RANA BASEM MOHAMMED REBHI DAJANI

Rana Dajani	Professor
Molecular Cell Biology	Cell Biology
Faculty of Science	Department of Biology and Biotechnology
rdajani@HU.EDU.JO	http://staff.hu.edu.jo/rdajani
ORCID ID :
Office No. : 219 Biology building	EXT : 5048 , 4394

C.V. Document file as PDF:

Ph.D.	University of Iowa	The United States of America,2005
Master	University of Jordan	Jordan,1992
Bachelor	University of Jordan	Jordan,1989

 My research interest is in cell signaling.
Signal transduction refers to the biochemical processes by which cells respond to signal in their internal or external environment. Many of the biochemical pathways that conduct such information are found in all cells across widely divergent species.  Thus, understanding of these regulatory systems is essential to the work of most biologists in the basic and applied life sciences.  Because signal transduction mechanisms are the natural control circuits that regulate biological systems, they are targets for the development of therapeutic agents to combat disease.
I also adopt an interdisciplinary approach towards science which through knowledge creation and information sharing provides a novel perspective towards science. This is especially important in signaling research where the complexity of the problems demands an interdisciplinary approach.  Such an approach provides a wide range of connections with researches in both fields which help

 Dajani, R., Zhang, Y., Taft, P.J., Travis, S.M., Starner, T.D., Olsen, A., 
Zabner, J., Welsh, M.J., and Engelhardt, J.F. Lysozyme secretion by submucosal glands protects the airway from bacterial infection. Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol. 32(6):548-52, 2005.
		
Dajani, R, Salih Sanlioglu, Yulong Zhang, Martha M. Monick, Eric Lazartigues, Timothy Eggelston, Robin L. Davisson, Gary W. Hunninghake and John F. Engelhardt. Pleiotropic functions of TNFalpha determine Ikkbeta –dependent hepatocellular fates in response to LPS.  Am J Physiol Gastrointest liver Physiol. 2007 Jan; 292(1):G242-52.

Dajani, R  Undergraduate education in Jordan. Science. 2007 Aug 31;317(5842):1170-1.

  1.	The prevalence of factor V (G1691A), prothrombin (G20210A) and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR, C677T) mutations in the Circassian population in Jordan

2013-current    Hashemite University
                Associate professor
2005-2013	Hashemite University	Zarqa, Jordan	
 	        Assistant Professor
		
2000-2005	University of Iowa	Iowa City, Iowa
		Research Assistant

1995-2000	Amman Academy		Amman, Jordan
		Teacher

1992-1994	Philadelphia university	Amman, Jordan
		Lecturer

Biology 101  (freshman)
I implement problem based learning (PBL) and drama in my teaching 
			
Cell Biology  (sophomore)
I implement PBL and drama in my teaching.  Students are required to work in groups to review and make a presentation about a disease at the molecular level and its incidence in Jordan.

Special Topics: Criticizing scientific articles (senior)
Students learn to be scientists by analyzing and critiquing state of the art research articles from Nature and Science journals.

Special Topics : Bioinformatics and signal transduction (Graduate level)

Seminar (senior)

Molecular Biology (sophomore)
Students participate in a debate concerning evolution.  The first case of a formal debate in Jordan

Evolution (senior)

Molecular Biology (Graduate level)

Cell Biology (Graduate level)

My  Teaching philosophy

 My teaching philosophy stems from my experience as a student, which I still am. 
The teaching process to me is an equal contribution by both teacher and student  
 “both are learning from each other” as Paulo Freire says in his book Pedagogy of the oppressed..  The teacher only serves to guide the student so that she/he can make their own observations, draw their own conclusions and analysis.  I also see a teacher as a mentor.  In my opinion, both roles are integrated and indistinguishable.  A mentor who is genuinely concerned listens to her students, because listening helps the person talking to understand herself and put things in perspective and one can only talk to someone he or she trusts and who will listen without judgment.   An important characteristic of a mentor is honesty in advising the student of the possibilities and facts. A teacher is the person who will tell you the truth no matter how difficult it is to help you overcome and face reality 
Problem based learning (PBL):
Initiated teaching using PBL at the Hashemite University personally and at the level of the institution by preparing seminars and workshops for faculty in coordination with the center for academic excellence.

Service Learning:
Pursuing avenues for setting up a service learning centre within the center for academic excellence at the Hashemite University in collaboration with service learning centers in Europe.
Service-learning combines service objectives with learning objectives with the intent that the activity change both the recipient and the provider of the service. This is accomplished by combining service tasks with structured opportunities that link the task to self-reflection, self-discovery, and the acquisition and comprehension of values, skills, and knowledge content

Applied to TEMPUS/EU for a service learning center in Jordan 2009


Community awarness project
The aim of this project is the development of individuals to become responsible active participants in society. The project aims to develop confidence and leadership qualities in the students.  These aspects are very important components of the student’s university education. When students are exposed to the application of their knowledge they feel that they can make a difference and change the wrong things they see around them.  This nurtures their feeling of responsibility towards the community and that they should do something. We have achieved these goals by teaching students to identify problems in their environment, analyse the problem, create a plan to attempt to solve the problem and carry out the proposed plan. Students are required to keep a journal of the application of the plan which should include examples, narrations, good and bad experiences.  At the end of the project students shared their experiences. This gave the students the chance to evaluate and criticize their plans after carrying them out. The study group was a class of 60 students ranging between second and third year undergraduate level. Duration of the project was 2 months. The problems identified were diverse and reflected the students' level of awareness of the problems in the community.  Problems identified included: smoking. littering, drugs and respect of others, etc..  Plans were diverse some were in the form of distributing advice while others took a more active role by actually being the change itself.  Some applied their plan to their immediate families while others applied their plan to a wider circle of the community.   In conclusion, the project was a success in achieving its goals.  Students displayed an enthusiasm and awareness of their capabilities in eliciting change in their community; true leadership qualities.

 Human genome organization (HUGO)
- American association cancer research (AACR)
- American association for the advancement of Science (AAAS)
- Jordan Biology Society
- National Geographic Society

Reading
 Statement of Purpose
Reading is essential to the development of a child's personality, imagination, brain and communication skills.  Children must learn to love and enjoy reading to reap its benefits.  In order to plant the love of reading in children one must start at an early age.  Children will realize that reading is exciting and inspiring and that it opens new horizons and helps them respect and understand others.  There is no child who does not like to read.  He or she has just not met the right book, similar to finding the right friend.
Children of the Arab world and Jordan in particular are not readers for many reasons.  My goal is to create a generation of children that love, enjoy and respect books. Through a series of activities aimed at different sectors of the community I aim to achieve this goal.  


1. Project "We love reading" 
2. Project "We love writing"
3. University involvement

Contact:www.welovereading.org

Women network

Objective
To provide a network of communication between academic and intellectual women in Jordan.  This network will facilitate collaboration, team work and social support. This network will help make women better equipped and prepared to be social developers and mentors for the young youth
 


Jordan women scientists network

Vision
To support, encourage, sustain, advise and mentor all women in academia so that they may attain the maximum of their potential with the least hardship and sacrifice.

Mission
To provide a network support for women in academia to fulfill the following objectives:

1.	dissemination of information and knowledge
2.	facilitate collaboration and team work
3.	social support
4.	research development
5.	mentoring
6.	communication
7.	scientific support in terms of publications

Entrepreneurship center
Advocating for the establishment of an entrepreneur center at the Hashemite Unviersity

RANA BASEM MOHAMMED REBHI DAJANI

RANA BASEM MOHAMMED REBHI DAJANI

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