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Skip Navigation LinksHome > Faculties > Faculty of Health Sciences > Newsletter 2
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Newsletter Issue 02

WELCOME NOTE









Dear FHS alumni and friends,
We are delighted to launch the second electronic newsletter of the Faculty of Health Sciences at UOB. Through our newsletter, we hope to update you with the different developments of our Faculty. In this issue, we share with you news about our academic programs, our research and scholarly productivity, and the activities of our faculty. Despite the economic crisis and the pandemic, FHS student enrollment has increased by 15% over the past year; 7% undergraduate and 75% graduate and all students were able to complete their clinical/lab/practice requirements at different hospitals and community centers throughout the country. FHS faculty continued to excel and to attract intra-and extramural funding. Dr. Lara Haddad received a Fulbright scholarship to conduct IBD research at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, for a period of six months. Dr. Lina Tawk received AUF Fellowship to spend 3 months at the Pasteur Institute in France to develop new techniques in molecular malaria and anti-malarial drugs. Dr. Mira El Chaar is spending one year at McGill University to conduct research on microbes using genome-sequencing technologies and advanced bioinformatics. The Nursing Program at the Faculty of Health Sciences has won the Excellence Award for Distinguished Academic Institution from the Scientific Society of Arab Nursing Faculties for the year 2021.The Community Engagement Department celebrated Human Rights Day on December 10 to showcase the work they have done in this area and to distribute student awards for best essays and posters. In this Newsletter, more information is provided on the accreditation of all 4 of our academic programs, profiles of two of our faculty, newly funded studies, the launching of an International Advisory Board, and stories of our alumni.

DR. HUDA ABU-SAAD HUIJER
Dean Faculty of Health Sciences





O U T L I N E


PROFILING FHS
RESEARCHERS
THE INTERNATIONAL
HUMAN RIGHTS DAY : DOCE
THE F​HS FUNDED
RESEARCH PROJECTS
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UPDATES ON
ACCREDITATION
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INTERNATIONAL
ADVISORY BOARD
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FHS ALUMNI
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VACCINATION CENTER
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FHS PUBLICATIONS 2021
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Profiling FHS researchers





Lara Haddad, Assistant Professor
Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences
FHS, UOB.


I am delighted to tell you about my participation in the Fulbright Scholarship Program offered by the US embassy in Beirut. I have recently launched a project in the faculty about Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), an emerging disease in our society. To better improve and deepen my knowledge, I applied and was subsequently granted the Fulbright Scholarship. Participating in the Fulbright Program allowed me to go to a pioneer laboratory in the US. This was an exceptional and informative experience for me. I was exposed to new cutting edge techniques used in the field. It matched my professional interest and gave me the chance to work alongside bright colleagues in the laboratory setting, experts in different research fields, all contributing and enriching the Inflammatory Bowel Diseases' studies on many aspects. I have met professional people that share my passion to help others in learning new technical skills and be creative in finding innovative ideas to advance research. The Fulbright experience expanded my professional network, enriched my cultural interests and enlarged my circle of friends. It gave me the opportunity to explore new work and social environments. It also gave me the opportunity to share many aspects of my culture. I would like to encourage all my colleagues to deepen their knowledge and skills, by always seeking international exchange opportunities. That, will keep us all up to date and will help each person in our academic and scientific community to progress in a wide, yet specialized scientific field. This would enable us to perform experiments, evaluate programs, and initiate advanced changes when needed as part of our role as academicians.












Mathilde Azar, Assistant Professor
Nursing Program
FHS, UOB.


I am a quantitative and qualitative researcher with many years of clinical research. I am also experienced in scoping review. My research interest is in the field of Women’s Health, Children’s Health, and Leadership in Healthcare and Higher Education. My current focus is on sexuality and sexual health considering the multidimensional nature of the topic, its taboo aspect and the scarcity of publications that tackle peoples’ sexual concerns and needs within the Lebanese context and regional area. Findings from these studies that mainly address women’s sexuality, sexual difficulties, the factors that shape help-seeking behavior for sexual difficulties, role of nurses and midwives in sexual healthcare enlighten health professionals and researchers to promote sexual healthcare services and broaden the scope of sexual health research.

I also have ongoing research on the methodology of teaching and learning in higher education. I am working on multiple case studies that explore the context and framework of online education, tackling issues related to the instructors, students, and resources. Online education has become a growing market that imposes a new way of defining, designing, and delivering education to better serve students’ needs. Gaining an in-depth understanding of this learning and teaching method within our Lebanese context will help us implement effective and successful education practices.

