AUB’s Dr. Rita Hleihel Recognized Among 2025 L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Laureates

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AUB’s Dr. Rita Hleihel Recognized Among 2025 L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Laureates

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Office of Communications, communications@aub.edu.lb

Dr. Rita Hleihel, a research associate at the American University of Beirut (AUB) Faculty of Medicine, has been recognized as one of the 2025 L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Levant Young Talents. Her selection highlights her innovative research on metastatic breast cancer, where she investigates the mechanisms that drive the spread of cancer cells and works to identify new therapeutic targets that can lead to more effective treatments and improved patient outcomes.

Dr. Hleihel was honored during the 12^th edition of the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Levant ceremony, held at the Middle East Airlines Training Center in Beirut under the patronage of Sahar Baassiri, Permanent Representative of Lebanon to UNESCO in Paris. The event celebrated six young women scientists, three postdoctoral researchers and three PhD candidates, selected from more than 100 applicants across the region. The jury was chaired by Professor Marie Abboud Mehanna of Saint Joseph University of Beirut, herself a former L'Oréal-UNESCO laureate.

In her remarks, Ambassador Baassiri emphasized that empowering women in scientific fields is both a regional necessity and a belief that talent knows no gender or borders. She highlighted that each laureate carries a message of inspiration for the next generation of women in science. Representatives from UNESCO, the National Council for Scientific Research in Lebanon, and the wider academic and research community attended the ceremony, underscoring the collaborative spirit and regional commitment behind this initiative.

Since its inception in 1998, the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science program has supported more than 4,700 women researchers worldwide, including 95 women scientists honored in the Levant region since 2014. This year's selection showcased a diverse range of impactful research, from telerehabilitation for Parkinson's patients and AI-powered drug authentication tools to sustainable bioplastics and next-generation immunotherapies.

Dr. Hleihel's recognition reflects AUB's commitment to advancing research and fostering excellence across multidisciplinary fields. Her work embodies the university's mission to drive knowledge creation that addresses pressing global health challenges and contributes to a more innovative and equitable landscape.

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