College of Healthcare Technologies

Dr. Abbas AlZubaidi is an accomplished professional in the fields of medical imaging and artificial intelligence. With a Ph.D., M.Sc., and EIT in medical sciences and biomedical engineering, his career is marked by significant contributions to research and teaching. Dr. AlZubaidi’s work spans various high-profile institutions across Europe and North America, including the Max Planck Institute, RWTH Aachen University, and universities in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. His research focus includes innovative developments in MRI technology, contactless imaging for ICUs, space exploration, and the integration of AI in cardiovascular technologies.

Dr. AlZubaidi’s expertise in artificial intelligence dates back to 1999, with notable work on adaptive neuro-fuzzy controllers for cardiovascular applications. His teaching philosophy emphasizes clarity and quality, aiming to provide comprehensive knowledge in biomedical instrumentation and engineering concepts.

He has a substantial publication record in peer-reviewed journals and contributions to book chapters, reflecting his research in neonatal thermal imaging, biomedical signal processing, and medical imaging technologies. His role at GE Healthcare and Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering highlights his capabilities in medical imaging and radiology education and practical application development.

Dr. Badro is an Associate Professor of Molecular Oncology in the College of Healthcare Technologies. She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Université Saint Joseph (USJ) in Beirut, a master’s degree in Developmental Biology/Embryology from Aix-Marseille Université in France, and a Ph.D. degree in Molecular and Cell Biology from Université Côte d’Azur in France. After completing her PhD, Dr. Badro was appointed as a post-doc fellow in Human Genetics in the School of Medicine at the Lebanese American University and later as a post-doc fellow in Molecular Oncology in the Faculty of Medicine at the American University of Beirut. Since 2010, Dr. Badro has built a strong expertise in the field of healthcare and medical education by delivering lectures, creating courses, and designing undergraduate, graduate, and clinical programs for various universities in the Middle East. Her teaching interests include cancer biology, recombinant DNA, embryology, epidemiology, and research ethics. Dr. Badro held the position of Director of Graduate Studies in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the American University of Science and Technology in Lebanon from 2015 till 2022. In 2018, she joined the National Institute of Public Health, Clinical Epidemiology, and Toxicology-Lebanon, a leading research institution in the Middle East, as a founding research associate. She also co-founded and is currently chairing the group’s Research Ethics Committee. Dr. Badro is an active researcher and has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. Her current areas of research include the epidemiology of chronic kidney disease, the distribution of breast cancer markers in the Middle Eastern population, and the evaluation of drug use in the general population. During her leisure time, Dr. Badro enjoys mountain and long-distance trekking. In recent years, she has completed the ascension of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and the GR20 in Corsica to raise awareness for cancer.

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4487-9144
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Book Chapter

Chronic Kidney Disease management in developing countries, Badro DA in: Handbook of Medical and Health Sciences in Developing Countries: Education, Practice, and Research. Springer International Publishing. 2023. https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-030-74786-2_27-1

