Ben Rekaya Mariem

I am Mariem Ben Rekaya, currently a researcher at the research unit, Oncotheranostic markers for cancers, UR17ES15, at the faculty of medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar. I work in close collaboration with pathologists to set up cost-effective molecular pathology tools to detect oncotheranostic Biomarkers in cancers. I obtained my Ph.D. in Biological Sciences and Biotechnology in 2011. I am mainly involved in the study of the molecular basis of inherited rare disorders (Xeroderma pigmentosum, Bloom syndrome, Rothmund Thomson syndrome, the Fanconi Anemia, etc.) and multifactorial disorders (familial cancers, Breast cancer). I did three postdoctoral fellows funded by three different projects. For the first experience, I contributed, actively to an FP7 European project entitled: Reinforcing IPT capacities in Genomic Medicine, Non-Communicable Diseases Investigation and international cooperation (acronym: GM_NCD_in_Co www.genomedika.org, Grant agreement no: 295097). During this project, I have been involved in setting and organizing training activities in genomic medicine and bioinformatics. For the second experience, I worked as a Mobidoc postdoctoral follow in the Genotyping Typing Facility at Institut Pasteur de Tunis. The Mobidoc doctoral and postdoctoral scheme is funded by a European Aid program PASRI, the aim of the project I proposed was to develop a tool for decision making for the molecular diagnosis of breast cancer in Tunisia. For the third experience, I worked at the Medical Oncology Department of Abderahman Mami Hospital in Ariana, funded by the national PEC-4-TUN project entitled Translational research on breast cancer in Tunisia and I investigated the genetic susceptibility factors of breast cancer in Tunisia. During my research activities, I have the opportunity to conduct many studies to better improve the molecular diagnosis of non-communicable diseases affecting vulnerable populations (patients with rare diseases or women, both with severe and chronic diseases) that represent a real public health problem in our country and in the region.