Collaborations with Health Institutions

Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing - Clinical Affiliates

The Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing is in the process of establishing affiliation agreements with a variety of health care settings and organizations that deliver health and community services. Primary among these is the Lebanese American University Medical Center - Rizk Hospital.

Lebanese American University Medical Center - Rizk Hospital

LAU Medical Center-RH serves as the primary site for clinical education in hospital-based nursing. It is a four-building, 120-bed medical campus located in the heart of Beirut. The hospital was acquired by an LAU-affiliated corporate entity on June 30, 2009. The medical center currently offers a wide array of services, including:

• General surgery
• Specialized surgery (orthopedic, ophthalmic, gynecologic, urologic, vascular and thoracic, neurologic, and cardiac)
• Obstetrics
• Pediatrics
• General medicine
• Medical specialties in nephrology, oncology, gastroenterology and endocrinology

These services and more are offered in several general medical, surgical and pediatric units; the labor and delivery, newborn nursery, and neonatal intensive care units; the general, coronary care and cardiac surgery intensive care units; the operating room; as well as outpatient facilities for hemodialysis, one-day surgery, chemotherapy, and diagnostic procedures.

LAU Medical Center-RH is undergoing restructuring and expansion to become a comprehensive university hospital with associated ambulatory clinics that will serve as the principal site for clinical teaching, research and practice for LAU’s schools of Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. The expansion plans include the development of several centers of specialized care.

The Department of Nursing at LAUMC-RH employs approximately 250 nursing staff, including 150 professional registered nurses. Head nurses have operational responsibility for the clinical units. The department sponsors an active staff-development program for both registered and practical nurses.

Key positions in the hospital’s Quality and Medical Assurance, Occupational Health and Safety, and Infection Control departments are also held by registered nurses.

The Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing also has affiliations with the following health facilities:

• American University of Beirut Medical Center
• Bellevue Medical Center
• Clemenceau Medical Center
• Mount Lebanon Hospital
• Keserwan Medical Center
• Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross
• Hammoud Hospital University Medical Hospital
• Khoury General Hospital
• Centre Hospitalier Universitaire- Notre Dame Des Secours Hospital

Community Health Sites

The role of nurses in the community is vital. Community health nurses work under the auspices of a variety of health organizations and agencies. They provide care across the continuum, from health promotion and disease prevention, to clinical treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care. Community health nurses work holistically by including biomedical, psychosocial, behavioral and socio-environmental perspectives.

LAU’s nursing students will have the opportunity to learn in community settings throughout Lebanon as the school becomes affiliated with various community organizations and NGOs.

The Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing is affiliated with the following entities:

• Saint Antonios Dispensary
• Howard Karagheuzian Association for Child Welfare in Lebanon
• Byblos Municipality

School of Pharmacy – Partnerships

In an effort to provide adequate learning and experiential education opportunities to its students, the LAU School of Pharmacy (SOP) has partnered in Lebanon with 35 community pharmacies, 24 hospitals, 3 dispensaries, 2 pharmaceutical industries, 1 distributor and the Ministry of Public Health. The SOP signed agreements with Houston Methodist Hospital and five Walgreens sites in the United States. The SOP also signed an exchange agreement for students and faculty with Wayne State University Eugene Appelbaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Detroit, Michigan.

In addition, the SOP maintains partnerships with industry leaders and other sponsors, increasing students’ educational and training opportunities while opening up research collaboration options for faculty members.

The SOP maintains an experiential education agreement with Benta, one of the largest pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing companies in Lebanon, to provide students and faculty with access to the company’s facilities, equipment, personnel and services.

Similarly, through a partnership with Algorithm, Pharm.D. students can complete their experiential education and training at Algorithm’s facilities and use their laboratories, equipment, services and personnel.

Pharm.D. students can also complete an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) elective in regulatory affairs. They have the opportunity to spend a five-day rotation at MERSACO, a leading regional pharmaceutical distributor, where they follow a structured rotation in the Regulatory, Safety and Compliance, and Quality departments. They also benefit from an agreement with the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. Students are exposed to dispensary activities, namely at The Makhzoumi Foundation, Ajialouna and Saint Antoine.

Preceptors

Preceptors are licensed professional practitioners who reinforce the education and training of pharmacy students on experiential education rotations in hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies and other school-approved practice sites. Preceptors support the advancement of the school’s academic mission and may also participate in research, service and other creative work as determined by their job description and practice site collaboration. Those who work with the SOP on a voluntary or part-time basis are given the title of Adjunct Faculty.

Every year, the SOP grants the Preceptors of the Year Awards recognizing the two most committed and exemplary volunteer preceptors of the P3 and P4 classes.

