Moroccan Scientists Among Winners of L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Awards

Two Moroccans, two Tunisians and one Algerian are the five winners of the 14th edition of the L’Oréal-UNESCO program in Morocco and the 7th at the Maghreb level. Each of them will receive a grant of 10,000 euros to enable them to continue and consolidate their post-doctoral research work. Due to the current health situation related to the new coronavirus pandemic, the official award ceremony has been postponed to 2021, if the situation allows, according to a press release from the organizers.

Jihane Ouchrif from the Faculty of Science and Techniques of Mohammedia is the first Moroccan laureate. Her research work focuses on the design of prototype photodectors based on the phototransistor for fiber optic telecommunications systems. This study aims to improve the performance of fiber optic telecommunications systems, while ensuring high quality photo-detection, which subsequently guarantees better data transmission in these systems with the least interpretation error.

The second Moroccan laureate, Najlaa Fathi (Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech), is conducting research on the issue of "urban heat island". Focused on strategies to reduce the heat island, this study will help improve air quality and limit respiratory diseases.

The two Tunisians are Aida Lahmer (University of Monastir) and Raoudha Dziri (University of Tunis El Manar). The former works on the design of dermal substitutes based on marine collagen and a medicinal plant, while the latter conducts research on the ineffectiveness of existing remedies in the face of the continuous and rapid evolution of the world, like antibiotics that are no longer active on multi-resistant bacteria.

The Algerian laureate is called Sarra Benlheifa (University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene). Her research focuses on the identification of new prognostic and predictive biomarkers of therapeutic efficacy in the case of colorectal cancer (CRC), in order to propose a specific and adapted treatment according to the type of CRC.