Biography

Alexandra Dimitri is studying the impact of DNA damage on gene expression and DNA repair. Her recent findings on the importance of structure in understanding the function of biological molecules have been published in the Journal of Molecular Biology and DNA Repair, among others. She has collaborated with NYU Abu Dhabi Dean of Science David Scicchitano and others on a forthcoming book on the consequences of DNA damage. Since 2008, Dimitri has been the science curriculum developer and science group coordinator for NYU Abu Dhabi. She is applying her eclectic scientific background to the development of NYU Abu Dhabi's innovative Foundations of Science cross-disciplinary core curriculum course, a requirement for all science majors, and will teach components of it. As a doctoral student at NYU's New York campus, she taught courses on molecular biology and introductory biology and mentored honors and post-baccalaureate students. In 2004, she received the Dean's Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award at NYU. She emphasizes vocational, real-world application in her classroom and has worked in research and design for Unilever in Egypt, and for a New York-based consultancy. She also has a particular interest in making women's education a priority. Dimitri received her Ph.D. in biology from NYU, her M.S. in chemistry from St. John's University, in New York, and a B.A. summa cum laude in chemistry from the American University of Cairo, Egypt.