Selected Peer-Reviewed Articles

1. Sacre, H., Hajj, A., Badro, D. A., Abou Selwan, C., Haddad, C., Aoun, R., & Salameh, P. (2022). The Combined Outcomes of the COVID-19 Pandemic and a Collapsing Economy on Mental Well-Being: A Cross-Sectional Study. Psychological reports, 332941221110545. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941221110545
2. Mallah, N., Rodríguez-Cano, R., Badro, D. A., Figueiras, A., Gonzalez-Barcala, F. J., & Takkouche, B. (2022). Development and Validation of a Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Questionnaire on Antibiotic Use in Arabic and French Languages in Lebanon. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(2), 687. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19020687
3. Mallah, N., Rodríguez-Cano, R., Badro, D. A., Figueiras, A., Caamaño-Isorna, F., & Takkouche, B. (2021). Validation of the Arabic and French Versions of a Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) Questionnaire on Tranquilizer Misuse. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(21), 11144. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111144
4. Mallah, N., Badro, D. A., Figueiras, A., & Takkouche, B. (2022). Association of knowledge and attitudes with the misuse of tranquilizers in parents: a study in Beirut (Lebanon). Psychology & health, 37(7), 903–916. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2021.1912341
5. Daou, F., Abou-Sleymane, G., Badro, D. A., Khanafer, N., Tobaiqy, M., & Al Faraj, A. (2021). The History, Efficacy, and Safety of Potential Therapeutics: A Narrative Overview of the Complex Life of COVID-19. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(3), 955. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18030955
6. Salameh, P., Hajj, A., Badro, D. A., Abou Selwan, C., Aoun, R., & Sacre, H. (2020). Mental Health Outcomes of the COVID-19 Pandemic and a Collapsing Economy: Perspectives from a Developing Country. Psychiatry research, 294, 113520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113520
7. Mallah, N., Badro, D. A., Figueiras, A., & Takkouche, B. (2020). Association of knowledge and beliefs with the misuse of antibiotics in parents: A study in Beirut (Lebanon). PloS one, 15(7), e0232464. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0232464
8. Badro, D. A., Sacre, H., Hallit, S., Amhaz, A., & Salameh, P. (2020). Good pharmacy practice assessment among community pharmacies in Lebanon. Pharmacy practice, 18(1), 1745. https://doi.org/10.18549/PharmPract.2020.1.1745
9. Harajly, M., Zalzali, H., Nawaz, Z., Ghayad, S. E., Ghamloush, F., Basma, H., Zainedin, S., Rabeh, W., Jabbour, M., Tawil, A., Badro, D. A., Evan, G. I., & Saab, R. (2015). p53 Restoration in Induction and Maintenance of Senescence: Differential Effects in Premalignant and Malignant Tumor Cells. Molecular and cellular biology, 36(3), 438–451. https://doi.org/10.1128/MCB.00747-15
10. Motamedi, F. J., Badro, D. A., Clarkson, M., Lecca, M. R., Bradford, S. T., Buske, F. A., Saar, K., Hübner, N., Brändli, A. W., & Schedl, A. (2014). WT1 controls antagonistic FGF and BMP-pSMAD pathways in early renal progenitors. Nature communications, 5, 4444. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms5444
11. Grandjean, V., Badro, D. A., & Kiani, J. (2013). RNA: a possible contributor to the ‘missing heritability’. Basic and clinical andrology, 23, 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/2051-4190-23-9
12. Badro, D. A., Douaihy, B., Haber, M., Youhanna, S. C., Salloum, A., Ghassibe-Sabbagh, M., Johnsrud, B., Khazen, G., Matisoo-Smith, E., Soria-Hernanz, D. F., Wells, R. S., Tyler-Smith, C., Platt, D. E., Zalloua, P. A., & Genographic Consortium (2013). Y-chromosome and mtDNA genetics reveal significant contrasts in affinities of modern Middle Eastern populations with European and African populations. PloS one, 8(1), e54616. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0054616
13. Hager, J., Kamatani, Y., Cazier, J. B., Youhanna, S., Ghassibe-Sabbagh, M., Platt, D. E., Abchee, A. B., Romanos, J., Khazen, G., Othman, R., Badro, D. A., Haber, M., Salloum, A. K., Douaihy, B., Shasha, N., Kabbani, S., Sbeite, H., Chammas, E., el Bayeh, H., Rousseau, F., … FGENTCARD Consortium (2012). Genome-wide association study in a Lebanese cohort confirms PHACTR1 as a major determinant of coronary artery stenosis. PloS one, 7(6), e38663. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0038663
14. Ghassibe-Sabbagh, M., Platt, D. E., Youhanna, S., Abchee, A. B., Stewart, K., Badro, D. A., Haber, M., Salloum, A. K., Douaihy, B., el Bayeh, H., Othman, R., Shasha, N., Kibbani, S., Chammas, E., Milane, A., Nemr, R., Kamatani, Y., Hager, J., Cazier, J. B., Gauguier, D., … FGENTCARD Consortium (2012). Genetic and environmental influences on total plasma homocysteine and its role in coronary artery disease risk. Atherosclerosis, 222(1), 180–186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2012.02.035
15. Saade, S., Cazier, J. B., Ghassibe-Sabbagh, M., Youhanna, S., Badro, D. A., Kamatani, Y., Hager, J., Yeretzian, J. S., El-Khazen, G., Haber, M., Salloum, A. K., Douaihy, B., Othman, R., Shasha, N., Kabbani, S., Bayeh, H. E., Chammas, E., Farrall, M., Gauguier, D., Platt, D. E., … FGENTCARD consortium (2011). Large scale association analysis identifies three susceptibility loci for coronary artery disease. PloS one, 6(12), e29427. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0029427
16. Haber, M., Platt, D. E., Badro, D. A., Xue, Y., El-Sibai, M., Bonab, M. A., Youhanna, S. C., Saade, S., Soria-Hernanz, D. F., Royyuru, A., Wells, R. S., Tyler-Smith, C., Zalloua, P. A., & Genographic Consortium (2011). Influences of history, geography, and religion on genetic structure: the Maronites in Lebanon. European journal of human genetics : EJHG, 19(3), 334–340. https://doi.org/10.1038/ejhg.2010.177

Haber, M., Platt, D. E., Khoury, S., Badro, D. A., Abboud, M., Tyler-Smith, C., & Zalloua, P. A. (2011). Y-chromosome R-M343 African lineages and sickle cell disease reveal structured assimilation in Lebanon. Journal of human genetics, 56(1), 29–33. https://doi.org/10.1038/jhg.2010.131

David M. Claborn became the Associate Dean of the College of Health Technologies in August of 2023.  He started his professional career as a public health entomologist following his Master’s degree in entomology at Texas Tech University.  Later, he completed a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, where his dissertation dealt with the reintroduction of malaria into South Korea.  In 2008 he started an academic career at Missouri State University where he served as the Director of the Master of Public Health Program for 10 years.  In that role, he taught courses in epidemiology, environmental health, international health & infectious disease, public health preparedness, and public health research.  At AUIB he is teaching courses in public health, biology, and the healthcare professions.

