Research Interests:

Dr. Benoukraf focuses his research on pan-omics analytics with a particular interest in integrating genomics, epigeneomics and microbiomics information to decipher novel pathophysiological mechanisms.

Education:

2010: PhD (Bioinformatics, Structural Biology, and Genomics), University of Aix-Marseille II, Marseille, France.
2006: MSc (Bioinformatics, Structural Biology, and Genomics), University of Aix-Marseille II, Marseille, France.
2004: BSc (Computer Sciences), University of Aix-Marseille II, Marseille, France.
2003: Associate Degree (Mathematics), University of Aix-Marseille II, Marseille, France

Honours & Awards:

2018: Canada Research Chair (Tier II)
2012-2018: Special Fellow, Cancer Science Institute of Singapore
2015: Unique Presentation Award, 7th HOPE Meeting with Nobel Laureates, JSPS, Tokyo, Japan
2009: Doctoral scholarship, French Foundation for Medical Research (FRM)

Professional Experience: 

11/2018 – present: Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair in Bioinformatics for Personalized Medicine, Discipline of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University

2018 – present: Visiting Assistant Professor, Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore 
 
2018: Principal Investigator, Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore 
 
2012 – 2018: Research Assistant Professor and Special Fellow, Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore 

2010 – 2012: Research Fellow (Postdoctoral Fellow), Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore


Research: Fighting diseases with genome analytics

High-throughput sequencing has revolutionized the way in which scientists study physiopathology. In this context, bioinformatics is used, thanks to “Big Data”, to harness and even produce the knowledge indispensable to the discovery of new treatments tailored to the patient.
Very recently, sequencing technologies have been used successfully in clinics, but it is only offered to diagnose or select treatment strategies for a limited number of conditions. Dr. Benoukraf’s laboratory combines multidisciplinary expertise ranging from mathematics and computer sciences to molecular biology, allowing the integration of epigenetics and microbiomics dimensions to patients’ genomic information, hence the discovery of novel mechanisms involved in pathogenesis or therapeutic resistance.

Current Financial Support:

• Canada Research Chair program
• Canada Foundation for Innovation
• Faculty of Medicine