• Source: Alexander Woodman

Alexander Woodman is a professor of clinical preventive medicine and public health who has been widely recognized for his research work in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. His primary research focuses on advancing global reproductive health, medical education, clinical research methodologies, and health diplomacy.




Education


An alumnus of Los Angeles High School, Woodman began his academic journey at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California, earning an Associate of Science degree with honors. His furthered his education at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), obtaining both a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts degree, graduating cum laude. Woodman's achievements at UCLA included receiving the Chancellor Gene Block's award, ranking in the top three percent of the 2011 graduating class. Under the leadership of UCLA Honors Program Vice Provost, Dr. G. Jennifer Wilson, Alexander played a pivotal role in the UCLA Honors Program, documenting the harrowing narratives of Holocaust survivors, showcasing his commitment to societal engagement. His interviews with survivors were shared with the Plato Society of UCLA and the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. During his time at UCLA, Woodman volunteered and gained experience at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, enhancing his understanding of community service. His undergraduate research award and dedication to community service led to receiving the highly competitive Wasserman Fellowship.
Woodman's academic journey continued at the University of Southern California (USC), where he earned a Master of Science degree with distinction and worked as a research and teaching assistant. He furthered his scholarly pursuits at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF), where he was awarded a California Predoctoral fellowship and a Master of Public Health degree in disease prevention. His academic excellence culminated in earning a doctoral degree from the University of Salford in Manchester, United Kingdom. This achievement was further enhanced by his postdoctoral research conducted at both Yale University and Harvard Medical School. Later, Woodman was invited as a summer faculty member at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
His expertise in preventive medicine and clinical research earned him the Fulbright Research Fellowship, which supported his research at the School of Medicine at Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain.[1][2]




Career


Woodman started his professional career at UCLA, California State University Los Angeles, and the U.S. National Institutes of Health, working as a research associate. Under the tutelage of Dr. Walter Zelman, Chair of the Public Health Department, and Dr. Howard Xu of the Department of Biological Sciences, at Cal State University, Los Angeles, Woodman honed his skills in creating advanced techniques for the rapid detection of bacterial pathogens. Woodman embarked on a mission to Southeast Asia to explore and tackle the complex barriers to infectious disease testing. Collaborating with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, his research at Chiang Mai University Medical Center and the Chiang Mai Provincial Health Office was crucial in evaluating the healthcare needs of Burmese/Myanmar refugees and undocumented migrants in Thailand's Saraphi district, Chiang Mai province.
Transitioning from his foundational research and academic accomplishments in the United States, Woodman was invited to broaden his professional experience in the Middle East. At a leading university in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, he focused on clinical research and medical education. His collaborative initiatives with Saudi Aramco, SABIC, and Sadara petrochemical companies were essential in advancing preventative healthcare in the workplace.




Saudi Ministry of Defense medical division


Woodman was appointed as the Head of the Scientific Research Department at the King Fahad Military Medical Complex in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Under his leadership, the research team secured grants and earned accolades from prestigious institutions such as Al Jawhara Medical Centre for Molecular Medicine and Inherited Diseases, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, and Harvard Medical School. Additionally, Woodman's expertise proved invaluable in his role as an investigative health researcher for the Medical Services Division of the Armed Forces Hospitals under the Saudi Ministry of Defense.




Preventive medicine and clinical research


Woodman has made significant contributions to preventive medicine and clinical research through his collaborations with global institutions and researchers. His work focuses on the genetic, behavioral, and attitudinal determinants that influence the health and well-being of diverse populations. In clinical research, his contributions include: - Analyzing the TMPRSS6 gene in women with iron deficiency anemia. - Determining antigen levels in plasma and genotypes of PAI-2 in pregnancies linked to homozygous sickle cell anemia. - Investigating genetic variants in the leptin gene related to obesity. - Studying the effects of post-diagnosis exercise on depression, physical functioning, and mortality in breast cancer survivors. - Addressing bioethical challenges in modern medicine. In preventive medicine, Woodman developed an award-winning project entitled the "Keep Me Well" Health Model for the "Healthcare Transformation and Research" initiative. This project transformed the workplace into a hub for self-care and well-being. It aimed to educate, motivate, and empower both employers and employees of Saudi companies to adopt comprehensive programs that include exercise, specific nutrition and weight management habits, improved mental health, and extensive medical education.




Research


Woodman's research extends across global reproductive health, medical education, clinical practice, and health diplomacy. In a pioneering doctoral thesis, he was the first to scrutinize the interplay between nutritional behaviors, attitudes, and the knowledge of the Food Dome dietary guidelines among students in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province. This research unveiled insights that challenged existing paradigms, prompting Woodman to further his postdoctoral inquiries at Harvard Medical School. There, he delved into the correlation between the leptin gene mutations and various health indicators in obese individuals in Saudi Arabia, thereby laying the groundwork for subsequent research across the Gulf states.
His collaborations with the president of the Arab Board for Family and Community Medicine Zohair Sebai and Islamic bioethicist Mohammed Ali Albar, who later mentored him, have been instrumental. Woodman emerged as a researcher to systematically dissect and articulate ethical considerations in bioethics.




Publications


Woodman has authored several book chapters, delving into communicable and non-communicable diseases across various Middle Eastern study contexts. His scholarly reach extends to bioethics, addressing critical issues such as end-of-life care, and the ethics of organ donation and transplantation. In public health and clinical research, Woodman's contributions have been published by publishing houses, including Cambridge University Press, Elsevier, Oxford University Press, Springer Nature, Taylor & Francis, and Wiley.
In addition to his contributions as an author, Woodman has served as an editorial board member for journals such as the Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and the Saudi Critical Care Journal. His commitment to fostering academic excellence was evident during his tenure at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he served on the editorial board of Aleph, the university's premier journal dedicated to undergraduate research.




