Briefly, tell us about your background and career up to this point?
I arrived to UK as an overseas PhD student form Jordan (of Palestinian origin) to undertake my PhD studies in Drug Delivery at The School of Pharmacy (now University College London School of Pharmacy). I never planned to settle abroad, things radically changed, I marked my 20th year anniversary in the UK last year. Coincidently, this month is my 10th year anniversary at King's. I am very happy to have made this move from another continent and then from north of the river.
What is a typical day like for you? How has this changed due to COVID-19?
I wake up 8am. The first thing I do is have a strong coffee (my average coffee intake is three cups per day). My first two hours of the day are the most productive, so I use them to get things that require the most concentration from me out of the way. My lunch breaks tend to be brief and my typical working day ends around 7pm, followed by dinner and relaxing time watching TV. I am described among friends as a workaholic so a little warning that this may not be the best lifestyle to follow!
Pre-COVID-19, I would walk to work and back which unfortunately had to reduce with COVID-19. I do Yoga and Pilates 3 times a week which has changed to running instead. I update my list to do weekly and reflect on my performance every three months.
Looking back, what has the pandemic and resulting lockdowns taught you?
The pandemic has taught me how to be more grateful to things we already have: jobs, home, work colleagues, family, and friends. It also made me appreciate that the nature of our work allowed me to travel the world and educate myself about different cultures. I have also learned how to remain consciously and actively patient.
Do you have any current projects that you’d like to tell us about?
I would like to take this opportunity to thank students and researchers in our School who have worked tirelessly during the pandemic. I have visited the School a few times and realised how hard it is to work with PPE. In my lab, we are excited about a couple of projects, one relies on the use of nanotechnology to modulate the immune system to overcome brain cancer resistance. My team is also developing a range of nanocarriers so that we can use them as nasal drops to treat a range of neurodegenerative diseases.
What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?
Keep running (literally) after your dreams, the sky is the limit.
Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
Probably still at King's, advancing our research so that we are ready to start human clinical trials.
What is something positive that happened to you in 2020?
Success in a major grant from Brain Research UK.
What are you most looking forward to this year?
Seeing my mother after over one year of lockdown. She lives overseas.
What do you do with your time outside academia?
I enjoy travelling, historical buildings, world cuisine, hiking and botany.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
I am the first BAME female to become a Professor at the age of under 40 within King's.
Who inspires you most and why?
My late father- the combination of hard work and determination