School of Pharmacy - Interprofessional Education

In line with the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Standards and Guidelines on Interprofessional Education (IPE), faculty and students of the School of Pharmacy are actively involved in LAU’s IPE program.

The IPE program uses a student-centered educational approach that builds on the curricula of the programs involved. Students learn through collaboration across disciplines, which ultimately enhances the quality of patient/client health and social care.

Three faculty members of the School of Pharmacy are standing members of the IPE workgroup, alongside faculty from the schools of Nursing, Medicine, and Arts and Sciences (nutrition and social work). They meet regularly to discuss, develop, and plan IPE activities.

Common educational themes include communication; compliance and adherence; conflict negotiation; ethics in clinical practice; evidence-based medicine; health promotion; patient safety; and sexuality.

Pharmacy students go through multiple IPE learning experiences during their enrollment in the professional program. To streamline course delivery, students are grouped into three levels:

1. Entry: those who have not yet had clinical learning experiences, regardless of their class year;
2. Intermediate: those enrolled in their initial clinical experiences;
3. Advanced: those nearing graduation with extensive clinical experiences and broader knowledge of healthcare.

Topics are mainly presented to students in mini-lectures, simulations, and case discussions.

IPE further extends to the clinical setting by engaging students and faculty in interdisciplinary teamwork and practice at LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital.

Specific assessment and evaluation instruments are used to continuously assess the IPE program. Students and faculty complete evaluations following their learning activities. Assessment data are used to further guide the direction of the IPE program.

The LAU School of Pharmacy has been recognized by ACPE for its Noteworthy Practices on IPE.

Annual Pharmacy Residency Conference 2022: Another year of collaboration!

Tuesday June 21^st 2022 marked another year of a fruitful collaboration between the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) accredited pharmacy residency programs in Lebanon; LAU School of Pharmacy/LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital & American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUMBC)! This year the Joint Annual Residency Conference 2022 was hosted at AUBMC and was extra special as our residents, Christina Baroody, PharmD & Gassia Balian, PharmD and LAU alumni/current residents at AUBMC, Jad El Tom, PharmD and Celia El Halabi, PharmD, presented their research project results in the presence of colleagues from the pharmacy teams at Hotel Dieu de France (HDF), AUMBMC and LAUMCRH.

Evaluation of Pharmacist-Initiated Discharge Medication Reconciliation and Patient Counseling Procedures in the Emergency Department, by PGY1 Pharmacy Resident: Christina Baroody, Pharm.D., LAUMC-RH.

Evaluation of an Antibiotic Automatic Stop Order in Neonates with Early-Onset Sepsis in a Lebanese Tertiary Care Hospital: A Retrospective, by PGY1 Pharmacy Resident: Celia El Halabi, Pharm.D., AUBMC

Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of Intermediate Anticoagulation Dosing in COVID-19 Hospitalized Patient. by PGY1 Pharmacy Resident: Gassia Balian, Pharm.D., LAUMC-RH

 Efficacy and Safety of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Patients with Cancer Associated Venous Thromboembolism: A Retrospective Study by PGY1 Pharmacy Resident: Jad El Tom, Pharm.D., AUBMC

The attendance was also enriched by the presence and active participation of diverse faculty and interprofessional healthcare members, residents and students from both centers and universities. In his warm welcoming speech, the director of the PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program at AUBMC, Dr. Rony Zeenny, an LAU alumnus, welcomed the collaboration between AUBMC, LAU, LAUMCRH and HDF. The conference was moderated by faculty and practitioners from both LAU/LAUMCRH as well as AUMBC which enriched the Q&A sessions.

According to Dr. Chamoun, “learning from and with our pharmacy residents throughout Lebanon is a great opportunity to support pharmacy driven research and advance pharmacy practice.”

Dr. Alsharif thanked the efforts of all involved to make this residency conference a success. He also commented on the richness of the research projects and the highly professional presentations. He encouraged collaborations in the future on the residents’ projects across medical centers nationally and regionally to enhance the impact of the research projects. He also suggested to expand the conference to invite residents from the rest of the Arab World.

Wrapping up on the residency year 2021-2022, We wish our residents Dr. Gassia Balian who is pursuing practice in Lebanon and Dr. Christina Baroody who is off to complete a PGY2 in Investigational Drugs and Research at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, the best of luck! We are so proud of our residency graduates and LAU SOP alumni!

Annual Preceptor Appreciation Event Spreads Timely Knowledge

The School of Pharmacy recognizes its valued partners and offers a forum for informative and vital exchanges.

For 2019, LAU alumna Dr. Hiba Najem (L) won the P3 Preceptor of the Year award, while Dr. Alex Rogers won the P4 Preceptor of the Year award.

Warning about how the COVID-19 pandemic has “put antimicrobial stewardship on the backburner, ” Dr. Chahine gave an overview of the impact of antimicrobial resistance on healthcare, and the vital role and training of pharmacists in this field.

P4 Preceptor of the Year, Dr. Michael Liebl (L), and P3 Preceptor of the Year LAU alumna Dr. Lea Skayem (R), were announced as the 2020 awardees.

The School of Pharmacy (SOP) at LAU held its first virtual Annual Preceptor Appreciation Event on December 3 to recognize the Preceptors of the Year in Lebanon and the US for their valuable contributions to the education and training of LAU pharmacy students.

This year, the event also featured an eye-opening presentation on Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship in the Era of a Pandemic by LAU alumnus Elias B. Chahine (PharmD ‘06), who is a professor of pharmacy practice at the Gregory School of Pharmacy at Palm Beach Atlantic University in Florida, and a clinical pharmacy specialist at Wellington Regional Medical Center.

Welcoming the attendees, SOP Dean Imad Btaiche thanked the preceptors in Lebanon and Houston for their “exemplary dedication” to the students at a time of uncertainties. On behalf of the university and school administrators, he expressed gratitude for their commitment to “lend a helping hand and a sense of stability to truly exhausted, anxious students.”

In her opening remarks, Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Experiential Education Lamis Karaoui indicated how this event has become a school tradition – despite the hiatus last year due to prevailing circumstances in the country. Touching on highlights of the experiential education program this year, in which a hybrid model combined on-site and remote learning, Dr. Karaoui said that “As we navigated uncharted waters, we had to rely more on our adjunct faculty preceptors for a lot of our activities to ensure that our students meet the program requirements and accreditation standards.”

She then introduced the guest speaker, Dr. Chahine, who gave an overview of the impact of antimicrobial resistance on healthcare, expanding on antibiotic resistant organisms and, accordingly, the crucial need for an antimicrobial stewardship program.

As mentioned by Dr. Chahine, antimicrobial stewardship “is the fiduciary responsibility for all healthcare institutions across the continuum of care,” to improve and measure the appropriate use of antimicrobials, and to promote the optimal antimicrobial regimen as far as the right dosage, route of administration, frequency of administration and duration of therapy is concerned.

“The pandemic has placed antimicrobial stewardship on the backburner,” he warned. For example, he said, a great number of COVID-19 patients who present at the hospital with signs and symptoms of respiratory illnesses are being placed empirically on antibiotics – although analysis shows that several of them are infected with the SARS-COV-2 virus and not bacteria – which could be inappropriate.

Dr. Chahine then expanded on the vital role and training of pharmacists in this field, and on how to promote an effective antimicrobial stewardship program. His presentation was granted one credit for Continuing Pharmacy Education by the Order of Pharmacists in Lebanon.

An extensive Q&A followed, where residents, SOP faculty and pharmacists in attendance engaged in discussions with Dr. Chahine on the topic.

Dr. Karaoui subsequently introduced the recipients of the Preceptor of the Year Award while reading out the testimonials of the students who, in effect, nominate the awardees.

The recipients of the 2020 awards are Dr. Michael Liebl, Director of System Clinical Pharmacy Services and Director of the PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program for International Graduates, Houston Methodist Hospital, P4 Preceptor of the Year, and LAU alumna Dr. Lea Skayem (BS ‘08; PharmD ’09), owner of Lea Pharmacy in Byblos, Lebanon, P3 Preceptor of the Year.

Referring to a humbling and memorable experience, Dr. Liebl spoke about the importance of being there for the students, not only in terms of professional development, but also in helping them navigate the lockdowns. “I hope we did our best, as the students certainly did theirs.”

In turn, Dr. Skayem declared how she considers LAU to be her family and that she is forever grateful for this recognition. She also extended her thanks to her colleague at the pharmacy, LAU alumna Marilyn Abi Younes (BS ‘17, PharmD ‘18), stating that “this award goes to her too, as she puts in a lot of effort with the trainees.”

For 2019, Dr. Alex Rogers, clinical pharmacy specialist and solid organ transplant at Houston Methodist Hospital won the P4 Preceptor of the Year award, and LAU alumna Dr. Hiba Najem (BS ‘10; PharmD ‘11), chief pharmacist at Keserwan Medical Center in Ghazir, Lebanon, won the P3 Preceptor of the Year award.

