Luis R. Saraiva, PhD

In 2004, Luis concluded an integrated B.Sc. and M.Sc. degree in Biology at the University of Evora and the Gulbenkian Institute of Science in Portugal. Luis advanced to a Ph.D. in Genetics at the International Graduate School in Genetics and Functional Genomics of the University of Cologne (Germany), graduating summa cum laude in 2008. Next, his academic journey took him to Harvard Medical School as a visiting scientist, funded by the Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds, followed by his first postdoctoral appointment at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (USA). In 2013, he received the EBI–Sanger Postdoctoral (ESPOD) Fellowship, which led him to continue his postdoctoral training at the EMBL-European Bioinformatics Institute and the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Cambridge (UK), where he also earned a Sanger Early Career Innovation Award.

In 2015, he joined Sidra Medicine (Qatar), where he is currently based, leading the Human Disease Modeling and Therapeutics Laboratory and the Congenital Malformations Clinical Research Program. He served as Adjunct Faculty at the Monell Chemical Senses Center (USA) from 2016-2023, has been a Joint Professor at Hamad bin Khalifa University (Qatar) since 2018, and an Associate Professor Adjunct at Yale University (USA) since 2024.

Our laboratory develops and deploys biological assays to understand how specific genetic variants can cause the dysregulation of specific molecular mechanisms leading to disease. We collaborate with clinicians and leverage cell and animal models to apply an integrative strategy combining molecular biology, genetics, behavior, and omics techniques. Ultimately, we aim to advance fundamental science and translate our findings into new diagnostic and treatment options for patients suffering from rare genetic diseases.

We also play a pivotal role in the implementation and advancement of the Congenital Malformations in Clinical Research Program at Sidra. Our efforts support clinical colleagues in gathering and analyzing patient cohorts with a diverse range of congenital malformations, with a particular focus on hypospadias, spina bifida, orofacial clefts, and congenital heart disease.

Kholoud Al Shafai, PhD
Staff Scientist
Email: kalshafai (@) sidra.org

Diogo Manoel, PhD
Staff Scientist
Email: dmanoel (@) sidra.org

Melanie Makhlouf, PhD
Senior Postdoctoral Fellow
Email: mmakhlouf1 (@) sidra.org

Reem Hasnah, MSc (PhD student)
Research Specialist | MSc Student
Email: rhasnah1 (@) sidra.org

Eman H. Abou-Moussa, MSc
Research Specialist
Email: eaboumoussa (@) sidra.org

Asma Al Naama, BSc (Msc student)
Research Specialist
Email: aalnaama2 (@) sidra.org