national and international societies, in addition to other regional and international initiatives. He published 60 articles with special interest in discovering novel genes associated with neurogenetic disorders and describing their clinical and molecular characterizations via local and international collaboration. In addition, he is working at KAMC on two promising clinical projects about prevention genetics and NGS.

Dr. Wafaa Eyaid

Senior Consultant, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Senior Consultant, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Dr. Mohammed Almuqbil

Consultant Pediatric Neurologist, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences College of Medicine, KAIMRC, Ministry of National Guard Health Services, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Consultant Pediatric Neurologist, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences College of Medicine, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Ministry of National Guard Health Services, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Dr. Muneera Alshammari

Medical Genetics Division, Pediatrics Department, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Muneera Alshammari is a clinical genetics consultant at King Saud University Medical City. She joined medical school at King Saud university. She did her pediatrics residency at King Khalid University hospital, followed by a fellowship in clinical genetics at McMaster university. She has participated in many
published scientific papers that described novel genes. She received HRH Princess Al-Jawhara Albrahim Center of Excellence in Research of Hereditary Disorders Award twice for the best scientific research in the Medical Genetics.

Dr. Eissa Faqieh

Children's Specialist Hospital, Section of Medical Genetics, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Dr. Eissa Faqieh, is senior consultant sub-specialty (Pediatric and Clinical Genetics/ Metabolic), Department of Pediatrics Subspecialty, Children's Specialist Hospital, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Graduated from College of Medicine, King Saud University in 1996 and obtained the Arab Board of Pediatrics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital / King Khalid University Hospital -Riyadh-2002. Subsequently Dr. Faqeih pursue his fellowship of Clinical Genetic/Metabolic disorders Sub-specialty in King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre- Riyadh-Saudi Arabia and graduated in 2005. Additionally, he has Fellowship of Medical Genetics from McGill University, Montreal-Canada in 2008. He joined King Fahad Medical City in December 2005 and has very active genetic clinics with main interest is birth defects and clinical genetics, specially bone and lethal dysplasia. Dr. Faqeih has more than 130 publications and 4 ongoing research projects related to Mendelian disorders and the demography of the recessive diseases in KSA. He is the Head section of Medical Genetics. Dr. Faqeih is also a board member in Saudi Society of Medical genetics (SSMG) for the last 15 years and IRB member at KFMC. He is recognized national speaker in several symposia and workshops arranged by many pediatrics and genetics societies and associations and a member in American and European societies of Human Genetics.

Dr. Rawda Sunbul

Pediatrics Medical Genetics Consultant, Qatif Central Hospital, Qatif, Saudi Arabia

Dr Rawda Sunbul, MD. Graduated from King Faisal University and has both Arab and Saudi boards in Pediatrics. She finished 3 years Medical Genetic Fellowship in King Faisal Specialist Hospital and 1 year fellowship in Clinical Genetics in McGill university, Currently sh eis working as Medical Genetic consultant in Qatif Central Hospital. She is the Head of Medical Genetics Unit and head of Newborn screening program. She established one of the biggest ERT units in Saudi Arabia. She has several awards of excellent achievements and performance. She participated in national and international conferences and has interest in lysosomal storage disease and research work.

Dr. Ahmed Alfares

Senior Consultant, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Center for Genomic Medicine, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Dr. Alfares completed his medical school in Saudi Arabia and joined the medical genetics residency program at McGill University, Canada (Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons). Subsequently, he joined Harvard Medical School in 2011 and completed two fellowships training in Clinical Molecular Genetics and Clinical Biochemical Genetics. Dr. Alfares currently working as a senior consultant at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Center for Genomic Medicine. He is working on next-generation molecular genetics sequencing lab including large numbers of exome and genome testing.

