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Director’s Biography
The Advanced Cell Therapy Core (ACTC) is led by Dr. Chiara Cugno. Dr. Cugno is an experienced medical doctor with a Board Certification in Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the University of Pavia, Italy, and a II Level Master in Pediatric Hematology at the University “La Sapienza” of Rome, Italy. Dr. Cugno joined Sidra Medicine in April 2014, and has been working on the development of the Advanced Cell Therapy Core, including a Cellular Therapy Unit for the delivery of cellular products for tissue, cell and gene therapy, and research projects on Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and pediatric leukemia. -
Overview of the Departments
The Advanced Cell Therapy Core (ACTC) synergistically completes Sidra Medicine’s Precision Medicine Program to provide personalized treatments to patients. The ACTC is designed to provide advanced personalized care in a patient’s path from diagnosis to intervention by tailoring treatment options in the fields of:Hematopoietic Stem Cell (HSC) Transplantation, e.g. processing of HSC; Cell Therapy, e.g. production of third party Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSC) as off-the-shelf treatment for several clinical applications; Regenerative Medicine, e.g. production of platelets derivatives; Gene Therapy, e.g. replacement of a faulty gene. These treatments promise to reverse often debilitating manifestations of diseases – such as cancer, genetic and metabolic disorders – that disproportionately affect children, as well as provide opportunities for therapies using stem cells for rejuvenation and regeneration in pediatric and maternal care. -
LAB MEMBERS
• Sara Deola, MD, PhD
Principal Investigator
Email: sdeola (@) sidra.org• Cristina Maccalli, PhD
Principal Investigator
Email: cmaccalli (@) sidra.org• Massimino Miele, BSc
Lab Manager
Email: mmiele (@) sidra.org• Rita Calzone, MSc
Research Specialist
Email: rcalzone (@) sidra.org• Che-Ann Lachica, BSc
Research Specialist
Email: clachica (@) sidra.org• Sheanna Marie Herrera, MSc
Research Specialist
Email: sherrera (@) sidra.org• Asma Al-Sulaiti, BSc
Research Specialist
Email: aalsuilaiti1 (@) sidra.org• Moza Al- Khulaifi, BSc
Research Specialist
Email: malkhulaifi (@) sidra.org• Heba Sidahmed, MBBs,MRCs
Post-Doctoral fellow
Email: hsidahmed (@) sidra.org• Giusy Gentilcore, PhD
Research Specialist
Email: ggentilcore (@) sidra.org• Bella Guerrouahen, PhD
Post-Doctoral Fellow (grant-funded position)
Email: bguerrouahen (@) sidra.org• Saad Rasool, BSc
Research Specialist (grant-funded position)
Email: srasool(@) sidra.org• Shilpa Ravindran, MSc
Research Specialist (grant-funded position)
Email: sravindran(@) sidra.org• Muhammad Elnaggar, MD
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Email: melnaggar (@) sidra.org• Dhanya Kizhakayil, PhD
Research Specialist
Email: dkizhakayil (@) sidra.org• Anjud Al-Mohannadi, MSc
Research Specialist
Email: aalmohannadi2 (@) sidra.org