Science from the Lab Bench and Beyond; Identifying Genotoxic Compounds Persistent in the Soil of Halabja from 1988 Genocide Campaign

The Center for Middle Eastern Studies presents

Dr. Aram Ghalali

The town of Halabja is located in Iraqi Kurdistan, and on March 16th 1988, it was subjected to large-scale attacks with chemical weapons, resulting in immediate death of thousands of civilians. This horrible attack remains the largest chemical weapons attack directed against a civilian-populated region in human history. After the fall of the previous regime in Iraq, the Supreme Iraqi Criminal Tribunal officially defined the Halabja chemical attack as a genocidal massacre against the Kurdish people. 

Currently, the Halabja attack remains tragically unrecognized in the international scientific community, thus it is remembered as simply a humanitarian question, but the aim of Dr. Ghalali’s work is to make it one of genuine scientific inquiry. Today, we will look this horrible event from the lens of a scientist.

Dr. Aram Ghalali has a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering as well as Bachelor of Science in biotechnology. Furthermore, he has earned multiple Master of Science degrees, one in quality assessment in pharmaceuticals sciences/biotechnology and another in cancer prevention and pharmacy design. Dr. Ghalali also holds a degree in Civil Engineering, that was earned at Mälardalens (méé-lar daal-ens) University (Sweden).

He has completed his Ph.D. in field of medicine at the Karolinska Institutet (Sweden), focusing on cellular signaling pathways and their importance for the development of cancer. Where he also obtained his first postdoctoral research fellowship, in the field of toxicology investigating the role of environmental pollutants on occupational health. He has completed his second postdoctoral fellowship in Boston Children’s Hospital at Harvard Medical school. He is a part of Vascular Biology Program at the department of Surgery. Currently he holds the title: Instructor in Surgery / Faculty at Harvard Medical School and an Assistant Professor at Karolinska Institutet.

He is spearheading his own independent research. At Harvard, his laboratory is focused on oncometabolites and drug development targeting late stage/aggressive (metastatic) cancers, mainly pediatric brain cancers. At Karolinska Institutet, his laboratory is focused on investigating the effects of environmental pollutants on human health.  

For his contributions to the medical field, Dr. Ghalali has received multiple awards, among them: The Sweden America Foundation Award, Excellence in Oncology and Biotechnology Award, Top Educators Award for dedication, achievements & leadership, Top Scientist Award for Research and Innovation, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Research Fellowship Award, American Associations for cancer Research Scholar-In-Training Award, Best in Care award by Boston Children’s Hospital, The Swedish Childhood Foundation Award and The King Gustav V Foundation award. 

Contact: Liz Flanagan