I am reviewer in many peer-reviewed journals and I have also supervised Master and PhD students’ theses.

These research activities have allowed me to collaborate with scholars from Lebanon and abroad and get the opportunity to exchange ideas, opinions, knowledge and skills. My aim is to promote research and further develop research projects that involve multidisciplinary teamwork and contribute to capacity building and boost of the body of knowledge.

The International Human Rights Day: DoCE

The Department of Community Engagement (DoCE) at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Balamand, under the leadership of Dr. Habbouba Aoun, celebrated the International Human Rights Day with the completion of a joint project with UN-OHCHR entitled ‘Dealing with the Past, Memories for the Future’.

The aim of the project was to raise awareness among university students about people who were kidnapped during the Lebanese civil war. The students learned about the “Ugly Truth” of the civil war by attending several sessions with experts from diverse backgrounds, such as lawyers, scholars and representatives from various NGO’s. The students were also able to listen to family members whose loved ones were kidnapped during the war. Students were emotionally taken aback and inspired by their strength and resilience.

At the end of the project, students were required to write two essays on the topic and to create a poster as part of a competition. Three posters were chosen as the exceptional ones. Below you can find the posters that won the competion.



FHS Funded research projects

Dr. Dominique Dano, Assistant Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences
Title: « Credibility of Food labels (FL) and Nutrition and Health Claims (NHC) on Lebanese food products: Comparison of consumers’ perception of product healthfulness with its actual content »
Investigators and Collaborators: Dr. Dominique Dano (PI), Dr. Christelle Salameh (USEK), Dr. Amine Kassouf (Lebanese University).
Funding source: UOB Research Grant

Food Labels (FL) and Nutrition Information (NI) are important tools used in Nutrition Education as they enable consumers to make informed dietary choices and ensure avoidance of certain nutrients. In fact, the provision of nutrition information through FL on food products has increasingly become an essential policy obligation. In addition to NI, Nutrition and Health Claims (NHC) are present on food products and are also subject to regulation. Studies conducted to evaluate the impact of FL and NHC on consumers usage, perception, and purchase behavior of food products showed conflicting results. On one hand, FL reduces consumer dietary intake of selected nutrients and influences industry practices to reduce product contents of sodium and artificial trans-fat. Likewise, NI and NHC are useful tools to increase consumers’ awareness and knowledge regarding the nutritional value of food products. On the other hand, studies have shown that NHC may have a ‘health halo’ effect making food products appear healthier than what they really are.

In Lebanon, there is a lack of data regarding the impact of these claims on consumers’ attitude, purchasing intentions and potential risks accompanying it.

The aim of this project is to assess the impact and credibility of FL and NHC on the Lebanese population using survey-based questionnaires. Chemical analysis of food products with NHC will be done using AOAC methods to determine their actual nutrient content, compare it with information on FL and its compliance with international standards and existing legislations. Results are expected to show lack of knowledge of Lebanese population regarding FL and NHC. A nonlinear relation is expected to be found between knowledge attitude and practices of the Lebanese population regarding NHC. Likewise, content analysis is expected to show discrepancies between FL, NHC and the actual content, particularly in products of new startups and those with multiple HC. It is also expected that some claims do not meet criteria fixed by Codex and Lebanese and International regulations.


Dr. Bahia Abdallah, Assistant Professor, Nursing Program
Title : « Determinants of emotional exhaustion in Lebanese nurses COVID-19 frontliners ».
Investigators and Collaborators: Dr. Bahia Abdallah (PI), Dr. Rana Abdel Malak (Independent Executive Consultant- Healthcare), Dr. Abir Abdel Rahman (FHS-UOB) Funding source: UOB Research Grant


The novice worldwide pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 known as COVID-19, caused serious health conditions and various symptoms. The high transmissibility of the virus caused an exponential growth of cases. Lebanon suffered from its hardest wave between the months of January and March 2021, where most of the hospitals beds were fully occupied. This increased the workload burden on the nurses and healthcare workers. Healthcare providers, mostly frontliners, are faced with hectic, unpredictable events, and urgent situations that increase their frustration, ambiguity, and burnout level. These challenges combined contribute to work-related exhaustion. Due to the nature of a nurse’s heavy workload, and risk of exposure to infectious disease, most studies on burnout focused on nurses.

