Our Speakers
Sheikh Dr Mohamed Bin Hamad Al Thani
Dr Al Thani’s is a distinguished figure in the field of public health, widely recognised for his exceptional leadership and wide-ranging contributions. As Director of the Department of Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention Programs at the Ministry of Public Health in Qatar, he has played a pivotal role in advancing national health policies and programmes focused on improving population well-being.
A visionary in public health strategy, Dr Al Thani excels in strategic leadership, policy development, and programme implementation. His dynamic and forward-thinking approach has significantly shaped Qatar’s public health landscape, aligning it with national priorities and global best practices. He is renowned for his commitment to evidence-based decision-making and is adept at developing policies that place population health at the forefront.
In addition to his leadership responsibilities, Dr Al Thani maintains an active presence in academia. He holds the esteemed positions of Professor at Qatar University and Associate Professor of Clinical Healthcare Policy and Research at Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar. His academic work centres on healthcare policy, health systems management, and quality improvement, reflecting his strong dedication to nurturing the next generation of healthcare professionals.
Dr Al Thani’s influence extends far beyond national borders through his active engagement in international forums and his role as Qatar’s representative at the World Health Assembly. He is also a key member of the Health Ministers’ Council for the Gulf Cooperation Council. Within Qatar, he has been instrumental in the Public Health Implementation Group (PHIG) and the Qatar Steering COVID-19 Committee. His involvement in the Scientific Reference and Research Taskforce (SRRT) further underscores his commitment to applying research and scientific evidence in shaping effective public health interventions.
A prolific scholar, Dr Al Thani has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications in leading scientific journals, contributing significantly to the global discourse on public health. His career is distinguished by a deep passion for advancing health outcomes and an unwavering dedication to public service, making him a leading figure in Qatar and a respected voice in international public health.
Dr. Shahrokh Esfandiari
Dean, College of Health Sciences
University of Doha for Science and Technology
Dr. Shahrokh Esfandiari is an accomplished academic leader, scholar, and strategist dedicated to advancing health education through innovation, collaboration, and applied excellence. As Dean of the College of Health Sciences at the University of Doha for Science and Technology, he is leading a bold transformation of health programs aligned with Qatar’s National Vision 2030 and the nation’s evolving workforce priorities.
Before joining UDST, Dr. Esfandiari served as Dean and Full Professor at the Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Dentistry, where he distinguished himself for his visionary leadership, interdisciplinary initiatives, and commitment to fostering academic rigor with societal impact. His career spans over two decades of academic leadership, clinical education, and institutional reform bridging the worlds of health sciences, innovation, and higher-education governance.
Under his leadership, UDST’s College of Health Sciences has expanded its academic portfolio, strengthened partnerships with national health institutions such as Hamad Medical Corporation, Sidra Medicine, and the Ministry of Public Health, and launched new strategic initiatives in research, accreditation, and graduate education. Dr. Esfandiari’s leadership philosophy centers on empowering people, fostering research that translates into practice, and creating meaningful pathways between academia and community health.
A passionate advocate for education that transforms lives, Dr. Esfandiari continues to inspire colleagues and students alike with his vision of academia as a catalyst for equity, excellence, and innovation in healthcare.
Professor Said Dermime
Prof. Said is a prominent cancer immunologist and translational researcher, widely recognized for his contributions to cancer immunotherapy, tumor immunology, and immune biomarker discovery.
Professional Role:
1- Professor & Lead Scientist, Department of Medicine / Cancer Research
2- Associated with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Qatar, and Qatar University (collaborative academic and clinical research).
3- Previously affiliated with King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (Saudi Arabia) and Imperial College London (UK).
Research Focus:
- Cancer Immunotherapy & Tumor Immunology
- Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors & Biomarkers of Response
- Adoptive Cell Therapy & Cancer Vaccines
- Translational Oncology — bridging laboratory science and clinical applications.
Notable Achievements:
- Listed among Stanford–Elsevier Top 2% Scientists (2025) for global research impact.
- Published extensively in high-impact journals (e.g., Frontiers in Immunology, Cancer Immunology Research, Nature Communications).
- Led several funded research projects on immunogenomics and personalized cancer therapy.
- Supervised multiple PhD and MSc students in oncology and immunology.
Scientific Impact:
- Pioneered immunological approaches in solid tumors and hematological malignancies.
