Prof. Suhad Maatoug Bahijri
Prof. Bahijri obtained her BSc in biochemistry in 1975, and her PhD in clinical biochemistry in 1979, both from "The University College of Wales" - Aberystwyth- UK. She joined the teaching staff at "Faculty of Medicine" at "King Abdulaziz University", and established her own research lab. Results of her studies shed light on the existence of nutritional deficiencies amongst infants and preschool children, and helped to establish standards for infants formulas, and milk for the Saudi market. She then established "Food and Nutrition Research Unit" , Now " Food, Nutrition, and Lifestyle" at King Fahad Medical Research Center. By studying hyperparathyroidism, and sub-clinical hypothyroidism, she established a possible link with excessive fluoride intake, and alerted authorities to the danger of fluoridating water. She also investigated "chromium" as a possible adjunct therapy to diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in Saudi individuals, establishing its beneficial effect on glucose tolerance, and lipid profile. She established the "Saudi Diabetes Research Group- SDRG" in 2010, attracting researchers from various sectors. This helped establish a strong; and unique; network between the university, and all ministries with their own health facilities, resulting in important findings in the diagnosis, and management of the disease among Saudis.