The purpose of the current study is to assess and identify socio-demographic and psychological factors associated with emotional exhaustion of frontline nurses—providers of care to COVID -19 patients. As well as, to investigate if, self-confidence in learning, organizational support, and coping mechanisms explain variation in emotional exhaustion of COVID-19 Lebanese RN frontliners. This study is guided by the Normalization Process Theory (NPT). The NPT will provide the theoretical underpinning to explain and understand the work done by frontline nurses in order to normalize the processes of care associated with COVID-19 and the pandemic in general.

Since the intention is to examine the relationship between the predictor factors of nurses’ self-confidence in learning, organizational support, and responders’ coping mechanisms and the outcomes factors of responders’ perception of emotional exhaustion, a predictive cross-sectional correlational design will be used.

Understanding the socio-demographic and psychological factors associated with emotional exhaustion of nurses and factors facilitating normalization of care processes is important for implementing better prevention and response mechanisms to a disaster, and avoiding burnout of core frontliners like nurses during long-haul pandemic.


Dr. Mathilde Azar Assistant Professor, Nursing Program
Title: « Elements that Reflect a Community of Inquiry in the Design of Emergency Online Learning: An activity theory perspective in higher education ».
Investigators and Collaborators: Dr. Mathilde Azar (PI), Dr. Ghania Zgheib (FAS-UOB), Dr. Sara Salloum (FAS-UOB)
Funding source: UOB Research GrantM


With higher education institutions transitioning to online teaching and learning, challenges ranging from online course design to student engagement have surfaced especially in parts of the world where online learning was not accepted prior to COVID-19. Using the Activity Theory as a research framework, this study investigates, in an emergency remote learning situation, the online learning methodology in light of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) approach.

In Lebanon, economic and political issues have had their influence on the education system and limited the integration of current trends in education. Yet, with the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic, online education becomes a must. Poor online learning design may lead to misperceptions about this modality when in truth educational institutions should be taking advantage of the affordances and the possibilities of this online format. As little research exists in Lebanon on the subject, the current study is important to develop insights on enhancing equitable online teaching and learning of diverse students.

The methodological approach is multiple case studies in a private higher education institution in Lebanon. Three mixed methods case studies will be used to explore the opportunities and challenges that emerge when transitioning courses into online formats and their impact on students according to COI approach.

This study is necessary to reflect on the current academic practices and inform changes towards better implementation of online learning. As online learning continues to grow, this study will inform the design of online learning that responds to students’ needs. It will help the educators to offer well-designed and properly delivered courses and interactive and suitable learning environment that attend to students’ needs and expectations and engage them in higher levels of thinking and learning.


Dr. Abir AbdelRahman, Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences
Title: “Physicians’ perceptions towards Venous Thromboembolism Practice Guidelines implementation using the Theoretical Domains Framework”
Investigators and Collaborators: Dr. Abir Abdel Rahman (PI), Dr. Bahia Abdallah (FHS-UOB), Dr. Lara Youssef (FOM-UOB) - In collaboration with Dubai Health Authority.
Funding source: UOB Research Grant


This cross-sectional study is planned to produce quantitative data about VTE behaviour , among a representative sample of physicians treating hospitalized patients in Lebanon and in hospitals in Dubai. It will be conducted at five tertiary hospitals from the different existing Mouhafazat in Lebanon and from four hospitals in Dubai. Physicians providing medical and surgical care for hospitalized adult patients in tertiary hospitals will be included in this study. The sample is a non -probability convenient sampling by recruiting those who meet the inclusion criteria and agreed to take part in this study. The questionnaire will include three sections: (1) demographic questions, (2) questions related to the behaviour of interest and (3) questions related to perceptions and beliefs of physicians. The main outcome variable is the adherence with the VTE clinical practice guidelines. The independent variables are the demographical characteristics, and the relevant themes identified in the qualitative study and underpinned by the TDF. It is expected that the constructs classified under the eight domains of TDF (knowledge, beliefs about capabilities, beliefs about consequences, reinforcement, goals, environmental context and resources, social influence and behavioural regulations) predict the compliance with the VTE clinical practice guidelines.

The use of the TDF in this study delivers a theory-driven basis to establish an association between the demographic characteristics, physician’s perception and beliefs and the compliance with VTE clinical practice guidelines. The data obtained from the two different settings (Lebanon and Dubai) will shed light on the difference in perceptions related to the VTE implementation among physicians. The results can be used to design theoretically-based interventions by targeting specific psychological constructs and implementing behaviour-change techniques to alter the behaviour of physicians and to increase the uptake of evidence into practice.


