Habiba alsafar is an Emirati research scholar who has a wealth of professional and educational experience. She obtained her Bachelor of Science (BSc) in biochemistry at San Diego State University, United States of America and later her Master of Science (MSc) in Medical Engineering at the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom. She subsequently obtained her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Medical and Forensic Science at the University of Western Australia in Australia. She has since completed a one-year Global Clinical Scholars Research Training program at Harvard Medical School. Her research interest is constructing the genomic structures of individuals of Arab descent to identify genomic segments that carry gene(s) that predispose to disease. Specifically, addressing diseases that are increasing in prevalence amongst the local communities of the UAE. Dr. Alsafar has identified a gene strongly associated with the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes among the Emirati population. This is the first Genome Wide Association Study of the UAE Bedouin population and first of its kind in the Middle East.
Her passion for genome has led to the description of the first whole genome sequence of Emirati subjects, insights into the genetic diversity of the population of the UAE and most recently, the description of a reference genome for the UAE population.