Thanking her alma mater for this recognition, Dr. Najem expressed how teaching and mentoring pharmacy students has long been her passion. “This year, we have all passed a crucial test in resilience that made us yet more eager to invest in this new generation of pharmacists because they represent the new mindset we desperately need in our institutions in unprecedented times.” 

LAU’s Seven-Year Collaboration with Michael Haddad Still Going Strong

How a professional endurance athlete and a group of visionary engineers and neurologist joined forces to produce an advanced training suit that continues to inspire ongoing research.

When endurance athlete Michael Haddad was first introduced to LAU’s leadership he reportedly said: “I’m paralyzed from the chest down and defying the odds. I need someone to defy them with me.”

Seven years since this encounter, Haddad’s collaboration with LAU is still going strong.

His condition, caused by a spinal injury at the early age of six, typically renders individuals dependent on a wheelchair for mobility and unable to walk or stand up.

Haddad, however, overcame this impediment by walking, climbing and descending stairs using the swing-to-gait method – whereby he maintains his balance with his upper body while thrusting his legs forward with the help of crutches. This movement – seemingly simple because walking requires very little mental effort for most people – is in fact proof of Haddad’s exceptional brain endurance.

Former Associate Professor and Neurology Chair Rechdi Ahdab from LAU’s Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine explained, “Since Haddad cannot rely on his spinal locomotor centers, ambulation is consciously implemented by his brain.” This means that at any given moment, his brain coordinates the movements of dozens of muscles in his upper body, calculating the trajectory of his next step, planning his landing, anticipating hazards and reacting to miscalculations or unexpected dangers – while simultaneously completing other motor tasks, as well as maintaining balance in spite of a highly deficient balance system.

“This compares to walking on a thin wire on a windy day,” said Dr. Ahdab.

Inspired by Haddad’s method, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Barbar Akle pitched to his students at the School of Engineering a project to develop a walking aid, challenging them to contribute on a volunteer basis.

Since then, the initiative grew exponentially, first into several undergraduate capstone projects, a graduate project and thesis, and then into several fundraising initiatives and collaborations with experts across the board.

From a scientific standpoint, exoskeletons developed for paraplegics are typically heavy, battery-and-motor operated machines that the person can control through minimal motion. These machines are expensive, have limited range, and worst of all, require little physical effort from the user, which is unhealthy.

LAU’s creation, on the other hand, is a much lighter “training suit” powered by the person wearing it, himself becoming “the battery and motor,” without a need for an external source of energy.

Inspired by Haddad’s swing-to-gait movement, the exoskeleton fortifies the upper body by enabling the user to achieve balance through an active control system with feedback sensors, while lower orthoses or braces help him or her retain their energy as they go, without breaking momentum.

“This scheme provides relative independence for the paraplegic,” explained Assistant Professor of Practice Ali Ammouri. Considering how the lack of physical activity can cause severe health complications, “the opportunity for movement that the exoskeleton provides has long-term health advantages,” he added.

As the exoskeleton is being developed, the approach has shifted from building assistive technology to creating a training tool that will, hopefully, free the paraplegic to walk independently.

Ultimately, “the goal of this project is to develop a training suit that will controllably help and train the balance, while specific regions in the brain are being activated with transcranial magnetic stimulation to accelerate the learning curve,” said Dr. Akle. In parallel, special orthoses reduce the energy required by the user, as a training protocol is put in place to help build the required muscle strength and support the balance requirements.

From a neurological perspective, this started with a comprehensive study of Haddad’s nervous system, spearheaded by Dr. Ahdab.

The experimental findings suggest that Haddad utilizes a great deal of motor planning and imagery in order to ambulate, which did not surprise him, as he had repeatedly defined the key to his successes as “lots of focus” and “proper planning.”

“Michael has a special type of intelligence akin to that of all-time great athletes — those who see, react and understand the game in a manner that sets them apart from others,” said Dr. Ahdab.

To help the LAU team test and perfect the exoskeleton, Haddad has been trying it out on walks across tough terrains, such as the Beirut walk for inclusion, a five-km-walk in Oyoun El Simane, the Egypt walk for “Stepping Ahead of COVID,” as well as a number of fundraising events and initiatives, where engineering students and faculty observed and collected data.

Another team from the American University of Beirut’s Physical Education and Nutrition programs has also tailored a physical training protocol along with a special diet.

In 2019, the United Nations appointed Haddad as Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Climate Action. To that end, he plans to walk 100 km across the North Pole to raise awareness on the devastating impact of the Arctic melt, and the detrimental consequences of climate change. While this endeavor was originally planned for 2020, it was postponed until spring 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the meantime, testing and improving the exoskeleton is still going strong. The scientific team hopes to produce a first working prototype of the suit within two years.