Dr. Mira Chaar, Associate Professor, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences
Title: « Identification and characterization of bacteria in human breastmilk and their transfer to the newborn’s Gastro-Intestinal tract ».
Investigators and Collaborators: Dr. Mira Chaar (PI), Dr. Abir Abdel Rahman (FHS-UOB), Dr. Bahia Abdallah (FHS-UOB).
Funding source: UOB Research Grant


Mothers that undergo C-section are routinely prescribed intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP), which might affect the composition of their breastmilk microbiome and subsequently increase the chance of introducing antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) to the newly forming microbiome of their newborn. In addition, despite all efforts of stewardship, antibiotic abuse has become a norm in the Lebanese society. This, in turn, increases the prevalence of ARGs in bacterial population and promotes antibiotic resistance genes transfer and propagation in the environment. There is a lack of criteria that evaluates the safety of consuming human breastmilk, as well as the effects of IAP on the eventual microbiome of the Newborn.

Many studies also linked the mother's breastmilk microbiome to that in her gut. This means that the majority of the bacteria in breastmilk is influenced by the mother's life choices and past use of antibiotics, hinting at the ability of breastmilk to transfer antibiotic resistant bacteria and their genes to the baby. Currently, the most widely accepted model of bacterial acquisition, states that newborns are born void of normal flora and start acquiring microorganisms, from their mothers, as well as from the environment. However, recent studies have been challenging this model by claiming that the sterile womb paradigm is flawed, and that the microflora starts forming in utero, before birth.

The main objective of the research project is to investigate the bacterial composition of breastmilk from healthy lactating mothers in Lebanon and to evaluate the antibiotic resistance patterns of the identified bacterial isolates. The project will also investigate the transfer of resistant bacteria from the mother’s breastmilk to the gastrointestinal track of new- borns by comparing the full genome sequence of the identified microorganisms from both mothers and new-borns.

The project will determine the abundance of bacteria inside human breastmilk and the potential of transferring antibiotic resistant genes among hosts, coupled with the concept of the “evil alliance of opportunistic pathogens and human milk bacterial communities”.

Updates on accreditation

Department of Public Health and Development Sciences
The Department of Public Health at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Balamand started the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accreditation process during Academic Year 20-21. An initial virtual consultation visit was held in September 2021, after which the CEPH committee sent an invite to proceed with the preparation of an Initial Application Submission (IAS). The latter will be submitted before the end of Academic Year 21-22. This accreditation will certify the quality education provided by the Department of Public Health at UOB and the calibre of students graduating from it. It will constitute a solid foundation for our graduates who will have more competitive advantage in their future careers.

Nursing Program
As part of the three-year strategic plan, the Nursing Program (NP) at the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) is seeking accreditation to promote excellence and to ensure accountability among nursing programs in Lebanon and the region.

The Nursing Program conducted a benchmark study of several accreditation bodies and decided, in coordination with the Dean, to apply to the International Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) to enhance quality improvement in nursing education.

The NP Director initiated the process by contacting the Director of ACEN. A letter of intent was sent in the third week of April 2021 via a candidacy portal submission to get the approval for eligibility as a Program. The response from ACEN was positive to proceed with the pre-application since there is a travel restriction at the time being for U.S. citizens, which does not allow the ACEN to send site visitors to Lebanon. However, the ACEN director was willing to begin working with the NP. Consequently, an online meeting was conducted with the ACEN director in the presence of the FHS Dean and the accreditation officer on June 17, 2021. During this meeting, all questions raised by the team were clarified and the steps to be followed in filling the application were discussed.

The team sent the complete candidacy eligibility application with the attached required evidence and documents to ACEN during the first week of November. The Program received the feedback on January 17. Based upon the information provided, the two programs, BSN (English and French Tracks) and MSN, would be able to move forward in the process once travel restrictions have been lifted for US citizens to Lebanon. Meanwhile, the team is working on the modification required and preparing for the self-study report for the potential visit in the future.

Department Medical Laboratory Sciences
The Faculty of Health Sciences Medical Laboratory program has chosen to be accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). NAACLS is an international agency for program accreditation in clinical laboratory sciences and related healthcare professions. This accreditaion will give MLS graduates an excellent opportunity in their career development as NAACLS is committed to setting high-quality standards for educational programs that confer MLS degrees. Students, employers, and industries can trust the validity and quality of educational excellence bestowed by this peer-reviewed organization. The chairperson of the department attended the orientation workshop scheduled by NAACLS first week of March. The department will start working on each standard set by NAACLS, and forms the necessary committees in order to initiate the process.