His research interests lie in public health risks associated with disturbed habitats, including those disrupted by war and natural disasters.  He has extensive international experience and over 40 peer-reviewed publications on topics ranging from basic biology to the epidemiology of vector-borne disease.  Most recently he has worked on disease risk assessment and response for Zika virus, invasive species of disease vectors in the MidWestern U.S.A.,   and the epidemiology of COVID-19.

David is a native Texan in the United States but his permanent residence is now in Missouri where his wife and daughter remain.  His hobbies include playing the fiddle (badly) and the string bass (even worse).  He also sings (the worst).

Selected Publications

Claborn D, Johnson DEA, McKinnis K, Hall DA. 2021. Convenience Sample Survey of Risk Factors Associated with a Positive Test for SARSCoV-2 in Asymptomatic Students of a Large Mid-Western University. J Glob Epidemiol Environ Health 2021: 01-06. doi: https://doi.org/10.29199/GEEH.101024

Claborn, DM.  2020.  A narrative review of the role of economic crisis on health and healthcare infrastructure in three disparate national environments.  International J of Env Research & Public Health.  17, 1252; doi:10.3390/ijerph17042252.

Roberts L, B Brauer, WL Nicholson, BN Ayres, KR Thompson and DM Claborn.  2021.  First record of the Asian long-horned tick Haemaphsalis longicornis in Missouri.  J Am Mosq Cont Assoc  37(4).

Claborn, DM, SS Chowi, M Meyers, D Duitsman, and KR Thompson.  2019.  Mosquito occurrence in 36 counties of Southern and Western Missouri.  Southwest Naturalist 64(2):73-80.

Claborn DM, SS Chowi, M Flint, C Acheampong. 2020.  Surveillance for a vector of Zika virus and two other mosquito species in four ecoregions of Missouri:  An a posteriori analysis. In Viral outbreaks.  Intech Publishing, London

Claborn, DM.  2019.  “Guiding Collaboration Between County Health Department Directors to formulate Realistic Response Plans in the Event of Mosquito-Borne Zika Outbreaks.” In Master of Public Health Competencies:  A Case Studies Approach (AJ Santella, ed).  Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, MA

Claborn, DM. 2018.   “What is Global Health?” in Current Issues in Global Health.  Intech Publishing: London. ISBN 978-1-78984-511-2

Claborn, DM and C Oestreich.  2015. “ Disasters and Public Health” in Topics in Public Health,.   Intech Publishers, London. Available from: http://www.intechopen.com/books.

Claborn, DM.  2014. “Conflict Leishmaniasis” in Leishmaniasis – Trends in Epidemiology, Diagnosis and Treatment, ISBN: 978-953-51-1232-7, InTech,  Available from: http://www.intechopen.com/books/leishmaniasis-trends-in-epidemiology-diagnosis-and-treatment/conflict-leishmaniasis

Claborn, DM.  2022.  Vaccine hesitancy and the Apocalypse.  eJournal of Public Affairs 11 (1). Available at https://ejournalofpublicaffairs.org/volume-11-issue-1/ .

Ms. Diana Moukaddem is an instructor of Optometry and Vision science in the College of Healthcare Technologies. Obtaining her BSc in optometry from the American University of Science and Technology (Lebanon) in 2015, Diana worked for over two years in Beirut Eye and ENT Specialist hospital, a leading eye hospital in Lebanon. There, she gained extensive clinical experience, particularly in paediatric optometry and binocular vision. Diana went on to complete her MSc in investigative ophthalmology and vision research in 2018 at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) and has just completed her doctoral research in hyperopia at GCU. During her doctoral studies, she became an associate fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA). Diana’s research area and interests are hyperopia, refractive error development, choroidal thickness and ocular circadian rhythms.

Diana comes from a small country (Lebanon) but loves to travel and explore new cultures; she volunteered in the summer of 2018 on the Phelophepa train where she offered primary eye care to residents of disadvantaged areas in south Africa.

Ghufran Kadhim has a bachelor’s degree in Translation and a diploma in French Language from Al-Mustansiriyah University in Baghdad.  She is the Administrative Assistant at the College of Healthcare Technologies at the American University in Baghdad. She has experience in administration and providing comprehensive support to various administrative functions.  She is dedicated to assisting in the smooth operation of the college and ensuring effective communication and coordination within the department.  Ghufran is also committed to contributing to the success of the college and its mission in delivering quality healthcare education.