Dr. Imane Boudellioua

Assistant Professor, Information and Computer Science Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia

Dr. Imane Boudellioua is an Assistant Professor in the Information and Computer Science Department at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, and one of the founding female faculty members at KFUPM. She holds a PhD degree in Computer Science from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, where she was awarded KAUST Discovery Scholarship, KAUST MSc/PhD Fellowship, and KAUST Provost Award. She is the recipient of AlMarai Prize for Scientific Creativity for her PhD thesis on machine learning methods for the prioritization of candidate causative genomic variants of Mendelian and oligogenic diseases. She was also one of the winners of KACST COVID-19 Research Grant Program. Her research interests are in computational genomics, and the application of machine learning and data mining in the biomedical field.

Dr. Ali Alodaib

King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Dr Ali Al-Odaib is a Scientific Consultant and the Director of the Newborn Screening Program at King Salman Centre for Disability Research (KSCDR), Senior Scientist, and the Director of Training and Education Office, Research Centre, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH&RC). Dr Al-Odaib is involved in several research activities including the molecular and biochemical characterization of inherited metabolic diseases, which allowed him to contribute to the establishment of several preventive programs, including: The National Newborn Screening Program in Saudi Arabia, Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis, Genetic Studies of Obesity in Saudi Arabia, Molecular description of autism, and Molecular genetic studies of chromosomal disorders.

Dr. Bahauddeen Alrfaei

Cellular and Molecular Pathology â€“ specialist in Cancer Stem Cells and Rear Diseases Research King Abdullah International Medical Research Center Research Scientist (KAIMRC), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Dr. Bahauddeen Alrfaei is a Research Scientist in the Dept. of Cellular Therapy and Cancer Research at King Abdullah International Research Center (KAIMRC) under King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. He earned his PhD in Cellular and Molecular Pathology in 2013 from the University of Wisconsin Madison, USA. Later, he did postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University in USA, 2013-2014 focusing on Genomics and Molecular Characterization of Glioblastoma Stem Cells. Dr. Alrfaei is a principal investigator in multiple funded projects totalling more than 3,000,000 SAR. His involvement as Co-Investigator in funded projects totaling more than 4,000,000 SAR. Dr. Alrfaei research interests are cancer stem cells, metabolic disorders and neural development. Dr. Alrfaei has multiple patents. In addition, he mentors Master students, PhD students, and postdoctoral scholars. Further, he serves as a consultant for Saudi FDA and other local and international committees. He has many publications in his area.

Dr. Mohammed Almannai

Section of Medical Genetics, Children's Hospital, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Dr. Al Mannai completed his Medical doctor degree (MD) at Arabian Gulf University, Bahrain. He took his Pediatrics residency and medical internship training at Pediatrics Residency, Salmaniya Medical Complex, Ministry of Health, Bahrain. He continued his education at Pediatrics residency at the University of South Alabama, Children's and Women's Hospital, Mobile, AL. He received his specialty training in Medical Biochemical and Medical Genetics Genetics fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX. Dr. Manai is working as a consultant in medical and biochemical genetics at King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh. He is responsible, reliable and very hard working physician. Moreover, Dr. Al Mannai conducted several presentations all over the Kingdom and internationally. Also, he is active in research publications and published more than 10 studies.

Dr. Hana AlHarbi

Assistant Professor, University of Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

Dr. Hana Alharbi is an assistant professor of clinical and biochemical genetics at Tabuk University, Saudi Arabia. She earned her medical degree from King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah and joined pediatric residency in Brooklyn-New York Presbyterian Hospital. She completed fellowship training programs in medical genetics and clinical and medical biochemical genetics in the University of Pittsburgh, the University of California, LA and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She is interested in improving the quality of care and early diagnosis of patients with inborn errors of metabolism.

Dr Brahim Tabarki

Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Dr. Amal Al Teneijy

Metabolic Genetics Consultant, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi

Dr. Amal completed her undergraduate studies at UAE University and graduated in 2006 with Bachelor in Medicine and Health Science. She then completed the pediatrics residency program at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City and successfully obtained the Arab Board Specialization in Pediatrics as well as the MRCPCH. She then continued and pursued further postgraduate studies at The University of Toronto, and Hospital for Sick Children, Canada. In 2014, She completed a clinical fellowship in biochemical genetics. She is certified by the Canadian College of Medical Genetics Board in Clinical Biochemical Genetics. Currently, she is a metabolic genetics consultant at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi.