In its first edition, the AUF Dolla Karam Sarkis Award honored two young researchers from USJ: Dr. Alain Chebli, a teacher-researcher in genetics, and Dr. Rania Kassir, a researcher affiliated with the neuroscience research laboratory. (Photo courtesy of AUF)
In its first edition, the AUF Dolla Karam Sarkis Prize honored two young researchers from Saint Joseph University (USJ): Dr. Alain Chebli, a lecturer-researcher in genetics at the faculty of medicine, and Dr. Rania Kassir, a researcher affiliated with the neuroscience research lab at the same faculty.
Each received a prize of 5,000 euros for their recent research achievements, which Jean-Noël Baléo, regional director Agency of the Francophonie Universities (AUF) Middle East, lauded for their "quality and originality, scientific, technological, and social impact, its relevance to the Lebanese national context, as well as its Francophone dimension," during a speech given at the awards ceremony on Feb. 11.
Chebli's research explores "the epigenetic mechanisms responsible for the activation of telomerase, an enzyme involved in the majority of cancers," he explained, with the aim to "better understand the molecular and biological bases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, to improve its diagnosis, refine prognostics and open the way to new therapeutic approaches, thus contributing to better patient management."
Kassir focused her study on the interaction between executive functions and bilingualism — common in Lebanon, where its common to hear French, English and Arabic on any given street — in patients with cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and strokes.
"My project aims to develop adapted diagnostic tools and improve the understanding of cognitive mechanisms involved in bilingual speakers, thereby contributing to better care of these patients," she said. "My goal today is to continue establishing adapted tests and a battery of tools that do not yet exist in Lebanon and will allow us to diagnose all cognitive disorders related to dementia among the Lebanese bilingual population."
Perpetuate the legacy of Dolla Karam Sarkis
The prize marks the finale, for AUF, of "a significant series of initiatives to support research, doctoral training, and scientific cooperation," awarded in memory of Professor Dolla Karam Sarkis, Vice-Rector for Research at USJ and Honorary Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy (FP). The specialist in microbiology and clinical biology, Sarkis passed away in October 2023 and had long collaborated with the agency. Sarkis' work focused on antibiotic resistance in Lebanon and the region, and the links between microbiota, neurological diseases, and bone marrow transplants.
Addressing the crowd gathered for the awards ceremony, attended by Sarkis' family, Baléo gave an emotional tribute to the late professor, who he said had "fulfilled her role with brilliance throughout all these years."
Sarkis "left her mark on more than 20 years of active collaboration within the scientific and governance bodies of the AUF at regional and global levels," he said. "She notably chaired its scientific council, and she was the representative of all Middle Eastern universities on the AUF's board of directors. Her passing was a shock that left us in a state of astonishment," he said, his voice breaking. "We owed her so much just for that."
In her honor, AUF will be awarding the "AUF Dolla Karam Sarkis Prize" every year going forward to two young Lebanese researchers from AUF member institutions in Lebanon "who make a remarkable contribution to the scientific field of health," but above all, Baléo said, the prize will be given to "perpetuate the memory of a great Lebanese scientist, who left as her legacy her human qualities, tenacity, combativeness, enthusiasm, and refusal of compromise, attributes so precious for an academic and researcher." His words were met with a thundering applause. "From now on, and every year, we will meet to celebrate her memory and at the same time celebrate the vitality of the new generation of brilliant young Lebanese scientists."
Professor Roland Tomb, president of the regional commission of economic and scientific experts of AUF Middle East, also honored Sarkis during his address, wishing the two prize-winners to have "the same energy and enthusiasm as the one who was a locomotive for USJ, leading everyone with her smile, laughter, and the joy she displayed in all circumstances, even when she was not well, very unwell," he recalled.
Sarkis' daughter, Dr. Anne-Sophie Sarkis, also spoke, expressing, on behalf of the family, gratitude to AUF for having so quickly set upon to honor her mother's name, "by creating these two scholarships that will allow young researchers to pursue their projects."
"My mother invested heavily in her career for research and especially to propel young people into research, enabling their projects to come to fruition. Seeing her name endure through this prize and knowing she continues to inspire young researchers whose work nourishes the scientific legacy she helped build gives us immense emotion."
Addressing the two laureates, she assured them that her mother "would be very proud to know that she continues to contribute through them to the advancement of research among young scientists in Lebanon."
Launched in May 2024, the AUF Dolla Karam Sarkis Prize was until now reserved for young Lebanese researchers whose work focused exclusively on the health field, in a broad sense (medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, biology, midwifery, public health, health aspects of social or environmental sciences, medical ethics, etc.).
"But from this year, we have decided to extend it to all scientific disciplines," Baléo announced, emphasizing the continuity of this prize. "It will continue regardless of the AUF rector in Paris and the director in Beirut. And we commit to it."