Department of Nutritional Sciences
The Department of Nutritional Sciences at the Faculty of Health Sciences has chosen to be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). The Department of Nutritional Sciences will apply to the ACEND by submitting an application in June of the AY academic Year 2021-2022, demonstrating compliance with the eight required accreditation standards. Furhermore, the Nutritional Sciences team is currently working on the eligibility-application, with the full support and help of the Faculty of Health Sciences accreditation officer, Mrs. Hala Hosni.

The program has initiated the process by contacting ACEND. A letter was sent in November 2021, expressing interest in starting the accreditation process and sharing with them a briefing about the University, Faculty, and Program background. Based on the background information that was provided, the program was considered eligible to apply under the 2022 Accreditation Standards for Foreign Dietitian Education Programs (FDE).

International Advisory Board (IAB)

The Faculty of Health Sciences, under the leadership of Dean Huda Huijer, appointed an International Advisory Board in 2021 with members from leading international universities engaged in health sciences education and research. The IAB advises the Dean on all academic developments and on the strategic growth of the Faculty including fundraising. The board will assist in engaging FHS in international developments in education and research especially as they relate to benchmarking, strategic planning, accreditation, collaborative research and sponsored projects, doctoral studies, and student and faculty exchanges.
The members of the IAB are:
  • o Antonia M. Villarruel, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Margaret Bond Simon Dean of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, USA (Chair).
  • o Rana A. Hajjeh, M.D., Director, Program Management (DPM), WHO/EMRO, Cairo, Egypt (Vice Chair).
  • o Annemie Schols, Dean Faculty of Health, Medicine, and Life Sciences, University of Maastricht, the Netherlands.
  • o Patricia Davidson, PhD, Med, RN, FAAN, Vice-Chancellor, University of Wollongong, Australia.
  • o Richard Calderone, PhD, Chair and Professor Microbiology and Immunology and Director of the MS Degree Program in Biomedical Science Policy & Advocacy, Georgetown University Medical Center.
  • o Abraham Goldberg, inaugural executive director of the James Madison Center for Civic Engagement.
  • o Ellen McKenzie, PhD, Dean, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University
  • o An elected FHS department chair to represent the Faculty.

FHS Alumni



Aseel El Zein, PhD, RDN

I am a Postdoctoral Researcher and U.S. Registered Dietitian Nutritionist specializing in obesity and chronic disease prevention at the Department of Nutrition Sciences, School of Health Professions, University of Alabama, Birmingham (UAB).

During my undergraduate work at the University of Balamand, I was awarded a grant by the United Nations Interim Forces (UNIFIL) to assess the nutritional status of children with disabilities in South Lebanon and deliver a tailored behavioral nutrition intervention. This research experience sparked my interest to pursue a long-term career in research and bring evidence-based practices from the laboratory to the real world. With another funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of State flagship international education program, Fulbright, I earned my master’s and PhD degrees in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Florida with a focus on food insecurity and obesity. I also received specialized training in Body Composition and Energy Balance Phenotyping, Carbohydrate Metabolism (including euglycemic, hyper insulinemic clamp), Exercise Energy Metabolism (including metabolic chamber), Motivational Interviewing, and Behavior Change.

Over the past six years, I have established my roots as a behavioral nutrition scientist. I presented my findings at national conferences in the United States, published my research in peer-reviewed journals, served as a teaching assistant for a variety of dietetics courses, and mentored undergraduate researchers. I have also received a variety of awards including the University of Florida Best Master’s Thesis award, High Impact Research Publication Award, The Obesity Society Award for Excellence in Science, and Feeding America Scholarship for making an impact in the field of nutrition and food insecurity.

I have a strong desire to understand and contribute to the development and implementation of evidence-based and tailored strategies to reduce obesity, one of the most serious and complex public health challenges our society has faced. Past research has shown tremendous inter-individual variability in weight loss and dietary intervention driven by a set of biological, behavioral, environmental, and psychosocial influences. As a Postdoctoral Fellow, my current research is focused on studying the factors that contribute to the variability in behavioral and weight loss interventions and conducting clinical trials that include adaptive interventions (e.g. Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial or SMART) to develop, rigorously evaluate, and implement effective personalized treatment strategies to treat obesity. I am also committed to working in the advocacy of programs that will address food insecurity and nutrition-related inequalities to ultimately provide equitable access and availability of nutritious foods.



Sabeen Abdul Sater, MPH

I am a Health and Nutrition Officer at UNICEF, being the focal point for Maternal and Newborn Health in UNICEF-Lebanon.

