Joanne Karam has successfully defended her PhD dissertation entitled: “Comparison of lifestyles among Mediterranean populations: eastern vs western”. This PhD dissertation is within the scope of the HERMES project, funded by the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 Programme. 

The dissertation was prepared under a “co-tutelle” agreement between the University of Balamand (UOB) and the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), Spain. It was co-supervised by Professor Josep A. TUR (Research Group in Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, UIB) and Associate Professor Mireille H. SERHAN (Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, UOB).

The research focused on the micronutrients and macronutrients intake in the diet of older adults in the region of Mallorca-Spain and their physical condition on one hand; and on the adherence to Mediterranean diet among University students and older adults in Lebanon on the other hand. 

Joanne presented her work in the University of the Balearic Islands on July 10th, 2019 in front of a Jury presided by Professor Alfredo MARTINEZ (Department of Nutrition, Food Science, Physiology and Toxicology, University of Navarra, Spain). She was congratulated for her excellent oral presentation and her well written manuscript and was awarded the title of PhD in Nutrition and Food Science (https://diari.uib.cat/arxiu/Ladhesio-a-la-dieta-mediterrania-semblances-i.cid595010).

Joanne presented her work in several national and international conferences. She has two published articles in international peer-reviewed Q1 journals and 5 others additional papers are on the way.