From an academic standpoint, “this has been a tremendous learning experience for engineering students as they continue to engage in solving a worthwhile problem – a truly inspiring effort,” said Dr. Akle. Not only have the students been involved in developing the exoskeleton, but have had to build other gadgets for the project, he added. In response to COVID-19, for example, the team created a ventilated face mask for Haddad, who expends approximately 30 times more energy while walking, and therefore requires more oxygen than the average person.

The project has broken new ground in research and innovation which could lead in the long run to developing an integrated Neurorehabilitation program that combines classical physical training and “brain training” tailored to the needs of paraplegic patients.

As the exoskeleton is being developed, the approach has shifted from building assistive technology to creating a training tool that will, hopefully, free the paraplegic to walk independently.

LAU Implements First Phase of Sustainable Waste Management of the Litani Basin

Engineering faculty members make headway in tackling the ecological and health hazards posed by pollution of the Litani Basin.

The team also collected wastewater samples from various food factories including a cheese plant.

Organic industrial waste contaminating the Litani River Basin has led to severe health and environmental hazards. (Photo courtesy of the Litani River Authority)

Dr. Wazne and his team of LAU graduate students and industrialists collect sludge samples at the wastewater treatment plant in Bkassine.

The pollution of the Litani River Basin, a vital source of irrigation and water supply with a potential for generating hydroelectric power that extends from the Beqaa to South Lebanon, has for many years been an untreated environmental and health disaster.

Recognizing the urgent need to reach a sustainable solution in managing the organic industrial waste contaminating the basin, LAU has been collaborating with the Litani River Authority to advance the use of anaerobic digestion of industrial wastewater discharge, and has now fully implemented the first phase of the three-phase project.

Anaerobic digestion is an innovative and effective technology for the biodegradation of organic waste whose by-product – methane gas, a cleaner fossil fuel ­– provides a much-needed alternative source of energy.

Spearheaded by LAU’s Associate Professor Mahmoud Wazne, who had obtained a PEER research grant from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) for his proposal, the project will help the Litani River Authority provide clean water to residents of the Beqaa valley, and eventually Beirut, and relieve mainly poor communities in the region from water shortages and waterborne diseases.

“In this initial phase,” explained Dr. Wazne, “our team of LAU graduate students and industrialists collected and analyzed the organic materials of various samples from food factories to test the effectiveness of the treatment on each plant individually and collectively through mono digestion (single substrate) and co-digestion (combined substrates). We succeeded in improving the quality of the product and will be publishing our findings.”

The second phase, he added, “will be devoted to improving the treatment method based on a newly developed integrated bio-electrochemical reactor technology, in cooperation with Washington State University.” Ultimately, the project will raise “public awareness about anaerobic digestion and train young researchers on this sustainable treatment option.”

Dr. Wazne presented his findings and demonstrated anaerobic digestion for industrial organic wastewater to the Litani River Authority, Lebanese and American experts, and industries from the upper Litani Basin in the first of a series of workshops sponsored by USAID.  

Speakers at the online workshop, in addition to Dr. Wazne, included Dean of the School of Engineering Lina Karam, Chairman and General Director of the Litani River Authority Sami Alaweih and LAU Associate Professor of Civil Engineering Mustapha Harb.

The workshop covered the fundamentals and importance of anaerobic digestion in the production of biogas, a mixture of gases including methane, to show that not only is this method cost-effective and eco-friendly but can be a viable source of electric power.

Praising the cooperation with local and international partners – primarily LAU – and recognizing the magnitude of the problem, Dr. Alawieh said that the Litani River Authority had come to an agreement with hundreds of factories to observe environmental standards, but only 90 of them had complied by installing treatment facilities with uncertain results. In his view, this confirms the need for a unified opinion on the wastewater treatment mechanism to be used.

In order to establish urgent dialogue between all parties concerned, noted Dr. Wazne, the university has made headway with the research “despite all challenges, particularly the pressing economic crisis in Lebanon.” He also highlighted the resilience of the research team and the strong support provided by the Department of Civil Engineering.

In parallel with this project, LAU’s Dr. Harb is conducting a study on advancing innovative and sustainable wastewater treatment technologies for improved water reuse practices in Lebanon and across the Mediterranean basin, with funding from the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Program.

Dean Karam thanked USAID for providing funding in support of this impactful project. “We are very proud to have such life-changing work being pursued under the supervision of Dr. Wazne in collaboration with talented students and researchers in our School of Engineering with the aim to provide much-needed clean water to vulnerable communities in Lebanon,” she said.

