What we do

Professor Uwe Torsten, MD, PhD, MBA is the Professor and Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at RCSI Medical University of Bahrain and is also an Associate Clinical Professor at the University Hospital Charité in Berlin. Prior to joining RCSI Bahrain, Professor Torsten held numerous senior positions in hospitals, universities and quality assurance committees, including Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital Benjamin Franklin, University of Berlin. With his vast clinical experience and research interests in different types of gynaecological cancer, Professor Torsten is involved with treating oncology patients at the Bahrain Oncology Centre at King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH). His contributions also include clinical trials and follow-up studies in patients with gynaecological cancer with the Pan-Arabian Research Society of Gynecological Oncology (PARSGO), where he is Board Member of the Steering Committee and Head of the Bahrain Office. In December 2023, Professor Torsten joined as a member of the NHRA Clinical Trials Committee in Bahrain and obtained the Fellowship from Advance HE, Learning & Teaching support in Higher Education, UK.

Xezal Derin places great importance on diversity in medicine. She is currently completing her residency in gynecology and obstetrics and is working on her doctoral thesis.

As an active member of the Pan-Arabian Research Society of Gynecologic Oncology (PARSGO), Xezal is dedicated to research and education regarding gynecologic cancers in the MENA region and Africa. Within PARSGO, she is part of the core team, coordinating tumor boards and contributing to the research, education, and social media teams, making her an all-rounder in various initiatives.

As a young resident, Xezal Derin is passionately committed to shaping the medical landscape. Her goal is to provide culturally sensitive and high-quality care to all women.

Dr. Houssein El Hajj, is a Gynecologic Oncologist at Gustave Roussy Institute, France. His clinical and research interests focus on gynecological cancers, surgical innovation and de-escalation, cancer prevention, patient’s quality of life and the integration of physical activity into cancer care.

Dr. El Hajj is actively engaged in international professional societies. He serves as a PARSGO steering committee member, Vice President of the French Society of Young Gynecologic Oncologists (SFOG Campus) and Executive Group Member of both ENYGO and ENGAGe under ESGO. Recently, he was appointed as ESGO diplomat in France. He is also an Associate Editor and Video Section Editor of the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer (IJGC).

Passionate about mentorship and education, he contributes to training programs, consensus statements, and collaborative research initiatives across Europe and the Middle East. His work has been recognized with leadership roles in academic, editorial, and advocacy projects, reflecting his commitment to advancing gynecologic oncology and improving patient outcomes.

Through his new role as Research Lead within PARSGO, Dr. El Hajj aims to foster collaborative research networks and strengthen the regional and global impact of gynecologic oncology research

Sara Nasser is a gynaecological oncologist currently working at one of the largest cancer centres in Europe. Through her varied experience in both Obstetrics and Gynecology in Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom and in developing countries, she is always at the forefront of innovative changes in the clinical, research and educational aspects of her field.

Dr Nasser stands for women empowerment in medicine. In her position as Vice-President and co-founder of the Pan-Arabian Research Society for Gynecologic Oncology(PARSGO) and the Lead of the Women’s Health Division at the Charite Center for Global Health Exchange, she is an advocate for improving women’s healthcare worldwide.

A short professional biography (150–200 words): Dr. Bilir is an OBGYN resident in Germany. She graduated from Koç University School of Medicine as an Anatolian Scholar. During her medical school journey, she earned a Gender Studies Certificatefrom the Center for Gender Studies, reflecting her commitment to advancing women’s health from a social perspective. Furthering her education, she completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Epidemics and Ethical Global Health, earning recognition as an International Public Health Ambassador. Her academic journey also includes an MSc in Data Science and an MSc in Global Health, pursued to deepen her knowledge and better serve women worldwide. She has been recognized as a Visiting Professor of Research Methodology and Biostatistics in the USA. As an aspiring clinician-scientist with a keen interest in Gynecologic Oncology, she has gained international experience in Türkiye, France, the UK, Australia, the USA, and Germany. As the author of >55 peer-reviewed articles and 47 abstracts, she is driven by the ultimate goal of making breakthroughs that enhance understanding and improve women’s health. She has been an active member of PARSGO since 2021, serving as a Research Associate from 2022 to 2024. In recognition of her valuable contributions, she was promoted to Senior Research Fellow in 2025.

Xezal Derin places great importance on diversity in medicine. She is currently completing her residency in gynecology and obstetrics and is working on her doctoral thesis.

As an active member of the Pan-Arabian Research Society of Gynecologic Oncology (PARSGO), Xezal is dedicated to research and education regarding gynecologic cancers in the MENA region and Africa. Within PARSGO, she is part of the core team, coordinating tumor boards and contributing to the research, education, and social media teams, making her an all-rounder in various initiatives.

As a young resident, Xezal Derin is passionately committed to shaping the medical landscape. Her goal is to provide culturally sensitive and high-quality care to all women.

Dr. Refky is a professor of surgical oncology at the oncology centre, Mansoura University, Surgical gynecological oncology consultant , Bahrain oncology center , sub specializing in Gynecological oncology for over a decade. He has passed the European board exam of surgical oncology and the European Society of Gynecological oncology ESGO, and is the general secretary and one of the founders of the Egyptian Gynecological oncology society EGOS.

He is a council member of European society of gynecological oncology ( ESGO) , steering committee member of Panarabian research group of gynecological oncology ( PARSGO) ,  board member of Midldle East and Mediterranean group of gynecological oncology ( MEMAGO) and board  member of CAIRO journal club ( CJC )

His hospital, the Oncology Centre of Mansoura University is a comprehensive cancer centre. They have been accredited recently by ESGO as a training centre for gynecological oncology, making them the first Arabic and African accredited centre in gynecological oncology.

Miss Radwa Hablase is a Senior Clinical Research Fellow in Gynaecological Oncology, currently pursuing a PhD focused on prognostic biomarkers in ovarian cancer. She is the principal investigator of the MIRRORS-FROZEN trial, investigating the role of robotic surgery in complex ovarian masses.

She obtained her MRCOG during postgraduate training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the United Kingdom and completed a postgraduate degree in Medical Research at the University of Brighton and the University of Sussex. Before her current role in the UK, she undertook five years of residency training in Obstetrics & Gynaecology in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Radwa has authored and contributed to multi-centre studies, protocols, and educational resources, and is an active member of trainee groups in several international societies.

As Education Lead, she aims to expand accessible, high-quality learning across the region through structured curricula development, case-based webinars, and mentorship pathways, while fostering collaboration between clinicians, scientists, and patient advocates. Her priorities include equitable access to training, data-driven quality improvement, and practical upskilling in research methods and technology adoption.

Joelle AbouKhalil: Patient Advocacy Lead, PARSGO; Boardmember of the Network against Gynecological Cancer in Sweden; Founder of Matealda

As an International Affairs/Political Science Graduate with years of experience in non profit organisations, my passion is to mentor & empower youth and women. After my mother’s passing due to ovarian cancer, it was only inevitable that I would become a women’s health & patient advocate. Having been her caregiver, I became more aware of the significant role patient advocates & advocacy groups play in enhancing the care & clinical practice in the medical field. Bridging gaps, breaking taboos & building more interdisciplinary collaborations between medical professionals, patients & caregivers is something that I look forward to addressing more of in my role as Patient Advocacy Lead at PARSGO.

As a daughter and granddaughter of strong women who lost their lives to gynecological cancer, I’m very dedicated to not only raising the voice of other women who struggle with these diseases but also of their families.

I am writing to express my strong interest in leading head of patient advocacy working group. As a dedicated Clinical Oncologist and Head of awareness of committee of presidential initiative of early detection and management in Egypt, I am enthusiastic about contributing to the Society’s mission to promote awareness, research, and equitable access to prevention early detection and management globally and especially in our Arab region.

Over the past 15 years, my work has been centred on gyn -oncology area of expertise – e.g., cervical cancer screening programs, HPV vaccination advocacy and research. I am lecturer at clinical Oncology Ain Shams University and Currently Clinical Oncologist at Gustave Roussy International Egypt. I served as head of oncology unit as Ain Shams University Specialized hospitals .I had been head of organizing committee of Breast and Gynaecological International cancer conference ( BGICC) for more than 7 years which is the biggest Breast and Gynaecological cancer conference  in Africa and Middle East , I have consistently integrated awareness and education into clinical practice, academic training, and community engagement initiatives in collaboration with international organisations where awareness and education is the cornerstone of effective prevention and control strategies.

Dr. Abdelmoula is a Tunisian medical doctor specialized in Family Medicine, with master’s degrees in Public Health, Health Economics and Management, and Data Analytics and Biostatistics. For the past three years, she has led the secretariat of the MENA Coalition for HPV Elimination, advancing equitable access to HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening across the region, while also contributing to the Eastern Mediterranean NCD Alliance advocacy projects. Within the International PapillomaVirus Society (IPVS), she serves as Tunisia’s Ambassador and currently acts as the MENA Lead within the IPVS awareness campaign committee. She also serves as Deputy Chair of the World Medical Association Junior Doctors’ Network (WMA-JDN) and is a member of both the WHO Youth Council and WHO Youth Hub. Fluent in five languages, she has participated in four World Health Assemblies, actively engaging in global health governance. Currently, Dr. Abdelmoula is Manager at Global Health Strategies. She previously served as MEAL Officer at Médecins du Monde in Tunisia, supporting COVID-19 response and immunization with the Ministry of Public Health. Passionate about precision medicine research and health systems strengthening, she has been a member of the Genomics of Signalopathies in Service of Precision Medicine laboratory at Sfax University (Tunisia) since 2017.