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

 Rana Dajani is a molecular biologist and geneticist whose research traces the arc of how human biology interacts with environment, identity, and adversity. Her work began in population genetics and stem-cell biology, exploring how genetic diversity, ancestry, and polymorphisms shape health in underrepresented Middle Eastern populations. Early studies characterized the genetic structure of ethnic minorities in Jordan—such as Circassians and Chechens—shedding light on regional human variation and disease susceptibility (e.g., diabetes and cancer risk). Concurrently, her work on stem-cell markers advanced regenerative medicine in regional biomedical research contexts.
From this foundation in genetic diversity and molecular mechanisms, Dajani’s focus evolved toward gene–environment interactions, particularly in the context of war, trauma, and resilience. Collaborating with psychologists and anthropologists, she began studying Syrian refugee youth in Jordan, examining how genetic variants (e.g., MAOA, 5-HTTLPR, COMT) interact with psychosocial factors such as resilience and stress exposure. This work reframed genetic research on trauma—moving beyond pathology to explore how biology and social resilience jointly shape recovery and adaptation.
Her most recent and defining research examines the epigenetics of intergenerational trauma. Through epigenome-wide studies of Syrian refugee families spanning three generations, Dajani and colleagues identified distinct DNA methylation signatures associated with war exposure—evidence that violence and displacement can leave molecular “echoes” across generations. These findings highlight how experiences of conflict become biologically embedded and how resilience may buffer such effects, linking molecular biology to humanitarian and social contexts.

Scientific and Societal Significance
Bridging molecular biology and humanitarian science:
 Dajani’s research connects laboratory genetics and fieldwork with refugees, illustrating how social experience can become biologically encoded. It is among the first sustained programs in the Middle East to integrate molecular data with psychological and social frameworks in displaced populations.


Expanding global genomics:
 By studying underrepresented Arab and refugee populations, her work diversifies the global genomic database—addressing long-standing geographical and cultural gaps in human biology research.


Reframing trauma and resilience:
 Rather than viewing trauma solely through pathology, Dajani’s research highlights resilience as a biological and social force—a perspective with implications for mental health, developmental biology, and post-conflict recovery.


Policy and ethical impact:
 Findings from her studies have implications for public health, humanitarian aid, and policy, particularly in designing interventions that consider both biological vulnerability and social resilience in refugee and conflict-affected communities.



In summary:
 Rana Dajani’s research field can be described as the study of human genetic and epigenetic responses to environment, adversity, and resilience, with a regional and global lens. It bridges molecular genetics, developmental biology, psychology, and social science, offering a groundbreaking model of how trauma and adaptation are written not only in stories but also in the human genome.

