Myology PhD student from across the world

Eman El Refaei is a PhD student in the medical biochemistry department at Osaka University in Japan.

Originally from Egypt, Eman studied for her bachelors degree in medicine and surgery and her masters degree in medical biochemistry at Tanta University. She moved to Japan in 2020 to take up her PhD studies.

It was during her PhD that she developed her interest in myology. Her thesis – a novel protein study – was localised at the neuromuscular junction.

By studying the function of novel proteins and uncovering their role in disease pathogenesis, Eman believes her work will help in new therapeutics discovery.

Eman describes the availability of scientific research funding as the main obstacle to further research in Egypt. She says: “applying the basic guidelines for myological disorders diagnosis is not well established, which may lead to misdiagnoses. I believe that more training is needed to establish the guidelines for myological disorders diagnosis in Egypt.”

When asked what inspires her, Eman has big ambitions: “Improving human health is my main goal. Neuromuscular disorders can have a significant impact on quality of life, and continued research in this field has the potential to lead to better treatments and therapies for people affected by these conditions. Neuromuscular research presents numerous challenges, but it also offers opportunities for innovation and the development of new technologies and treatments.”

Despite the serious nature of her work, Eman says she is not as serious as people think when they meet her for the first time. Other neuromuscular specialists working in the same region might be more familiar with Eman’s sense of humour and Eman works to cooperate with these colleagues, recognising the importance of discussing and interpreting data, gaining experience and learning how to use new techniques.

Eman is keen that the WMS should continue to use the “Myology Developments Across the World” section to provide researchers with a platform to share their findings and research results with the wider myology community, helping to disseminate their work and raise the visibility of their research.