"Khaled joined my laboratory as a postdoctoral fellow in August 2015, and I rapidly realized that Khaled’s perseverance, lack of fear to learn new techniques and tireless ability to teach junior lab members are some of his greatest strengths. He clearly demonstrated an exceptional ability to assimilate new research protocols that speaks highly to his potential as a future independent researcher. At the uOttawa, Khaled secured two prestigious and highly competitive fellowships and became an essential team player in my laboratory. He provides training to young postdoctoral fellows and students in experimental design, molecular biology techniques, behavioral testing. Khaled assists students with preparing departmental seminar presentations and assists in the editing of their manuscripts, thesis reports and theses before they pass by me. His success in my laboratory as team leader and laboratory hero is more a reflection of his empathetic and caring understanding of people and I confide in his advice when needed. As a researcher and author, he is far more productive than his peers at his career stage, he operates as an independent researcher, he writes his own papers and handles all correspondence with my knowledge and consent. Khaled excelled in disseminating his work as evidenced by the extensive list of publications, as well as independent invitations to present his work independent of me at national and international meetings. Khaled is a rising star in Molecular Pharmacology and Molecular Neuroscience which is attested to by the awards he has received locally, nationally, and internationally including many travel awards and best poster and best presentation awards. He is also an active member of the Canadian, American and British Pharmacological Societies and practices as a licensed Pharmacist on weekends and has continued to do so throughout the pandemic to help vaccinate against COVID-19. He received the uOttawa Faculty of Medicine Award of Excellence and the Best Postdoctoral Award from the Neuroscience program at uOttawa. I have immense respect for Khaled as a person and as a scientist. I consider him my star trainee, and he has a wisdom beyond his years of age. I was once told by both my PhD and Postdoctoral supervisors that you have succeeded as a researcher when you have trained a person that is far more talented than yourself. I am of the unshakable opinion that Khaled easily exceeds this criterion and I unconditionally support his nomination for the Lab Hero award from Hello Bio."

Stephen Ferguson, Ferguson Lab - Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Canada

Nomination Category: Lab Leader

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Who's your Lab Hero?

This is your chance to give back to the scientists who make – or who have made – a positive difference to your life, career, and workplace. That might be putting in extra effort in the lab, supporting their colleagues in difficult times, producing incredible results through their work, or making the lab a better place for everyone...

NOMINATE YOUR LAB HERO NOW!

Nominations close 8th December 2021. T&Cs apply.