Select Publications
Epigenetics and trauma
Mulligan, C.J., Quinn, E.B., Hamadmad, D….Dajani R. Epigenetic signatures of intergenerational exposure to violence in three generations of Syrian refugees. Sci Rep 15, 5945 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-89818-z
Mulligan C, Quinn E, Hamadmad D, Dutton C, Nevell L, Binder A, Panter-Brick C and Dajani R. (2024) Epigenetic signatures of intergenerational exposure to violence in three generations of Syrian refugees  (SREP-24-01025) under review for the special collection on Epigenetic Inheritance in Scientific Reports
Merrill S, Konwar C, Fraihat Z, Parent J, Dajani R Molecular Insights into Trauma: A Framework of Epigenetic Pathways to Resilience through Intervention Accepted in Cell Med MED-D-24-00316R3
Catherine Panter-Brick, J. Eggerman , Philip Jefferies, Lina Qtaishat, Rana Dajani, Praveen Kumar Does volunteering impact refugee women’s life satisfaction, empowerment, and wellbeing? Experimental evidence, local knowledge, and causal reasoning March 2024 Social Science & Medicine DOI:10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116735
Mulligan CJ, Clukay CJ, Matarazzo A, Hadfield K, Nevell L, Dajani R, Panter-Brick C. Novel GxE effects and resilience: A case:control longitudinal study of psychosocial stress with war-affected youth. PLoS One. 2022 Apr 4;17(4):e0266509. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266509. PMID: 35377919; PMCID: PMC8979449.
Chris Clukay, Rana Dajani et al. Effect of MAOA genetic variants and resilience on perceived stress in Syrian refugee youth. PLoS One. 2019 Jul 17;14(7):e0219385. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219385. eCollection 2019
Panter-Brick C, Wiley K, Sancilio A, Dajani R, Hadfield K. (2019). C-reactive protein, Epstein-Barr virus, and cortisol trajectories in refugee and non-refugee youth: Links with stress, mental health, and cognitive function during a randomized controlled trial. Brain Behav Immun, pii: S0889-1591(18):30341-6. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.02.015. [Epub ahead of print]
Dajani R, Hadfield, K, van Uum S, Greff M, Panter-Brick C. (2017). Hair cortisol concentrations in war-affected adolescents: A prospective intervention trial. Psyconeuroendocrinology, 89:138-146. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.12.012
Panter-Brick C, Dajani R, et al. (2017). Insecurity, distress and mental health: experimental and randomized controlled trials of a psychosocial intervention for youth affected by the Syrian crisis. J Child Psychol Psychiatry, 59(5):523-541. PMCID: PMC5972454 doi: 10.1111/jcpp.12832
Panter-Brick C, Hadfield K, Dajani R, et al. (2017). Resilience in context: A brief and culturally grounded measure for Syrian refugee and Jordanian host-community adolescents. Child Dev, 89(5):1803-1820. PMCID: PMC6208286 doi: 10.1111/cdev.12868
Genetics of ethnic populations
Abudahab S, Hakooz N, Al-Etian L, Shishani K, Bashqawi A, Connolly J, Glessner JT, Qu HQ, Qu J, Hakonarson H, Dajani R. The Circassians and the Chechens in Jordan: results of a decade of epidemiological and genetic studies. J Community Genet. 2023 Dec;14(6):505-517. doi: 10.1007/s12687-023-00668-6. Epub 2023 Sep 13. PMID: 37700208; PMCID: PMC10725377.
Al-Eitan L, Saadeh H, Alnaamneh A, Darabseh S, Al-Sarhan N, Alzihlif M, Hakooz N, Ivanova E, Kelsey G, Dajani R.  The genetic landscape of Arab Population, Chechens and Circassians subpopulations from Jordan through HV1 and HV2 regions of mtDNA.Gene. 2020 Mar 1;729:144314.  
Damgaard PB, Marchi N, et al. (2018). 137 ancient human genomes from across the Eurasian steppes. Nature. 557(7705):369-374 doi: 10.1038/s41586-018-0094-2
Dajani R, Li J, et al. (2017). Genome-wide association study identifies novel type II diabetes risk loci in Jordan subpopulations. Peer J, 5:e3618 PMCID: PMC5563445 doi: 10.7717/peerj.3618
Dajani R, Li J, et al (2015). CNV analysis associates AKNAD1 with type-2 diabetes in Jordan subpopulations. Sci Rep, 5:13391. PMCID: PMC4543987 doi: 10.1038/srep13391
Dajani R, Khader YS, et al. (2012). Diabetes mellitus in genetically isolated populations in Jordan: prevalence, awareness, glycemic control, & associated factors. J Diabetes Complications, 26(3):175-80. doi: 10.1016/j.jdiacomp.2012.03.009
Stem cell ethics 
Dajani R, Jiwani B, Nanji A, Zoloth L, Ghaly M, ?lk?l?ç ?, Raya ?, Patr?o Neves M, de Melo H, Carvalho AS, Caulfield T, Carter R, Rendas A, Surani A, Rossant J, Kriegstein A, Lalani EN. Diversifying stem cell debates: Including Muslim contexts and perspectives. Stem Cell Reports. 2022 May 10;17(5):1019-1022. doi: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.03.008. Epub 2022 Apr 7. PMID: 35395176; PMCID: PMC9133579.