I am one of the first graduates to hold a BS degree in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Balamand (UOB) in 2011 and I belong to the first promotion of MPHers graduating from UOB in 2016.

Since finishing my BS degree, I have worked with two INGOs and then joined UNICEF as a Health and Nutrition Officer since early 2014, currently acting as the focal point for Maternal and Newborn Health in UNICEF-Lebanon.

I eagerly waited for UOB to initiate the MPH program to start my graduate studies. The timing flexibility for the working students was a great support and the national knowledge and expertise of the instructors and professors was a unique opportunity to develop students’ capacity in where and how they can influence the public health situation in Lebanon and to reflect on what is relevant to the national context. It also created solid connections with experts in the country who provide regular support and guidance.

According to me, the University of Balamand was and is still more than just an academic institution, it is a place where I felt appreciated as a person and not just another number. I always felt I am part of the bigger family and I am always encouraged and challenged to demonstrate both academic and social qualities. I was a new mother when I started my MPH with a 2 month old baby girl who was always welcome in classes and was carried and rocked by professors when she used to get fussy. At UOB, I was challenged to be the best version of myself. I was unique just like every other fellow student is.

Vaccination center


Rim Hassan, Manager
BS Public Health and Development Sciences
Masters in Infectious Diseases and Immunology
UOBVAX Vaccination Center


Within the context of the University of Balamand’s (UOB) strategic commitment to the welfare of its community and its efforts in fighting the spread of Covid19 pandemic, UOB implemented a series of initiatives. The UOB’s Vaccination Center “UOBVAX” emanated from the Balamand Hayati Project against Corona and launched in April of 2021.

Being familiar with the Hayati Project through the graduate assistantship at the UOB-PCR Laboratory, I personally found myself very fortunate to be one of the first Faculty of Health Sciences Students who joined the vaccination center when it was initially launched.

This pioneering initiative was very successful as UOBVAX was the first vaccination center in Lebanon to be hosted at an academic institution rather than a medical one. The target audience of UOBVAX was not limited to the UOB community but open to the entire public; this gave the project a sense of diligence and pride. The dedicated UOB staff joined students from different majors who opted to volunteer and proved to be the backbone of the operation. In particular, FHS faculty, staff and students contributed to the success of the HAYATI project and to the launching of the UOB vaccination Center. FHS students, particularly Nursing and Medical Laboratory Sciences took on different tasks such as vaccinating and data entry.

To add, my role as a volunteer in UOBVAX has progressed to an administrative one in leading and positively influencing the team of volunteers. Through constantly proving myself and being active in the vaccination center, I gained the title of the manager of UOBVAX under the supervision of Dr. Youssef Bassim, Chief Operating Officer at UOB and Director of the Vaccination Center. Although the challenge of being both a full-time Masters student and vaccination center administrator was a tough one, I think I succeeded in balancing both.

To this regard, I believe my background in Public Health aided in understanding the concerns of individuals who came forward to receive the vaccine and in helping the center design the appropriate processes and services that benefit all stakeholders. Similarly, my Masters in Medical Laboratory Sciences – Infectious Diseases and Immunology, helped me better understand the infectious pattern of COVID-19 as well as the human immune response against this infection.

FHS Publications 2021

-  Abdallah, B.,  Whitford, H.,  Bradbury-Jones, C.,  Jones, M. Perceptions and attitudes of parents and healthcare professionals about the option of using infant massage in neonatal intensive care units. Journal of Clinical Nursing,  2021, 30(3-4), pp. 499–507

- Abed Al Ahad, M., El Bajjani, M., Simon, M., Ausserhofer, D., Abu-Saad Huijer, H., & Dhaini, S. R. (2021). Variability, shift-specific workloads, and rationed care predictors of work satisfaction among registered nurses providing acute care: A longitudinal study. Nursing Open. Advance online publication.  https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1160.

-  Azar, M., Azar, N., Kroll, T., & Bradbury-Jones, C. (2021). Should I Seek Help for Sexual Difficulties? Middle-Aged Lebanese Women's Views. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 1-21.

-  Azar, M., Bradbury-Jones, C., & Kroll, T. (2021). Middle-aged Lebanese women’s interpretation of sexual difficulties: a qualitative inquiry. BMC women's health, 21(1), 1-11.