“This project also contributes to the United Nations’ vital Sustainable Development Goals,” she added, “including Good Health and Well-Being (SDG 3), Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6), Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), and Life Underwater (SDG 14).”

Research Highlight: Anti-Inflammatory Activity Evaluation of Lebanese Cannabis Sativa

A study by a team of LAU faculty and students published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology has revealed that Lebanese Cannabis oil extract (COE) possesses therapeutic properties in the treatment of inflammatory diseases in laboratory animal models.

According to available information in scientific literature, “In vivo and in vitro anti-inflammatory activity evaluation of Lebanese Cannabis sativa L. ssp. indica (Lam.)” may well be the first applied research on Lebanese cannabis since 1984.

The study, an interdisciplinary collaboration between faculty at the School of Pharmacy (SOP), the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine and the School of Arts and Sciences (SoAS), found that COE reduced inflammation and edema in chronic paw edema of Sprague Dawley rats, further supporting its possible therapeutic properties in certain inflammatory disorders.

“The study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical and anti-inflammatory properties of a cannabis oil preparation from the cannabis plant grown in Lebanon,” said project spearhead Dr. Mohammad Mroueh, professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology at LAU.

The study findings demonstrated that COE possesses “remarkable in vivo and in vitro anti-inflammatory activities comparable to dexamethasone, a potent corticosteroid,” he explained.

These strong anti-inflammatory effects, said Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the school of medicine Wissam Faour, were found to be produced by the chemical constituents of cannabis, mainly cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

“The chemical analysis of the COE, obtained from Cannabis indica (hybrid strain) grown in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley, revealed that CBD; 59.1 percent and THC; 20.2 percent were the most abundant natural cannabinoids,” said SoAS Assistant Dean Robin Taleb.

CBD is recognized for its therapeutic properties while THC is known for its psychoactive properties.

Research and challenges

The investigation process involved the extraction of the essential oil using Lebanese cannabis samples, and the characterization of its constituents, including what chemicals were present and their percentage within the oil.

However, no research is without its challenges, as noted by one of the investigators Dr. Wassim Shebaby, research faculty and postdoctoral research fellow at SOP’s Pharmaceutical Science Department.

“The major challenge we have encountered throughout the research has been obtaining and collecting cannabis samples via official channels,” added Dr. Shebaby, whose work, as part of an interdisciplinary team, has focused on isolating and characterizing natural compounds from Lebanese medicinal plants and evaluating their chemical and pharmacological properties.

What’s next for the team?

While the current findings are not unique, they constitute a step toward the phytochemical (chemical compounds in plants) and pharmacological evaluation of Lebanese cannabis, said Dr. Mroueh, as “this study will pave the road for more advanced studies to explore the potential clinical and economic importance of this controversial plant.”

The team is planning to extend their research to the other cannabis species and other hybrid strains found in Lebanon.

“We have a couple of other ongoing research projects evaluating the in vitro and in vivo (in animals) anticancer properties, antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria,” said Dr. Mroueh. An important step would be to phenotype and genotype all cannabis strains grown in Lebanon, “especially after realizing that there are both the low THC/high CBD and high THC/low CBD strains in Lebanon.”     

“Eventually, we hope to start pilot clinical studies to assess the anti-inflammatory effect of cannabis on selected patients and those perhaps non-responsive to steroid treatment,” noted Dr. Faour.

“In addition, it would be interesting to evaluate any possible anti-inflammatory properties of cannabis extracts against cytokine storms caused by COVID-19,” added Dr. Mroueh. Clinical trials (i.e. in people) of cannabis, however, can only go ahead once, and if, approvals through the appropriate channels and by the concerned authorities are secured.

A collaborative effort with students

The study was also a learning opportunity that involved undergraduate students Edwin Chrabieh and Marissa El Hage, and graduate students Jane Saliba and Jana Ismail, under the faculty’s direct supervision.

“We were responsible for the in vitro part of the research. We tested the inhibitory effects of COE on LPS-induced production of TNF-alpha in isolated rat monocytes,” said pre-med biology undergraduate Chrabieh.

For four months, the students were mentored and advised by the faculty and laboratory specialists in learning and adapting to the required techniques.

“We practiced different procedures such as cell plating and treating, WST-1 assays, cell lysis, Western Blots etc. After gaining confidence, I was assigned to perform Western blots on inflammatory mediators for around four months,” he said.

For SOP undergraduate El Hage the research study reinforced her interests in pharmacy.

“I also had the opportunity to use or apply the science I have learned in the classroom to a real-world setting, and I have been able to better identify the skills needed to be successful as a research scientist in the future,” she said of the experience.

