I obtained a BSc degree in pharmacy from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Fateh University, Tripoli, Libya in 1992. I was then a demonstrator (teaching assistant) at the Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Garyounis University, Banghazi, Libya in 1993 for 2 years. This involved preparing and demonstrating lab courses for undergrad pharmacy students. In 1995, I was awarded a scholarship from the Ministry of Higher Education of Libya to peruse my graduate studies for a Master’s degree in pharmacology abroad. I chose to come to Canada. At that time I did not know much about Canada except the cold winter and Niagara Falls. I landed in Montreal airport on December 27, 1995 at 4:30 PM to spend the holidays with a friend and to my surprise the ground was covered with a white stuff, which from a taxi window at night looked like sand. I didn’t know that there was lots of sand in Canada (other than sand boxes at playgrounds); there should have been lakes and rivers not a desert. The truth was revealed the next morning, it was not sand it was water in a solid form (snow) because the temperature was below zero centigrade!

I went to Fanshawe College for an ESL course in January 1996 and then was offered a place at The University of Ottawa as a Master’s student where I started in September 1996. I completed my studies in February 2000. Yes, it took me more than 3 years of research to get a Master’s degree from the University of Ottawa because I like research and I was not in rush. I got married and had my first son, Siraj, in 1999 and went back to Libya to be appointed as assistant lecturer and then as a lecturer at the Department of Toxicology, Garyounis University. I worked there for more than 5 years teaching toxicology and pharmacology to 3rd and 4th year pharmacy students. I was then offered a scholarship for PhD degree and, guess what, I came back to London, Ontario because I liked the place and the other reason was that I was interested in working in the field of toxicology and drug safety. I joined Dr Koren and Dr Rieder’s group at the Dept. of Physiology and Pharmacology as PhD student in January 2007.
I think London, Ontario and UWO are some of the best places on earth to live and work in, respectively. Beautiful city, cutting-edge research facilities, and the best of all, extremely friendly staff and colleagues and world-class scientific training and teaching.
 
My research focuses on Drug Hypersensitivity Reactions (AHRs), a devastating disease that affect many patients world-wide. These are a type of severe and potentially lethal adverse drug reactions that are unpredictable and hard to diagnose. We are trying to develop a diagnostic test for the disease to enable doctors to  diagnose the disorder before it is too late. We work with lab models and monitor samples from patients and healthy volunteers to understand the molecular pathophysiology of drug hypersensitivity reactions.
 
 
1) Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a small town in the east part of Libya called Alabiar. Population around 70,000. I was born as a last kid after five brothers and two sisters (large family). My dad was a farmer and mam was a housewife taking care of the 8 kids. I remember going to school in spring running between trees and chasing birds with the smell of fresh air that I would never forget. That was during the late 1970s early 1980s.

2) Do you have any hobbies?

Hobbies? Oh, lots of them. I think that going into science was an error in the path of my life due to a twist of fate. I am into art more than science; I even understand science from an artist point of view not a scientist. I write poetry (not in English), paint, sculpt, and play some music. The thing that I am fond of is creation. I think this is what artists do. They create. Dedicating much of my time to my science career means that I have neglected my real passion, art. I still write and paint sometimes and hope to do more once I completed my degree and my kids grow up and get busy with their lives and do not mess up my studio like they always do.

3) What was the last movie you saw?

Avatar, the best movie in the history of mankind, twice.

4) Where would you like your next vacation to be?

Anywhere where my kids can have fun.

5) What is your idea of the perfect lazy day?

Fire in the fireplace, cup of coffee and a good book.
 
 

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