Olfa Messaoud

I work as an Assistant Professor at the Pasteur Institute of Tunis, where I am responsible for the Genetic Disease Diagnostic Unit and investigate rare genetic disorders, particularly DNA-repair diseases. My research interests follow two primary strands. First, I aim to identify the genetic basis of undiagnosed photogenodermatoses, and second, I focus on developing new tools for molecular biology applications using advanced materials and nanotechnology. My involvement in many multidisciplinary research projects made me aware of the common challenges that researchers face globally and motivated me to join AGYA.

For me, AGYA represents an open window to the world that promotes research exchange on an interdisciplinary level and strengthens international collaboration.

More specifically, it gives me the chance to link my current field of research with the social sciences and humanities, in order to conduct research on ethical and social issues related to human genetics and genomics. It also pushes me to achieve innovative research via collaborative interaction with other disciplines.