Alfred Aziz
Dr. Alfred Aziz is the Director of the Bureau of Nutritional Sciences within the Food and Nutrition Directorate of Health Canada. In this role, he oversees a program mandated to protect Canadians from nutritional risks by establishing standards, policies and regulations, conducting pre-market assessment, and undertaking research and surveillance activities to inform decisions. His leadership roles at Health Canada focused on supporting and promoting healthy eating through policies such as nutrition labelling and dietary guidance. Dr. Aziz holds a PhD in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Toronto, and B.S. and M.S. in Nutrition from the American University of Beirut.

Elias Akoury
Dr. Elias Akoury is an associate Professor of Chemistry at the Lebanese American University with over 15 years of international experience in spectroscopy, drug discovery, protein biophysics, and environmental chemistry. He earned his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the Max Planck Institute in Göttingen, specializing in NMR spectroscopy for drug discovery, following graduate studies in France and Germany. He later worked at the University of Munich, managing high-field NMR facilities and leading biophysical research. His current work focuses on emerging contaminants, wastewater treatment, drug discovery and neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Akoury has received international research awards and actively promotes global scientific collaboration and student training.

Christelle Bou-Metri
Dr. Christelle Bou-Mitri is an Associate Professor of Food Science, at Notre Dame University-Louaize (Lebanon). She holds a Ph.D. in Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry from McGill University (Canada) and has more than 10 years of academic and industry experience. Dr. Bou-Mitri played a pivotal role in the BSc and MSc food safety and quality management programs, recently securing the international recognition by the IFT-Higher Educational Review Board. Having multidisciplinary skill, her research focuses on the development of innovative food safety solutions and the improvement of sustainable food production while meeting the ever-changing consumer demand and protecting public health.

Suzan Haidar
Dr. Suzan Haidar began her academic journey at the University of Western Ontario, earning dual  degrees in Medical Sciences and Dietetics. She completed a master’s degree in Human Nutrition  at the American University of Beirut and a doctorate in Health Promotion from Maastricht University. A licensed dietitian, Dr. Haidar has extensive clinical and food service experience. Her research focuses on lifestyle behaviors linked to cardiometabolic risk. She currently serves as an associate professor at Lebanese International University and an adjunct professor at Lebanese American University. She is also an elected board member of the first Lebanese Order of Dietitians, and a certified Life-Long Learning (LLL) instructor.

Sima Hamadeh
Professor Sima Hamadeh’s research focuses on public health nutrition, particularly food environments, dietary behaviors, and population-level determinants of nutrition-related health outcomes. She examines how sociocultural, economic, and digital factors shape eating habits and public health policies in Lebanon and the region. Her work also extends to science communication and science journalism, where she studies how health information is produced, disseminated, and interpreted across traditional and digital media. She is especially interested in improving public understanding of nutrition science and strengthening evidence-based communication strategies within communities, institutions, and global health organizations. 

Maha Hoteit
Dr. Maha Hoteit is a Professor of Nutrition and Public Health at the Faculty of Public Health, Lebanese University, with expertise in food security, nutrition policy, sustainable food systems, and public health nutrition research. With over 15 years of experience, she has led national and regional research, contributed to the development of nutrition and food safety policies, and collaborated with international organizations including WHO, and GAIN. She has authored more than 102 Scopus-indexed publications and received several international leadership and innovation awards. She currently serves as a Technical Advisor at the World Health Organization in Geneva, focusing on environmental sustainability of animal-source foods and global nutrition and food systems policies.

Jana Jabbour
Dr. Jana Jabbour is an assistant professor of nutrition at the Lebanese American University, where her work centers on strengthening nutrition research, surveillance, and evidence-informed policy. Her research spans diet quality, nutrition epidemiology, and the development of practical approaches to monitor dietary patterns in Lebanon and the region. One of her recent focuses is advancing culturally appropriate dietary assessment tools. She leads validation efforts for digital tools such as the TRAQQ mobile application, Modified Mediterranean Prime Screen (MMPS), and the Global Diet Quality Score as well as non-digital instruments including the Diet Quality Questionnaire.

Karine Joubrane
Dr. Karine Joubrane is a Full Professor of Food Science and Technology at the Faculty of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, Lebanese University, and a researcher specialist in mycotoxins, food contaminants, and safety management. She holds a Diploma in Agricultural Engineering (ESIAM-USJ), an MSc in Food Technology (INAPG, France), and a PhD in Food Sciences and Chemistry (FS-USJ). She worked over 10 years at the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute, gaining expertise in crop management, post-harvest handling, and risk assessment of toxin-producing fungi. She has participated in national and international conferences, contributed to multiple projects, published over 50 peer-reviewed articles, and serves as a consultant and member of several scientific committees on food safety and regulations. 

Lama Mattar
Dr. Lama Mattar is an Associate Professor of Nutrition at the Lebanese American University, Coordinator of the multidisciplinary Honors Program, and Vice-Chair of the Faculty Senate. She has authored over 62 peer-reviewed publications, contributing to evidence-informed practice in nutrition and public health, and contributes to the development of programs, national strategies, and capacity-building initiatives at both national and international levels. Her research focuses on public health nutrition, eating behaviors, and the responsible integration of artificial intelligence into nutrition, education, and public health systems. 

Lara Nasreddine
Dr. Lara Nasreddine is a Professor of Nutrition, Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, and Co-Chair of the Institutional Review Board at AUB. Her research focuses on dietary assessment and the investigation of diet as a determinant of obesity and cardiometabolic health. She has authored over 150 peer-reviewed manuscripts in international journals, been invited to join the WHO guideline development group on the consumption of ultra-processed foods and serves as a member in UNICEF’s Technical Advisory Group on School-Age Children and Adolescent Nutrition Metrics. She won the Abdul Hameed Shoman Award for Arab Researchers, is an elected Associate Fellow at the Académie d’Agriculture de France and received the AUB Board Designated Professorship Award.