Exceptionally this year, the Clinical Research Institute (CRI) in collaboration with the Office of Clinical and Translational Research at the Faculty of Medicine (FM) and the AUB Medical Center (AUBMC) held the Seventh Annual Clinical Research E-Open House virtually. Seventy-five graduating residents, 14 clinical fellows, 4 postdoctoral fellows and 11 research fellows had the opportunity to give oral presentations. The E-Open House was held over 3 consecutive days, May 27, 28 and 29, 2020 from 9am to 5pm each day with a total of 13 WebEx sessions. Sessions were not overlapping to encourage interdepartmental participation. Different panels of 4 faculty members evaluated the oral presentations in each session.
The event also included an online award ceremony which started with opening remarks from Dr. Samia Khoury, Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational Research, Dr. Elie Akl, Director of the CRI, and Dr. Hani Tamim, Director of the FRRP. They all expressed their enthusiasm and content for the growth and quality of research at AUBMC. The ceremony included the announcement of awards related to different programs under the CRI: outstanding presentations by residents and clinical fellows from each department under the Fellowship and Residency Research Program (FRRP), top presentations by research and post-doctoral fellows in the Research Personnel Program (RPP) and postdoctoral program, and top research proposals under the Faculty Advancement Program (FAP) candidates.
FRRP residents' winning presentations from each department:
· Dr. Arwa El-Rifai - Surgery - Advisor: Dr. Ali Hallal “Management of blunt splenic Injuries in the setting of low trauma volume: challenges and perspectives"
· Dr. Bernadette Mdawar - Psychiatry - Advisor: Dr. Wael Shamseddeen “Antipsychotic drug exposure and risk of venous thromboembolic events: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies"
· Dr. Carl-joe Mehanna / Dr. Salma Yassine - Ophthalmology - Advisor: Dr. Ziad Bashour “Long-term effect of compliance with an as-needed anti-VEGF regimen on visual outcomes in neovascular age-related macular degeneration"
· Dr. Carole Baraké - Obstetrics and Gynecology - Advisor: Dr. Dina Chamsy "Appropriateness of hysterectomies at the time of surgical removal of presumed benign adnexal masses"
· Dr. Dina Mahmassani - Emergency Medicine - Advisor: Dr. Mazen El Sayed "Patterns and predictors of firearm related spinal cord injuries in adult trauma patients in the United States"
· Dr. Fares Sukhon - Internal Medicine - Advisor: Dr. Hazem Assi “Outcomes of Patients with malignancy admitted to the intensive care units (ICU): a prospective study"
· Dr. Hanine El Arab - Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine - Advisor: Dr. Lama Charafeddine “Effects of breastfeeding on the readmission due to hyperbilirubinemia in late preterm and term infants: a multicenter study from a middle-income country"
· Dr. Hassan M. Moukhadder - Internal Medicine - Advisor: Dr. Ali Taher “Common fetal hemoglobin variants in Lebanese patients bearing the codon 29 beta gene mutation associated with different thalassemia phenotypes"
· Dr. Layal Abou Daher - Anesthesiology - Advisor: Dr. Marie Maroun “Predictors of postoperative pain after shoulder surgery, a prospective observational study"
· Dr. Maelle Saliba - Pathology and Laboratory Medicine - Advisor: Dr. Rami Mahfouz "Human papillomavirus genotypes in Lebanese patients: population profiling with cytologic and histologic correlation"
· Dr. Mohamad Agha - Neurology - Advisor: Dr. Johnny Salameh “Effectiveness of apraclonidine eye drops in the treatment of ptosis secondary to myasthenia gravis: a pilot study
· Dr. Paul Ramia - Radiation Oncology - Advisor: Dr. Bassem Youssef “Stereotactic radiosurgery for atrioventricular node ablation in swine: a study on efficacy and dosimetric evaluation of organs at risk"
· Dr. Rayan Issa - Diagnostic Radiology - Advisor: Dr. Roula Hourany “Gadoterate meglumine administration in multiple sclerosis has no effect on the dentate nucleus and the globus pallidus signal intensities"
· Dr. Reem Abdelnabi - Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine - Advisor: Dr. Mona Nabulsi “Is there an association between the obstetrician's gender and breastfeeding?"
· Dr. Samar Khalil - Dermatology - Advisor: Dr. Mazen Kurban “Use of two combination creams for the treatment of autosomal recessive congenital ichthyoses"
· Dr. Vicky Kassouf - Family Medicine - Advisor: Dr. Jumana Antoun “Effect of a discordant opinion offered by second opinion physician on the patient's final decision for management of spinal disc disease"
FRRP clinical fellows' winning presentations:
This year, an award for best presentation was dedicated to the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine because it had a higher number of presenting clinical fellows than that from all other departments combined.
· Dr. Christelle Tayeh - Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine - Advisor: Dr. Ziad Bulbul “Validation of echocardiographic, computerized tomography and Cardiac MRI in the assessment of volumes"
The winner of the best oral presentation among the graduating clinical fellows from the departments of Anesthesiology, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Psychiatry, and Surgery:
· Dr. Fatima Zarzour - Internal Medicine - Advisor: Dr. Marlene Chakhtoura “The effect of metformin on weight and other metabolic parameters in obese non-diabetic patients"
Furthermore, 4 postdoctoral fellows under the RPP presented their research projects and one award for the best presentation was given to:
· Dr. Emna Bent Abd Al Salam Abidi - Pharmacology and Toxicology - Mentor: Dr. Fouad Zouein “Smoke cardiomyopathy in females: Deciphering the Unknown and Assessing the Risk of Estrogen Contraceptives"
Moreover, 11 research fellows under the RPP presented their research projects and awards were presented as follows:
· 1st Prize: Dr. Abbass El-Outa - Emergency Medicine – Mentor: Dr. Afif Jean Mufarrij “Intermittent Fasting & Performance: the iFast Clinical Trial"
· 2nd Prize: Dr. Youssef Jalloul - Internal Medicine - Mentor: Dr. Marwan Refaat “The Prevalence of Right Sided Heart Failure among Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease"
· 3rd Prize: Dr. Sarah Bou Reslan - Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center - Mentor: Dr. Samia Khoury “Effect of Disease Modifying Therapies on Retinal & Cognitive Changes in RRMS"
Finally, 3 awards were distributed to FAP participants for the best research proposals:
· 1st Prize: Dr. Esber Saba - Experimental Pathology - Mentor: Dr. Ahmed El-Yazbi
· 2nd Prize: Dr. Iman Abou Dalle - Internal Medicine - Mentor: Dr. Marwan Refaat
· 2nd Prize: Dr. Imad El-Kebbi - Internal Medicine - Mentor: Dr. Marwan Refaat
· 3rd Prize: Dr. Elias Ghossoub - Psychiatry - Mentor: Dr. Wael Shamseddeen
Mentorship appreciation awards were distributed to three FAP mentors:
· Dr. Wael Shamseddeen - Psychiatry
· Dr. Mazen El Sayed - Emergency Medicine
Dr. Suzanne Dhaini – Hariri School of Nursing