Saliba, who is pursuing an MS in Pharmaceutical Development and Management at the LAU SOP, said she was involved in the development of the study concept and design and sample collection for analysis and histopathology.

“I got to be fully involved in the entire process from start to finish and was able to develop skills and increase my knowledge on many levels,” she said.  

One thing the researchers are certain of is that cannabis research will have a great impact on future studies in the field of inflammation.

“What made this experience more interesting was the fact that the research revolved around cannabis, whose possible medicinal properties tend to be largely overlooked. I believe it is worth exploiting medically and industrially,” Saliba said.

Dr. Taleb agrees. As the race toward advancing healthcare globally gains more momentum, “scientists worldwide are finally given the green light to investigate the therapeutic effects of the plant, which for generations has provided its users with a recreational escape beyond traditional medicine.”

Scientific research confirms medicinal properties of cannabis oil extract for inflammatory diseases in animal models, paving the way for future impactful studies.

LAU’s VIP+ Innovation Showcase and Startup Competition Announces Winners

Five teams are rewarded with monetary prizes and the support needed to advance their innovative projects.

In 2021, thanks to a generous grant from the US Department of State Middle East Partnership Initiative (US MEPI), LAU launched the Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) framework designed by Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) that allows student teams from across the disciplines to collaborate on innovative projects. While developing their projects, the teams are led by faculty, coached by graduate students, and co-mentored by industry partners.

To maximize the experience for its students, LAU expanded the VIP framework to a VIP+ model, incorporating an entrepreneurship component that falls under the MEPI Tomorrow Leaders’ College to Work Pipeline (TLP), encouraging them to innovate and create their own startups.

In the first LAU VIP+ Innovation Showcase and Startup Competition, held on Byblos campus, ten teams, some of whom had spent between one to two semesters developing their startups, had the opportunity to pitch them to a jury.

“The purpose of the competition,” said Dean of the School of Engineering and TLP Project Director Lina Karam, “is to motivate our students to innovate and empower them to launch successful startups and to recognize and celebrate innovation and entrepreneurship.”

The five winning companies were awarded monetary prizes: Cedar BioDiagnostics and Takatcom tied in first place and were awarded $7,000 each; Mindzone and LUXEED Robotics tied in second place and were granted $5,000 each; and 1TRIBE came in third place and was awarded $2,000.

• Cedar BioDiagnostics – While scientific studies have focused on finding a cure for kidney damage and disease, little attention has been given to developing detection methods. Accordingly, Cedar BioDiagnostics aims to respond to this gap by developing non-invasive microchips that can detect slight variations in kidney function that might not appear in clinical tests, using urine samples from diabetic and/or hypertensive patients. Through early detection, this startup hopes to help doctors protect their patients from irreversible kidney damage and chronic diseases by offering preventative measures and early treatment.
• Takatcom – Takatcom’s six-month-old startup idea presents itself as a reliable and decentralized solution to the electricity crisis. It aims to design an energy trading platform, allowing peers to trade excess solar energy through dynamic pricing and a grid prioritizing liability at competitive prices. Various sources of power generation inside the microgrid ensure the lowest cost of energy to the peer.
• Mindzone – Mindzone is an interactive E-learning platform that provides enthusiastic learners with access to free and paid video courses in Arabic. The courses, which cover artistic topics, such as photography, help learners develop their knowledge and implementation skills. Mindzone also offers learners a chance to ask questions and get answers or feedback on their projects from experts in the field.
• LUXEED Robotics – LUXEED Robotics aims to build a robot that burns weeds with laser in an effort to reduce yield loss in crops. The startup thus proposes a cost-effective and organic solution to weed management and promotes sustainable agriculture by decreasing the use of herbicides, commonly used to eliminate weeds.
• 1TRIBE –1TRIBE’s application offers gym owners and coaches an easy way to share their fitness exercises with their clients. Instead of using a white or blackboard to explain the breakdown of an exercise, this application works by screening customizable workouts on television, making it easier for class members to follow the fitness exercises. The application tells users which workout they need to do and how much time they should spend doing it. It also simplifies the process of designing a fitness class by sharing with coaches a list of popular workouts that they can amend and share with their own clients.

In addition to the monetary awards, the winners will receive support, mentoring, and training as needed, said Dr. Karam. “They will be also eligible to participate in further pitching events and competitions where they can highlight their progress and achievements to receive further funds, which will be done in collaboration with the LAU Fouad Makhzoumi Innovation Center/LAU Innovate,” the university’s own incubation hub.