Odeh M, Kharbat FF, Yousef R, Odeh Y, Tbaishat D, Hakooz N, Dajani R, Mansour A. iOntoBioethics: A Framework for the Agile Development of Bioethics Ontologies in Pandemics, Applied to COVID-19. Front Med (Lausanne). 2021 May 21;8:619978. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.619978. PMID: 34095160; PMCID: PMC8175792.
Al-Tabba' A, Dajani R, Al-Hussaini M. Stem Cell Statute in Jordan: Leading the Way. Front Genet. 2020 Jul 17;11:657. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00657. PMID: 32765577; PMCID: PMC7379862.
Al-Balas QAE, Dajani R, Al-Delaimy WK. The Ethics of Gene Editing from an Islamic Perspective: A Focus on the Recent Gene Editing of the Chinese Twins. Sci Eng Ethics. 2020;26(3):1851-1860. doi:10.1007/s11948-020-00205-5
Al-Balas QA, Dajani R, Al-Delaimy WK.Traditional Islamic approach can enrich CRISPR twins debate. Nature. 2019 Feb;566(7745):455. doi: 10.1038/d41586-019-00665-1
Matsumoto MM, Dajani R, Matthews KRW. Public-private divide: cultural and social factors in women's attitudes toward cord blood banking in Jordan. Transfusion. 2018 Aug;58(8):1958-1963. doi: 10.1111/trf.14787. Epub 2018 Sep 1. PMID: 30171824.
Dajani R. Jordan's stem-cell law can guide the Middle East. Nature. 2014 Jun 12;510(7504):189. doi: 10.1038/510189a. PMID: 24919888.
Science and Society
Dajani R, Coetsee M, Al-Tabba A, Al-Hussaini M. Correction: Religion, Islam, and Compliance with COVID-19 Best Practices. J Relig Health. 2023 Mar 17:1–2. doi: 10.1007/s10943-023-01769-9. Epub ahead of print. Erratum for: J Relig Health. 2022 Oct;61(5):4155-4168. PMID: 36932226; PMCID: PMC10022933.
Dajani R, Mbarek H, Ismail SI, Mohammad A, Somai M. Overcoming Eurocentric bias makes for better science. Med. 2022 Dec 9;3(12):813-814. doi: 10.1016/j.medj.2022.11.007. PMID: 36495859.
Dajani R. Subsidize low-income scientists' travel and fees. Nature. 2022 Sep;609(7928):676. doi: 10.1038/d41586-022-02980-6. PMID: 36127441.
Dajani R. Exploring the epigenetics of resilience. Nat Genet. 2022 Apr;54(4):363. doi: 10.1038/s41588-022-01050-x. PMID: 35379993.  
Dajani R (2021) Science and Diplomacy: A Practical Path. Science Diplomacy, 4(4): 11–12. http://www.niscair.res.in/includes/images/sciencediplomacy/Science-Diplomacy-April-June-2021.pdf
Dajani, R Hamadmad, D, Abudeyyah, G Terror and Hope: The Science of Resilience. Publications and films Reports Anthropology of the middle east Volume 16, Issue 1 Pages: 111–120
Dajani R. Jordan: where junior and senior scientists meet as equals. Nature. 2019 Nov;575(7784):596. doi: 10.1038/d41586-019-03663-5. PMID: 31772368.
C. Panter-Brick, J. Kurtz, R. Dajani (2018) What strong partnerships achieve: innovations in research and practice (2018) ‘What strong partnerships achieve: innovations in research and practice’ in Humanitarian Exchange No 72 July 2018, p15-19. London: Humanitarian Practice Network (HPN) Overseas Development Institute
Dajani R Why the right questions make the biggest impact Nature Middle east July 31, 2018 doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2018.88
Dajani R. Developing nations need more than just money. Nature. 2017 Oct 10;550(7675):159. doi: 10.1038/550159a. PMID: 29022939.
Dajani R. Waste not, want not: Recycled science art. Science. 2015 Nov 27;350(6264):1043. doi: 10.1126/science.350.6264.1043-b. PMID: 26612944.
Dajani R. Why I teach evolution to Muslim students. Nature. 2015 Apr 23;520(7548):409. doi: 10.1038/520409a. PMID: 25903591
Dajani R: “Evolution and Islam’s Quantum Question.” Zygon® 2012 47, no. 2 (June 2012): 343–53. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9744.2012.01259.x

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

 2005-2012	Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
2009-2010	Founder and Director, Center for Service Learning, Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
2011-2012	Director, Center for Studies, Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
2012-2013	Visiting Assistant Professor (Fulbright Scholarship), Department of Genetics, Yale University, USA
2013-2019	Associate Professor of Molecular Cell Biology, Dept. of Biology, Hashemite University, Jordan
2015 (Winter)	Visiting Professor, The Faraday Institute, St. Edmund’s College, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK
2015 (Spring)	Visiting Professor, Cell Therapy Center, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
2017-2018	Rita Hauser Fellow, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
2019-present	Full Professor of Molecular Cell Biology, Dept. of Biology, Hashemite University, Jordan
2019-2021	Cmelikova Visiting Scholar in Leadership and Ethics, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA
2022-2023	MIT Visiting professor Systems Awareness Lab and REACT 
2023-2024	Robert Bosch Academy Fellow, Germany
2024-2025	Chen Yidan Visiting Global Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE).

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

Welcome to the Hashemite University faculty staff website.