Bio
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University
Prof. Dr. Nourtan F. Abdeltawab's research focuses on host-pathogen interactions and the genetic factors influencing response variability. She graduated with B. Pharm. Sc. from Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University in 2002 ranking fourth in her class. In 2004, she pursued her Ph.D. in the United States, where she delved into systems biology approaches, including genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Her doctoral research centered on understanding the immunogenetics of infectious diseases, specifically group A streptococcal sepsis, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Malak Kotb at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. During her doctoral training, Dr. Abdeltawab collaborated with Prof. Dr. Robert W. Williams' team, successfully completing genome-wide transcriptional profiling projects involving mouse spleen and a human genome diversity for Centre d'Etude du Polymorphisme Humain (CEPH) cell lines panel. These high-throughput studies aimed to compare expression pathways in mice and humans, contributing valuable data to the GeneNetwork online platform for enhanced translational research.
During her postdoctoral training at University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, Dr. Abdeltawab expanded her collaborations, mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) modulating differential host responses to infectious diseases, including Ebola and Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli. Returning to her hometown Cairo, Egypt, in 2013, she started her own research team and is currently a full professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University. Dr. Abdeltawab's research group focuses on identifying alternative treatments for the global burden of multi-drug-resistant microbes, which is exceedingly challenging in Egypt. One of her current research interests is studying immunological and differential responses to the hepatitis C virus (HCV), a health and economic burden in Egypt. One of her ongoing projects is looking at the pharmacogenetics of HCV's new direct-acting antivirals for which she was awarded the L'Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science (FWIS) Levant and Egypt fellowship in 2014 and International Rising Talent Award in 2015.
Dr. Abdeltawab's contributions have earned her recognition, including the Top 50 Women Forum in Egypt (Amwal Al-Ghad) in 2016 and the Cairo University Encouragement Award (Junior Faculty Incentive Award) in 2018. Recently, she received a state-funded short-term visit to the University of Montreal Hospital Research Center in Montréal, QC, Canada, for collaborative research with Prof. Dr. Naglaa Shoukry on understanding correlates of protective immunity to HCV infection (2022–2023).
Dr. Abdeltawab believes in empowering her students to be independent and think scientifically on their own and challenge the status quo. She recognizes the vital role of women in promoting well-being and happiness in any society. Therefore, she aspires to enhance the role of women in science through education and self-reliance. In fact, Dr. Nourtan Abdeltawab had been engaged in multiple roles: she is a researcher and mentor for science students, a professor for university and postgraduate pharmacy students. She has held various positions, including the Director of the Biotechnology Center and the Director of the International Relations Office, working closely with international students at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University. She advocates for a better understanding of cultures among students to promote peace, harmony, and avoid violence based on ignorance and fear of "the other”. In each of these roles, Dr. Abdeltawab aims to empower young minds to think independently in a scientific way and challenge the current status quo.