Fatima Zahra Alkafri

EDUCATION

College / University

University of Sharjah

Highest Degree

Bachelor of Science

Major Subjects

Biotechnology

Country

Syria

Lab Experience

Light microscopy, bacterial and mammalian cell culture, plasmid and siRNA transient co-transfection, gel electrophoresis (Agarose, SDS-PAGE), nucleic acid extraction and quantification, RT-qPCR, TaqMan SNP genotyping assay, basic bioinformatics, fundamental techniques in microbiology and biochemistry

Projects / Research

2023: “Testing the Ability of Two Naked siRNAs in Downregulating the Expression of SLC26A4 Implicated in the Progression of Asthma” (Bachelor‘s Thesis, Dr. Hassen Hadj Kacem, Department of Applied Biology, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates)
2022: “Genotyping and determining the allele frequency of 4 variants (SNPs) associated with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) among UAE patients” (Summer Internship Research Project, Supervised by Mr. Hussein Kannout, Center for Biotechnology, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)

Scholarships / Awards

2023 – 2024:	Stipend by the International Max Planck Research School
2023:	Graduated with Highest Honors and ranked the first on the College of Sciences at the University of Sharjah
2019 – 2023:	Eight semesters 50% scholarship on tuition fees for academic success at the University of Sharjah

SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS AND GOALS

I’m fascinated by how fundamental the regulation of gene expression is to the complexity of organisms and versatility of cellular response. This process is controlled by many molecules whose interactions at various stages of regulation are complex yet highly coordinated. DNA sequence alterations and epigenetic modifications affecting gene expression patterns are implicated in a broad range of human diseases. I am mainly interested in acquiring further knowledge of the molecular sequences and processes governing gene expression and in investigating how their disruption underlies disease development. In the future, my target is to discover new insights into how misregulated gene expression control contributes to cancer pathogenesis, which hopefully will help me advance diagnosis and therapy. Nonetheless, I aspire to broaden my knowledge and experience through the MSc/PhD program which will enable me to identify perhaps more exciting and emerging areas of research.