Assistant Professor

Bio

Assistant Professor, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, UAE (2020- Present).

Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada (2017- Present).

Senior Research Associate, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada (2016-2020).

Eyes High Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada (2014- 2016).

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada (2012- 2014)

Office

Abu Dhabi - Khalifa City, FF1-1-057

Phone:

+971 2 599 3778

Email:

Teaching Areas

Human nutrition, medical nutrition therapy, biochemistry & metabolism, molecular biology, population-based longitudinal cohorts, modifiable risk factors of disease, cancer prevention.

Research and Professional Activities

I have extensive health research experience that spans from basic science to population health. To date, my research activities have covered the following areas:

• The micronutrient metabolic pathways, characterization of intermediates and final products, and the fundamental and translational aspects of nutrition-related chronic diseases including atherosclerosis, NAFLD, and IBD.

• The complex link between modifiable risk factors - including nutrition, physical activity, smoking, and screening behaviors- and cancer and chronic disease development and prevention.

Google Scholar

  SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:

1. Al Rajabi A, Lo Siou G, Akawung AK, McDonald KL, Price TR, Robson PJ, Veugelers PJ, Maximova K. “Towards refining WCRF/AICR cancer prevention recommendations for red and processed meat intake: Insights from Alberta's Tomorrow Project cohort.” British Journal of Nutrition. 2021 Apr 8;1-38. doi: 10.1017/S0007114521001240.

2. Solbak NM, Robson PJ, Lo Siou G, Al Rajabi A, Paek S, Vena JE, Kirkpatrick SI. “Administering a combination of online dietary assessment tools, the Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Assessment Tool, and Diet History Questionnaire II, in a cohort of adults in Alberta's Tomorrow Project.” Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2021 Feb 18;S2212-2672(21)00061-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2021.01.014.

3. Mancini NL, Goudie L, Xu W, Sabouny R, Rajeev S, Wang A, Esquerre N, Al Rajabi A, Jayme TS, van Tilburg Bernandes E, Nasser Y, Ferraz JGP, Shutt T, Shearer J, McKay DM. “Perturbed mitochondrial dynamics is a novel feature of colitis that can be targeted to lessen disease.” Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CMGH). 2020;10(2):287-307. doi: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2020.04.004.

4. Haig TR, Akawung AK, Al Rajabi A, Vena JE, Whelan HK, Kopciuk KA. “Reductions in Secondhand Smoke Exposure among Non-smokers Post-legislation.” Tobacco Regulatory Science. 2019; 5 (5): 463-479(17). doi: 10.18001/TRS.5.5.7.

5. Ellis JL, Fu X, Al Rajabi A, Grusak MA, Shearer MJ, Naumova EN, Saltzman E, Barger K, Booth SL. “Plasma Response to Deuterium-Labeled Vitamin K Intake Varies by TG Response, but Not Age or Vitamin K Status, in Older and Younger Adults.” The Journal of Nutrition. 2019; 149(1):18-25. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxy216.

6. Zia Y, Al Rajabi A, Mi S, Ju T, Leonard KA, Nelson R, Thiesen A, Willing BP, Field CJ, Curtis JM, van der Veen JN, Jacobs RL. “Hepatic Expression of PEMT, but Not Dietary Choline Supplementation, Reverses the Protection against Atherosclerosis in Pemt-/-/Ldlr-/- Mice.” The Journal of Nutrition. 2018; 148(10):1513-1520. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxy165.

7. Lopes F, Keita ÅV, Saxena A, Reyes JL, Mancini N, Al Rajabi A et al. “ER-stress mobilization of death-associated protein kinase-1-dependent xenophagy counteracts mitochondria stress-induced epithelial barrier dysfunction.” Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2018; 293(9):3073-3087. doi: 10.1074/jbc.RA117.000809.

8. Solbak NM, Xu JY, Vena JE, Al Rajabi A, Vaseghi S, Whelan HK, McGregor SE. “Patterns and predictors of adherence to colorectal cancer screening recommendations in Alberta's Tomorrow Project participants stratified by risk.” BMC Public Health. 2018; 18(1):177. doi: 10.1186/s12889-018-5095-4.

9. Matisz CE, Faz-López B, Thomson E, Al Rajabi A, Lopes F, Terrazas LI, Wang A, Sharkey KA, McKay DM. “Suppression of colitis by adoptive transfer of helminth antigen-treated dendritic cells requires interleukin-4 receptor-α signaling.” Scientific Reports. 2017; 7:40631. doi: 10.1038/srep40631.

10. Lo Siou G, Csizmadi I, Boucher BA, Akawung AK, Whelan HK, Sharma M, Al Rajabi A, Vena JE, Kirkpatrick SI, Koushik A, Massarelli I, Rondeau I, Robson PJ. “The Comparative Reliability and Feasibility of the Past-Year Canadian Diet History Questionnaire II: Comparison of the Paper and Web Versions.” Nutrients. 2017; 9(2). doi: 10.3390/nu9020133.

11. Al Rajabi A, Castro GS, da Silva RP, Nelson RC, Thiesen A, Vannucchi H, Vine DF, Proctor SD, Field CJ, Curtis JM, Jacobs RL. “Choline Supplementation Protects against Liver Damage by Normalizing Cholesterol Metabolism in Pemt/Ldlr Knockout Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet.” The Journal of Nutrition. 2014; 144(3): 252-257. doi: 10.3945/jn.113.185389.

12. da Silva RP, Kelly KB, Al Rajabi A, Jacobs RL. “Novel Insights on Interactions between Folate and Lipid Metabolism.” BioFactors. 2014; 40(3):277-83. doi: 10.1002/biof.1154.

13. Al Rajabi A, Booth SL, Peterson JW, Choi SW, Suttie JW, Shea MK, Miao B, Grusak MA, Fu X. “Deuterium-Labeled Phylloquinone Has Tissue-Specific Conversion to Menaquinone-4 among Fischer 344 Male Rats.” The Journal of Nutrition. 2012; 142(5): 841-845. doi: 10.3945/jn.111.155804.

14. Al Rajabi A, Peterson JW, Choi SW, Suttie JW, Barakat S, Booth SL. “Measurement of Menadione in Urine by HPLC.” Journal of Chromatography B. 2010; 878(26): 2457-2460. doi: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2010.07.016.

15. Booth SL, Al Rajabi A. “Determinants of Vitamin K Status in Humans.” Vitamins and Hormones. 2008; 78:1-22. doi: 10.1016/S0083-6729(07)00001-5.