Appointments:
Chief of Service in Clinical Chemistry, NSHA; Professor, Dalhousie University
Affiliations:
Nova Scotia Health Authority; Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS.
Research Interests:
Myeloma tumor banking, Myeloma genomic and epigenomic pathways
Effect of reflective and reflexive testing on early diagnosis to improve patient outcomes
Enhancement and appropriate interpretation of endocrine tests
Appropriate test utilization and resource stewardship
Myeloma Tumor Bank and Genomics Research
I led the Myeloma Tumor Bank and Database initiative in 2016 and brought together a multidisciplinary team comprising Dalhousie Faculty as well Clinician Scientists (Dalhousie Myeloma Research Group), to focus on translational research in Multiple Myeloma. Objectives of this research include a joint focus on clinical genomics and immunogenomics in myeloma leveraging our unique, multidisciplinary expertise to create faithful models of cancer, establish and test new treatment modalities.
This team is currently working on novel and effective genomic diagnostic/prognostic platforms for myeloma patients to replace the more expensive outsourced FISH studies. The first phase of this project has shown promising results. Further work on specific mutation and gene expression panels will also be part of the latter as well as inform immunogenomic and other drug discovery models towards precision medicine.
What brought you to your current institution? I was recruited from the UK in 2013 as a staff member in the Medical Biochemistry division in Halifax, and to lead foundational research projects in Multiple Myeloma.
Hometown: I am originally from Egypt and was raised and lived most of my life in the UK
Why are you interested in your area of research? Previous research I conducted as part of my PhD at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, UK, focused on the genetic characterization of multiple myeloma. The prevalence and familial clustering of multiple myeloma is relatively high in Atlantic Canada
Learn More about my research: https://medicine.dal.ca/departments/department-sites/pathology/our-people/our-faculty/manal-elnenaei.html
Involvement with BHCRI to date:
I am an Associate Member of BHCRI. I have supervised CRTP trainees and presented seminars as part of the training program.