Amman, April 20, 2022 – A memorial event honoring the late Dr. Usama Al-Khalidi was held under the patronage of HRH Princess Ghida Talal, Chairperson of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation (KHCF) and Center (KHCC), attended by HRH Prince Talal Bin Muhammad, and HRH Princess Wijdan Al Hashimi. The ceremony recognized the outstanding achievements of the late Dr. Al-Khalidi in science and academia, which inspiring generations of Arab scientists and developing scientific institutions in Lebanon, Jordan, and the Arab world.
In her speech during the ceremony, Princess Ghida stated: “I am delighted that the Cellular Therapy and Applied Genomics Laboratory will bear the name of Dr. Usama Al-Khalidi. Genomics is at the cutting-edge of cancer care – fundamental to its diagnosis and treatment. It fills me with pride that Dr. Usama’s name will be forever memorialized in the King Hussein Cancer Center.”
Prior to the inauguration of the laboratory, a memorial lecture was held in honor of Dr. Al-Khalidi. The lecture was presented by Prof. Dr. Stefan M. Pfister, Director of the Preclinical Program at Hopp Children’s Cancer Center in Heidelberg, and discussed molecular tumor classification and its effects on cancer patient care.
The ceremony, which was attended by scientific researchers from Jordan and the region, also included the participation of prominent international speakers including Dr. Talal Chatila from Harvard University, Dr. Miguel Abboud, head of the Department of Pediatrics at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, and Dr. Samir Atweh, Professor and Chairman of Neurology, at the American University of Beirut Medical Center.
The event also included a tour of the Usama Al-Khalidi Laboratory for Cellular Therapy and Applied Genomics.