Naglaa H. Shoukry

Biography

Dr. Shoukry obtained her Pharmacy degree from Cairo University (1991) and Ph.D. in Immunology from McGill University (2000).  Her postdoctoral research has established the essential and complementary roles of CD8 and CD4 T lymphocytes in resolution and protection from HCV infection.  Since joining the Université de Montréal and CRCHUM in 2005, she has established a translational research program focused on studying immunity to HCV in a unique cohort of people who inject drugs in collaboration with Dr. Julie Bruneau. Recently, her research has expanded to studying immunological mechanisms of liver fibrosis progression and development of liver cancer. She has published over 60 articles in high impact journals related to liver immunology and has received multiple awards from the American Liver Foundation, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS).  In June 2014, she was selected to lead the application for the Canadian Network on Hepatitis C (CanHepC) that was funded in 2015 for $4.5 million to establish a pipeline from research to implementation and to improve the lives of Canadians living with hepatitis C.

Research Interest

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects nearly 3% of the world population.  The majority of individuals exposed to the virus become persistently infected and go on to develop chronic liver disease including liver cancer.  Despite the recent development of highly effective direct acting antivirals against HCV, it will remain a problem for millions of patients who are not eligible to receive these treatments and who continue to transmit new HCV infections.  Hence, the urgent need for an effective prophylactic vaccine to limit HCV transmission.  Vaccine development is hampered by our limited understanding of protective immunity against HCV.   Since joining the CRCHUM in 2005, our group has established a translational research program focused on studying immunity to HCV. In collaboration with clinicians at the CRCHUM, I have built a unique cohort of patients at different stages of HCV infection and a tissue bank. This unique resource has allowed us to address important questions relating to HCV immuno-pathology and treatment. Recognizing the increased incidence of end-stage liver disease and liver cancer with various aetiologies, our program has broadened to include the study of immunological mechanisms of liver fibrosis and development of liver cancer.   Our research program includes two complementary research themes. First, to identify correlates of immune protection to HCV in high-risk people who inject drugs (PWIDs) and define parameters to be used as benchmark to measure efficacy of new HCV vaccines and phase I clinical trials for HCV vaccines Second, to understand immunological mechanism of liver disease progression and onset of liver cancer. In particular, with a focus on the immunological environment and cytokines that may favor development of cancer and/or dampen the immune response against cancer cells. This translational research program brings together international collaborators, basic scientists, clinicians, pathologists, nurses and social workers with a transdisciplinary training philosophy. It is synergized through interaction with the Canadian Network on Hepatitis C (CanHepC) and the FRQS funded AIDS and Infectious Diseases Network (Reseau SIDA-MI). These two networks provide collaborative infrastructure support and are key platforms for integrated knowledge translation and training of highly qualified personnel.