Book


In his book, The Land of 'Adat, published in 2020, Woodman offers an insightful exploration of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, weaving a narrative that captures the essence of its rich history and enduring traditions through a modern lens. This journey is not only a visual feast, illustrating the vibrant daily life in bustling marketplaces, homes ranging from the modest to the palatial, and the dynamic streets of its cities, but it also delves into the architectural splendor and the historical and religious enigmas of the land. A highlight of Woodman's exploration includes the rock at Rephidim in the Jabal Al-Lawz mountain range, a site of profound biblical significance tied to Moses and the miraculous events described in Exodus 17:6. Central to Woodman's narrative is the intricate tapestry of Saudi identity. He navigates the depths of the Saudi spirit and manners, portraying a people whose lives are profoundly shaped by reverence and respect for divine providence, familial bonds, and deeply ingrained moral values. The Land of 'Adat not only showcases the physical beauty of Saudi Arabia but also eloquently articulates the profound cultural ethos and traditions that are the bedrock of the nation. The Land of 'Adat has earned its place in the collections of the British Library and Harvard University's Hollis Library.




Public appearances


Woodman was invited by media outlets in the Gulf – including Middle East Health, Forbes Middle East, Diplomatic Quarter Publication, Arab News, Leaders, and Foreign Policy News, DC – to initiate a series of thought-provoking discussions. Engaging with heads of states, titular leaders, politicians and diplomats, he analyzed healthcare strategies as a means to enhance the global quality of life. In 2020, Woodman was invited to cover G20 Riyadh summit and Global Health conferences.

His discussions featured interactions with Polish President Lech Wałęsa (1990–1995), Deputy Prime Minister of Poland Prof. Leszek Balcerowicz (1989–1991, 1997–2001), senior British Diplomat Sir Michael Arthur KCMG, formerly her late Britannic Majesty's Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Simon Collis CMG, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's advisor Luca Ferrari, Pakistani Senator Rehman Malik. Published interviews by Woodman also feature discussions with the Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition, General Raheel Sharif, the father of former Ambassador of the United States, Arturo Sarukhan, renowned biologist Jose Sarukhan Kermez in Mexico City, French Judge Elisabeth Baccara and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister of State Sheikh Shakhboot Nahyan Al Nahyan.

He had an interview with the third oil minister of Saudi Arabia and Saudi Ambassador to Egypt from 2005 to 2011 Hisham Nazer's son chairperson of Bupa Arabia Loay Hisham Nazer; Saudi Minister of Finance (1960–1961) HRH Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud's youngest son HRH Prince Abdulaziz Bin Talal, Muhamed Hamdi Jusufspahic the president of the supreme council of the Islamic community of Serbia, and deputy of Grand Mufti of the Islamic Community of Serbia, former President of the Republic of Dagestan Ramazan Abdulatipov, Afghan presidential candidate Syed Jalal Karim, and Greek regional governor and President of the Athens Medical Association, George Patoulis. In his discussions, apart from studying the history and development of diplomacy, Woodman explored health from a new perspective: health diplomacy. At this time, his discussions were with leading diplomats and ambassadors serving in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He explores diplomacy aimed at protecting the health and well-being of populations beyond national borders. Woodman outlined the history and precise development of Saudi Arabia's foreign policy, public diplomacy with foreign countries, dialogue-based diplomacy, changing perspectives, and how science and health have become the main pillars of modern diplomacy.

Woodman has also been invited to advise leading international diplomats and heads of mission on health projects and initiatives, members of royal family in the Gulf, as well as major philanthropy organizations. He has consistently intertwined his research with the history of medicine, such as the Holocaust, genocides and other human atrocities. His notable interviews include discussions with Agnieszka Holland the former Presidentof the European Film Academy, Sharon Zaga and Mily Cohen of the Museo Memoria y Tolerancia in Mexico and Leslaw Piszewski, a prominent figure in Warsaw's Jewish community.




Awards and recognition


Harvard Medical School Research Commendation Award
UCLA College & Departmental Honors Award
UCLA Recognition Award for Editorial Work
UCLA Recognition of High Achievements and Outstanding Promise
University of Southern California Graduate Award
California State University & UCLA Leadership Academy Award
California State University Graduate Equity Award
The U.S. President's Volunteer Service Award
Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital Recognition for Research
Saudi Aramco Recognition for Research
His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Recognition for Research
King Fahad Specialist Hospital Award for Research Work as part of Vision 2030
Arabian Gulf University for Research in Mapping the Obesity in the Gulf
King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology for Research "Guidelines on Risk Assessment for Health Care Professionals at King Fahad Military Medical Complex"
Oxford Nanopore Technologies and Novo Genomics for "Genetic Sequencing of Premature Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients in Saudi Arabia"




References






External links


https://www.med.cmu.ac.th/en/
https://www.museumoftolerance.com/
https://www.sadara.com/
https://www.kfmmc.med.sa/
https://www.cilecenter.org/about-us/our-team/dr-mohammad-ali-al-bar
https://www.instagram.com/thelandofadat/?hl=en
https://middleeasthealth.com/topics/middle-east-health/
https://www.leaders-mena.com/
https://foreignpolicynews.org/
https://www.arabnews.jp/en/features/article_7254/
https://alumni.ucla.edu/stories/alexander-woodman-11/

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