Third prize went to the team who pitched 1TRIBE, an app that instantly casts customizable workouts to any big screen in class.

First prize winner, Cedar BioDiagnostics’ startup will specialize in developing microchips that detect slight variations in kidney function that might not appear in clinical tests.

Also in first place, Takatcom’s startup involves designing an energy trading platform, allowing peers to trade excess solar energy at affordable costs.

Mindzone, an interactive E-learning platform that provides enthusiastic learners with access to free and paid video courses in Arabic, took second prize.

LUXEED Robotics tied in second place, for their idea to build a robot that burns weeds with laser in an effort to reduce yield loss in crops and the use of pesticides

Blood Donation Awareness

April 28, 2023 11:00 AM–3:00 PM

AKSOB Entrance - Beirut Campus

The Social Work Club, Beirut campus, is organizing a blood donation awareness event in collaboration with Shifaa on Friday April 28 at 11.

Young LAU Physicians Report on Their US Residencies

Graduates of the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine share their experiences from highly sought-after residencies in the US.

While getting accepted into medical school is no easy feat, securing a residency – the training program that equips medical graduates with the necessary hands-on experience in their specialty of choice – can be an arduous experience that becomes more competitive for those who have their hearts set on residencies abroad.

Last spring, 91.3 percent of LAU’s Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine applicants matched for residencies at leading American institutions. For context, the 2023 Main Residency Match Data listed match rates for US citizen and non-US citizen IMGs (international medical graduates) at 67.6 percent and 59.4 percent, respectively, which renders the LAU residency placement rate “a tremendous accomplishment and a remarkable achievement,” said Dean Sola Aoun Bahous.

“The increasing number of students successfully matching in recent years is a testimony to our institution’s commitment to excellence in medical education. It reflects the dedication of our students, the expertise of our faculty, and the bright future of healthcare,” she added.

A few months into their residencies, some of the LAU graduates who matched weighed in on their experiences, the factors that helped them earn these opportunities and their future plans in the medical field.

A General Surgery resident at Waterbury Hospital in Connecticut, MA, Dr. Paul Fata credits his “well-rounded and up-to-date medical education at LAU, as well as the two years of surgery training at the LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital” for putting him “one step ahead.”

He is grateful that his residency program involves hands-on experience that exposes him to both common and complex cases, considering the patient load and diversity, which has allowed him to “explore my potential and grow on a daily basis.”

Following his residency, Dr. Fata hopes to pursue a fellowship in minimally invasive and robotic surgery – a field that piqued his interest. He also hopes to return to Lebanon after completing the training to “bring better and more advanced care back to my country.”

Sharing a similar sentiment about his residency so far, Dr. Joey Daher, a Family Medicine resident at the MetroHealth System in Cleveland, OH, said that the “high-quality teaching, hands-on clinical practice and exposure gained at LAU enabled me to work comfortably and perform at a high level in residency.”

He was drawn to family medicine because it entails developing the skills to deal with a wide set of pathologies and medical complaints, as well as building long-lasting relationships with patients. Being exposed to a wide variety of cases, ethnicities and age groups was one of the many highlights of Dr. Daher’s experience. This helped him build a “versatile skillset in the field,” he said.

He now has his heart set on a fellowship in sports medicine – an area he has already researched. A paper he co-authored on stress fractures was published in the Ochsner Journal this month.

For Dr. Issam Motairek, an Internal Medicine resident at Cleveland Clinic, OH, working at one of the world’s best hospitals has given him the chance to see some complex and rare medical cases, which has broadened his understanding of medicine.

His passion for the field stems from a wish to establish deep and meaningful connections with his patients and their families. “Witnessing firsthand the positive impact that physicians can have is genuinely heartwarming,” he said.

Two factors contributed to securing his residency, said Dr. Motairek. First, the solid clinical foundation at the school of medicine that closely aligns with American standards. “LAU graduates can seamlessly fit into the American medical system, which provided me with a springboard to expand my medical knowledge,” he said.

Second was LAU’s growing positive reputation, which he attributed to its strong alumni network across the US. “This increases the likelihood of US-based residency program directors being familiar with the quality of education at LAU, which opens doors of opportunity for LAU students and alumni,” he noted.

Looking beyond the residency, Dr. Motairek has set his sights on pursuing a cardiology fellowship, a progression from internal medicine. Before starting his residency, he had conducted research in cardiology with a focus on social and environmental factors that can impact heart health.

“I am fascinated by cutting-edge cardiovascular imaging modalities, such as cardiac optical coherence tomography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging,” he added. “I hope to be able to blend patient care with scientific advancement, and to contribute to medical progress.”