- Daher, D., Shaghlil, A., Sobh, E., Hamie, M., Hassan, M. E., Moumneh, M. B., Itani, S., Hajj, R. E., Tawk, L., Sabban, M. E., & Hajj, H. E. (2021). Comprehensive overview of toxoplasma gondii-induced and associated diseases. Pathogens (Basel), 10(11), 1351.  https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10111351

-    Dankar, I., Hassan, H., & Serhan, M. (2021). Knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of dairy farmers to antibiotic use: Lessons from a developing country. Journal of Dairy Science. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-20951.( In Press).

-   Dhaini, S. R., Simon, M., Ausserhofer, D., Abed Al Ahad, M., El Bajjani, M., Dumit, N., & Abu-Saad Huijer, H. (2021). Trends and variations of implicit rationing of care across time and shifts in acute care hospital: a longitudinal study. Journal of Nursing Management. https:doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13035 . (In Press).

-   El Bejjani, M., Abed Al Ahad, M., Simon, M. Ausserhoffer, D., Dumit, N., Abu-Saad Huijer, H., & Dhaini, RS. (2021). Work environment-related factors and nurses’ health outcomes: A cross-sectional study in Lebanese hospitals. BMC Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-020-00485-z . ( In Press).

-   El-Bikai, R., Eid, K., Sader, G., Al-Masry, Z., Skaf, R., & Abbass, N. (2021). Evaluation of the concomitant presence of hypertension and osteoporosis and the importance of screening in lebanon: A pilot study. Journal of Hypertension,39(Supplement 1), e240-e241.  https://doi.org/10.1097/01.hjh.0000747180.06860.a9.

-   Finianos J., Abu-Saad Huijer, H., & Miró,  J. (2021). Chronic Pain in Young People: The Situation in Lebanon. LMJ. (In Press).

-   Haddarah, A., Naim, E., Dankar, I., Sepulcre, F., Pujolà, M., & Chkeir, M. (2021). The effect of borage, ginger and fennel extracts on acrylamide formation in french fries in deep and electric air frying. Food Chemistry, 350, 129060. https://doi.org/ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129060.

- Hajj, R. E., Tawk, L., Itani, S., Hamie, M., Ezzeddine, J., Sabban, M. E., & Hajj, H. E. (2021). Toxoplasmosis: Current and emerging parasite druggable targets.  Microorganisms (Basel), 9 (12), 2531.  https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9122531

-   Hassan, H. F., Haddad, R., Saidy, L., Hosri, C., Asmar, S., & Serhan, M. (2021). Tracking of enrofloxacin antibiotic in the making of common middle eastern cheeses. Applied Food Research, 1(1), 100004.  https://doi.org/ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afres.2021.100004.

-   Hassan, H. F., Saidy, L., Haddad, R., Hosri, C., Asmar, S., Jammoul, A., Jammoul, R., Hassan, H., & Serhan, M. (2021). Investigation of the effects of some processing conditions on the fate of oxytetracycline and tylosin antibiotics in the making of commonly consumed cheeses from the east mediterranean. Veterinary World, 14(6), 1644-1649.  https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2021.1644-1649.

-  Karam, J., Bibiloni, M. D. M., Serhan, M., & Tur, J. A. (2021). Adherence to mediterranean diet among lebanese university students. Nutrients, 13(4), 1264.  https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13041264

-   Karam, J., Ghash, W., Bouteen, C., Makary, M., Riman, M., & Serhan, M. (2021). Adherence to Mediterranean Diet among adults in Lebanon., in MDPI Proceedings of the 2nd International Electronic Conference on Foods - "Future Foods and Food Technologies for a Sustainable World", 14 October 2021, MDPI: Basel, Switzerland, https://doi.org/10.3390/Foods2021-11099.

- Karam, J., Ghash, W., Bouteen, C., Makary, M-J., Riman, M., & Serhan, M. (2021). Adherence to Mediterranean  Diet among adults during the COVID-19 outbreak and the Economic Crisis in Lebanon. Nutrition and Food Science. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-10-2021-0325 . (In press) .

-   Khodor, R., Salloum, T., El Jisr, T., El Chaar, M., & Tokajian, S. (2021). Detection and genomic characterization of mcr-9 in enterobacter hormaechei recovered from a pediatric patient in Lebanon. Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 94, 105014-105014.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2021.105014.

-  Menhem, C., Mattar, J., Carrillo, C., & Serhan, M. (2021). Determination of polyphenols, antioxidant activity, and antimicrobial properties of ‘Zhourat’ using different extraction conditions. Applied Food Resear ch Volume 1, Issue 2 , December 2021, 100021 .  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afres.2021.100021

-   Mrad-Nakhlé, M., Farah, W., Ziade, N., Abboud, M., Chalhoub, E., Ghabi, E., Dib, N., & Annesi-Maesano, I. (2021). Exposure to fine particulate matter and urticaria: An eco-epidemiological time-series analysis in Beirut. Toxicology and Environmental Health Sciences, 13(2), 175-182.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s13530-021-00078-6.

