Biography

Growing up amidst the turmoil of Libya during the war, I used to observe how people reacted differently to the same environment; their mental health journeys diverging along unpredictable paths. I became mystified by the resilience and vulnerability of the human mind, and later earned a Psychology BA from the American University of Beirut as a MEPI-TL scholar.After pursuing a career in Psychosocial Support with the United Nations, I realised the roots of these issues delved far deeper than surface-level support could reach. I then earned an MSc in clinical Neuroscience from UCL as a Chevening scholar and worked as a research assistant at the University of Cambridge. My PhD utilises advanced In Vivo imaging and Optogenetic techniques to study specific neuronal circuit components in genetic mouse models of neurodevelopmental disorders and healthy mice during visually guided decision-making. My goal is to uncover what influences proficient and deficient sensory discrimination, fostering knowledge that destigmatises and guides tailored neuropsychiatric treatments, ultimately transforming patients' lives. Being a Gates scholar is both an honour and a responsibility, which I intend to uphold by bridging my research with activism.

Previous Education

University College London Clinical Neuroscience 2022
American University of Beirut Psychology 2020