- Contributed to international collaborations in cancer immunotherapy research.
- Active in mentoring, scientific leadership, and conference presentations across the GCC and internationally.
Dr. Mohsin Saleh Ahmed Mismar
Dr. Mohsin is a Senior Consultant in Preventive and Community Medicine with over 26 years of experience in the Health Sector in Qatar, currently leading the Screening Monitoring and Evaluation Section at Qatar’s Primary Health Care Corporation.
This role involves overseeing the National Breast and Bowel Cancer Screening Programs across 5 PHCC health centers, a Mobile Screening Unit, and the National Cancer Screening Program Call Center, managing a multidisciplinary team responsible for delivering the daily operations of the screening service, quality assurance, and performance evaluation to ensure compliance with best practices and the achievement of key National Breast and Bowel Cancer Screening performance targets and providing consultancy and support related to development of Public Health Interventions mainly the screening.
Dr. Reem Alsulaiman
Dr. Reem is the Chairperson of the Medical Genetics Department at Hamad Medical Corporation and an American Board-Certified Sr. Consultant Genetic Counselor with expertise in cancer genetics and rare diseases. In addition, Dr. Reem is the Vice President of Qatar Network of Medical Genetics and the Assistant Chair of the Doha-Heidelberg Rare Disease MDT and Research Committee and contributes as a member at the Qatar Precision Health Institute (QPHI) committees.
In addition to her clinical and leadership roles, Dr. Reem is also Assistant Professor and respected teaching faculty at the Qatar University's national genetic counseling program and she the main establisher of the genetic counseling profession's licensing and profession's hierarchy in Qatar. Dr. Reem had completed her clinical training and fellowship in genetic counseling from Sarah Lawrence College in New York in all clinical genetics’ subspecialties with special interest in cancer genetics. Dr. Reem was trained in multiple prestigious institutions in New York including Memorial Sloan Kettering, New York Presbyterian and Columbia Medical Centre. She then achieved the American board of genetic counselling and became the first Qatari national board-certified genetic counselor in the country.
Dr. Reem also received her second master degree in cancer therapeutics and achieved her PhD in cancer counselling and psychotherapy from University of Wales, Regents College in London and her research was honored as one of the 100 breakthroughs in the UK in 2018. Dr. Reem has multiple prestigious publications in high impact factor journals in the field of pediatrics and adult clinical genetics with special interest in cancer and rare disorders and is currently leading multiple precision medicine and clinical research projects including the Genomic Newborn Screening national clinical pilot at Hamad Medical Corporation in collaboration with QPHI.
Dr. Beatrice Lauby-Secretan
Dr. Lauby-Secretan is the Head of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Programme and Deputy Head of the Evidence Synthesis and Classification Branch at the International Agency for Research on Cancer, located in Lyon, France.
In the early stages of her career, her research focused on the molecular and cellular aspects of carcinogenesis, in both experimental animals and in-vitro systems. Leaving the laboratory, she then joined the IARC Monographs Programme and gained expertise in exposure assessment and environmental epidemiology.
She then relaunched the IARC Handbooks series, evaluating chemo-preventive agents, cancer screening and public health policies interventions. Recent key achievements include the publication of a milestone Handbooks volume on alcohol control and prevention, and a comprehensive 3-in-1 Handbook on oral cancer prevention.
Dr. Jafar Momani
Dr. Jafar is an EHS professional with more than 30 years of work experience. He built a solid management and technical safety background while working for leading industries in US including Chrysler, Alcoa, Pfizer, and Thermo Fisher. Dr. Momani started his consulting work in GCC delivering training and consulting work.
Dr. Momani worked in healthcare safety for more than 10 years in healthcare. Work included audits, supporting teams in the accreditations, management of health and safety programs including employees’ exposures, hazardous waste management, and delivering about 25 training topics.
Dr. Momani received his PhD in Program Evaluation (OSHA Policy Analysis), Master of Science degrees in Occupational Health & Safety and Information Systems Management, and Bachelor of Science degrees in Chemistry and Fire Protection.
Over the last 15 years, he has trained over 30,000 employees in healthcare and industry. Dr. Momani taught EHS courses including management of hazardous materials, advanced ergonomics, environmental pollution, safety and accident prevention, toxicology and safety engineering.