-   Rosa, W.E., Buck, H.G., Squires, A.P., Kozachik, S.L., Abu-Saad Huijer, H., Bakitas, M., McGowan Boit, J., Bradley, P.K., Cacchione, P.Z., Chan, G., Crisp, N., Dahlin, C., Daoust, P., Davidson, P.M., Davis, S., Doumit, M.A.A., Fink, R.M., Herr, K.A., Hinds, P.S., Hughes, T.L., Karanja, V., Kenny, D.J., King, C.R., Klopper, H.C., Knebel, A.R., Kurth, A.E., Madigan, E.A., Malloy, P., Matzo, M., Mazanec, P., Meghani, S.H., Monroe, T.B., Moreland, P.J., Paice, J.A., Phillips, J.C., Rushton, C.H., Shamian, J., Shattell, M., Snethen, J., Ulrich, C.M., Wholihan, D., Wocial, L.D., & Ferrell, B.R. (2021). American Academy of Nursing Expert Panel consensus statement on nursing’s roles in ensuring universal palliative care access. Nursing Outlook. (In Press).

-   Rosa, W.E., Buck, H.G., Squires, A.P., Kozachik, S.L., Abu-Saad Huijer, H., Bakitas, M., McGowan Boit, J., Bradley, P.K., Cacchione, P.Z., Chan, G., Crisp, N., Dahlin, C., Daoust, P., Davidson, P.M., Davis, S., Doumit, M.A.A., Fink, R.M., Herr, K.A., Hinds, P.S., Hughes, T.L., Karanja, V., Kenny, D.J., King, C.R., Klopper, H.C., Knebel, A.R., Kurth, A.E., Madigan, E.A., Malloy, P., Matzo, M., Mazanec, P., Meghani, S.H., Monroe, T.B., Moreland, P.J., Paice, J.A., Phillips, J.C., Rushton, C.H., Shamian, J., Shattell, M., Snethen, J., Ulrich, C.M., Wholihan, D., Wocial, L.D., & Ferrell, B.R. (2021). International consensus-based policy recommendations to advance universal palliative care access from the American Academy of Nursing Expert Panels. Nursing Outlook. 00 (2021) 1-1.

-   Rosa, W.E., de Campos, A.P., Abedini, N.C., Gray, T.F., Abu-Saad Huijer, H., Bhadelia, A., Boit, J.M., Byringiro, S., Crisp, N., Dahlin, C., Davidson, P.M., Davis, S., De Lima, L., Farmer, P.E., Ferrell, B.R., Hategekimana, V., Karanja, V., Knaul, F.M., Kpoeh, J., Lusaka, J., Matula, S.T., McMahon, C., Meghani, S.H., Moreland. P.J., Ntizimira, C., Radbruch, L., Rajagopal, M.R., & Downing, J. (2021). Optimizing the global nursing workforce to alleviate serious health-related suffering worldwide. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2021.07.014. (In Press).

-   Sakakini, J., Irani, C., El-Bikai, R., Sayhoun, G., Hallit, S., Salameh, P., & Dano, D. (2021). Prevalence of food allergy among schools children in Lebanon. International Archives for Allergy and Immunology. https://doi.org/10.1159/000521147 (In Press).

-   Sobh, G. M., El Karaaoui, A. K., El Chaar, M., & Araj, G. F. (2021). Emerging ceftazidime-avibactam resistance against carbapenem resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in Lebanon. The International Arabic Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 11(2), 15-15.  https://doi.org/10.3823/858.

-   Zarrouq, B., Abbas, N., Hilaly, J. E., Asri, A. E., Abbouyi, S., Omari, M., Malki, H., Bouazza, S., Moutawakkil, S. G., Halim, K., & Ragala, M. E. (2021). An investigation of the association between religious coping, fatigue, anxiety and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic in morocco: A web-based cross-sectional survey. BMC Psychiatry, 21(1), 1-264.  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03271-6

-    تدمري, ر, فواز, ر, حمية, ح, & عباس, ن. (2021). واقع الصّحة النفسيّة لدى المعلّمين في ظلّ جائحة كوفيد-19 والتعليم عن بُعد. المجلة العربية للنشر العلمي, (36), 314-347 .  https://www.ajsp.net/volume.php?vol=17.



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