Ahmad Teebi
Encyclopedia
Ahmad Teebi has served as a Professor of Pediatrics
and Medical Genetics at the University of Toronto
since 1998, when he moved to Toronto
from McGill University
. He heads the Section of Clinical Genetics & Dysmorphology at the Hospital for Sick Children
(HSC) in Toronto. He is currently the vice chairman and professor of pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York
as well in Qatar
.
Dr. Teebi is prominent in the field Arab
genetic disorders and is the Head of Arab Genetics Consortium. He was also the original curator (at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada) of the now-defunct Arab Genetic Disease Database (www.agddb.org).
Teebi is internationally renowned in the field of dysmorphology—in particular, craniofacial genetics. He is a curbstone consultant in dysmorphology at the American Society of Human Genetic Meetings.
ern populations. He has at least 90 entries in the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man
created by McKusick
. He was/is a member of editorial boards of several specialized journals including Clinical Dysmorphology, American Journal of Medical Genetics and Clinical Genetics.
Teebi has authored and edited more than 25 book chapters and one textbook co-edited with Prof. Talaat I. Farag entitled Genetic Disorders Among Arab Populations, published in 1997 by Oxford University Press
.
. He also co-founded the Kuwait Medical Genetic center in 1981. The center started in February 1979 and officially inaugurated in November 1980, before Teebi's enrollment. Nonetheless, he has contributed widely in the field of medical genetics and has actively participated in the establishment of genetic services in several Middle Eastern countries, including the Persian Gulf
countries, the Palestinian territories
, Jordan
, Tunisia
, Egypt
, and Saudi Arabia
.
Most recently, he spent eight months in Saudi Arabia to develop medical genetics services, including the foundation of clinical genetics training programs and genetic counseling programs—the first of its kind in the Middle East.
While serving as an Instructor in Genetics and Paediatrics at Yale University
, he founded the “Middle East Genetic Association of North America” - which has held a number of conferences in the Middle East on topics of said interest. The mandate of MEGA was to bring together geneticists and scientists from the Middle East regardless of their political or religious affiliations.
He was instrumental in educating many students over the years while in the Middle-East and North America—many of whom are now prominent scientists and educators.
In 2002 he was elected as a member of European Academy of Science.
Dr. Teebi died on July 22, 2010.
Pediatrics
Pediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
and Medical Genetics at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
since 1998, when he moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
. He heads the Section of Clinical Genetics & Dysmorphology at the Hospital for Sick Children
Hospital for Sick Children
The Hospital for Sick Children – is a major paediatric centre for the Greater Toronto Area, serving patients up to age 18. Located on University Avenue in Downtown Toronto, SickKids is part of the city’s Discovery District, a critical mass of scientists and entrepreneurs who are focused on...
(HSC) in Toronto. He is currently the vice chairman and professor of pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
as well in Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
.
Dr. Teebi is prominent in the field Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
genetic disorders and is the Head of Arab Genetics Consortium. He was also the original curator (at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada) of the now-defunct Arab Genetic Disease Database (www.agddb.org).
Teebi is internationally renowned in the field of dysmorphology—in particular, craniofacial genetics. He is a curbstone consultant in dysmorphology at the American Society of Human Genetic Meetings.
Publications
He has published more than 300 papers reviewed articles that include the delineation and characterizations of more than 38 new disorders and syndromes, the majority of which were characterized within Arab and Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
ern populations. He has at least 90 entries in the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man
Mendelian Inheritance in Man
Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man is a database that catalogues all the known diseases with a genetic component, and—when possible—links them to the relevant genes in the human genome and provides references for further research and tools for genomic analysis of a catalogued gene. OMIM is one...
created by McKusick
Victor A. McKusick
Victor Almon McKusick , internist and medical geneticist, was University Professor of Medical Genetics and Professor of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA...
. He was/is a member of editorial boards of several specialized journals including Clinical Dysmorphology, American Journal of Medical Genetics and Clinical Genetics.
Teebi has authored and edited more than 25 book chapters and one textbook co-edited with Prof. Talaat I. Farag entitled Genetic Disorders Among Arab Populations, published in 1997 by Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
.
Initiatives
Dr. Teebi founded the first Arab neonatal screening program in KuwaitKuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
. He also co-founded the Kuwait Medical Genetic center in 1981. The center started in February 1979 and officially inaugurated in November 1980, before Teebi's enrollment. Nonetheless, he has contributed widely in the field of medical genetics and has actively participated in the establishment of genetic services in several Middle Eastern countries, including the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
countries, the Palestinian territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, and Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.
Most recently, he spent eight months in Saudi Arabia to develop medical genetics services, including the foundation of clinical genetics training programs and genetic counseling programs—the first of its kind in the Middle East.
While serving as an Instructor in Genetics and Paediatrics at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, he founded the “Middle East Genetic Association of North America” - which has held a number of conferences in the Middle East on topics of said interest. The mandate of MEGA was to bring together geneticists and scientists from the Middle East regardless of their political or religious affiliations.
He was instrumental in educating many students over the years while in the Middle-East and North America—many of whom are now prominent scientists and educators.
Honors and awards
Teebi has received several awards, including:- Kuwait Prize in 1989 given for outstanding contribution in clinical and human genetics in the Arab world.
- Rammal Euroscience Award 2001, given for recognition of both scientific achievements and commitment to the cause of Mediterranean cooperation.
In 2002 he was elected as a member of European Academy of Science.
Dr. Teebi died on July 22, 2010.