Abu Dhabi, UAE - August 9, 2020: NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Class of 2020 alumna Bana Alamad has been awarded the prestigious Bseisu-Cambridge Scholarship, offered by the Bseisu Foundation. The first woman to receive the Bseisu-Cambridge scholarship since it was established in 2005, Alamad will be pursuing a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Genomic Medicine, an integrated clinical and research degree at the University of Cambridge. 

Hailing from Jordan, Alamad graduated from NYUAD with a major in Biology and a minor in Visual Arts and has always been passionate about integrating both fields. While at NYUAD, she pursued research into understanding genetic variation in complex traits that have clinical relevance and studied the role that genetic and environmental factors play in triggering disease and modulating health-related outcomes. 

Over the last four years at NYUAD, Alamad studied across a global network of countries and enrolled in graduate level courses in Genetics and Public Health, attending conferences and publishing peer-reviewed scientific research papers. Her NYUAD Capstone project investigated the role of epigenetics in regulating host immune response to malaria in Burkina Faso, in West Africa.

Alamad said: “I’m very humbled to receive this award and I am truly grateful to everyone who helped catalyze my growth over the last few years. It is very important for me to study the Middle Eastern genome as the genetic makeup of the Levantine population is largely understudied and under-represented in genomic studies.”

“Pursuing higher education is my driving force as I navigate through different experiences, aiming to contribute to advancements in science and personalized healthcare in the region. The privilege of being granted this opportunity comes with a responsibility and my goal is to apply the knowledge of fundamental genetics to advance public health and medicine,” she added.

The Bseisu Foundation was established in 2005 by Amjad and Suha Bseisu from a desire to support disadvantaged communities in the Middle East, concentrating on enabling talented students from the Middle East to access world-class post-graduate education.