PhD Candidate in Cancer Genomics and Molecular Genetics Halla Elshwekh
About me
Halla Elshwekh is a Libyan PhD candidate in Cancer Genomics and Molecular Genetics at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Tunis El Manar, conducting her doctoral research at Institut Pasteur de Tunis. She is also a researcher at the Libyan Authority for Scientific Research (LASR). Her research focuses on the functional characterization of BRCA1 exon 11 splice variants associated with hereditary breast cancer in North African populations, integrating bioinformatics with experimental validation to improve the interpretation of genetic variants and support precision medicine. She is a Full Member of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) and is committed to advancing cancer genomics research and strengthening scientific capacity in Africa.
Halla Elshwekh is a Libyan researcher and PhD candidate in Cancer Genomics and Molecular Genetics at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Tunis El Manar, where she conducts her doctoral research at the Institut Pasteur de Tunis. She is also a researcher at the Libyan Authority for Scientific Research (LASR).
Her research focuses on the functional characterization of BRCA1 exon 11 splice variants associated with hereditary breast cancer in North African populations. By integrating bioinformatics, molecular genetics, RNA splicing analysis, and experimental validation, her work aims to improve the interpretation of variants of uncertain significance (VUS) and support the implementation of precision medicine in underrepresented populations.
Halla has authored and co-authored peer-reviewed scientific publications in cancer genomics, infectious diseases, diabetes, and public health. She is a Full Member of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD). She has received the WE-STAR Fellowship from the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), as well as the First Prize in the 2022 Grand Innovation Award. Her long-term goal is to establish advanced functional genomics research capacity for hereditary cancer in North Africa and contribute to international collaborative research.
Degrees:
**Elshwekh H.M., et al.**
*Incidence and Clinical Outcomes of COVID-19 in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients in Libya: A Prospective Descriptive Study.*
**Case Reports in Infectious Diseases. 2026; Article ID: 4419576.**
(Published January 2026)
**Elshwekh H.M., et al.**
*Thyroid Dysfunction Among Diabetic Patients at the Diabetic Endocrine Hospital, Tripoli, Libya, 2022.*
**Journal of Endocrine Systems Research. 2026.**
**Elshwekh H.M., et al.**
*Hospitalization Patterns of Diabetic Patients at the Diabetes and Endocrinology Center, Tripoli, Libya: One Year Experience.*
(Manuscript published/under publication process)
## Publications Resulting from Research
**Elshwekh H., Alhudiri I., Elzagheid A., Romano M.**
*Assessing the Impact of Novel BRCA1 Exon 11 Variants on Pre-mRNA Splicing.*
**Cells. 2024;13(10):824.**
**Elshwekh H.**
*Investigating BRCA1 Exon 11 Genetic Variations in Breast Cancer among Libyan Women.*
**Preprint, 2023.**
**Co-author on multiple peer-reviewed publications** in biomedical and health research fields, including COVID-19 vaccines, premarital screening, diabetes and endocrine disorders, and nanotechnology applications.