Saudi Gazette report SAN FRANCISCO – The prestigious Harvard University has granted a neuro-oncology fellowship to a Saudi female researcher. Dr. Malaak Al-Thaqafi, who is a fellow in genetics and molecular pathology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), was granted the fellowship cum full scholarship in appreciation for her expertise in genetic tumors. Al-Thaqafi received a letter of thanks from US President Barack Obama for her academic work and accomplishments, including graduating with flying colors from Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University. During 2011-2013, Al-Thaqafi taught clinical pathology at the College of Medicine, UCSF. In 2009 and 2010, she taught the same curriculum at the Georgetown University School of Medicine. She also supervised American and non-American medical students and resident doctors in pathology and genetics. Al-Thaqafi also participated in supervising and administering research on brain tumors in adults and children, which involved the study of 214 cases. She was also invited by the American Canadian Pathology Society to speak at its 102nd annual meeting and share her research. Due to her distinguished performance in her academic career, Al-Thaqafi was honored by the College of Medicine at King Abdulaziz University and was granted a scholarship from the King Abdullah Foreign Scholarship Program. She also won a prize for the best research during Georgetown University Hospital's annual research day in 2009, the prize of the American Society for Clinical Pathology as the best research on breast tumors for trainee doctors worldwide. She was nominated for the Stowell Orbison competition prize, which is granted to resident doctors and those nominated for fellowships or doctorate degrees in pathology. She was awarded this prize during the 99th annual meeting of the American Canadian Pathology Society in 2010. Al-Thaqafi was listed by “Who's Who” among the distinguished medical and research personalities. She received a letter of appreciation from Virginia state senator her for academic efforts. She was also selected to represent Georgetown University in the American Pathology Society for three consecutive years. She won the dean's scholarship at Johns Hopkins University. She also won a scholarship from the American Clinical Pathology Society for studying blood diseases at Stanford University Center.
