I was born into a family with great passion for education and progress. Both my parents spoke three languages and held higher education degrees. My father dedicated his life to our education and my three siblings, and I became distinguished in our careers.
My dream is to represent my country, to have a dedicated and giving personality, and to leave a legacy in improving education and research in my field of expertise.
I got married and had my two eldest sons Ahmad and Talal during the first two years of college at King Saud University (KSU). I obtained my master’s degree from KSU while working as a lecturer and was offered a scholarship to the UK for my Ph.D. I had young children and faced many obstacles but, I kept remembering that what was difficult would take time, and what was even more difficult, would distinguish me from others.
In 2003, I was appointed as a faculty member at KSU, and in 2007, I started my work at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC) to expand my knowledge and advance my research career.
My career flourished and I was assigned to the genetics department. I later became the department’s unit head.
Being an academic has always been very important to me. I was appointed as an associate professor at Alfaisal University College of Medicine in 2009, a position I currently hold. I am also vice dean of female affairs there.
My dream is to represent my country, to have a dedicated and giving personality, and to leave a legacy in improving education and research in my field of expertise.
In 2011, I started working with MAWHIBA (a foundation serving the needs of young Saudi talent) and was selected as a member of its scientific review committee.
More recently, I started working at the King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) as the head of the bio-banking and sample processing unit of the Saudi human genome project (SHGP). The Kingdom has a high burden of genetic diseases that compromise patients’ quality of life.
The project aims to read/sequence the genome of our population in order to identify affected individuals and those at higher risk, offer appropriate preventive measures and lay the foundation for the development of personalized medical care within the region.
Having said that, the best of my achievements is having raised four achieving, dedicated, and cultured children.
I believe that my country has given me a lot to be thankful for and I dedicate myself and my time to return the favor.
Follow Dr. Dana Bakheet
Twitter: @DanaBakheet