Yasser Khazaal | Medicine and Health Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Dr Yasser Khazaal, Lausanne university, Switzerland

Prof. Dr. Yasser Khazaal is a distinguished psychiatrist and researcher with extensive experience in addiction psychiatry. He earned his MD from René Descartes, Paris V, and Swiss Board Certification in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy. Currently, he is a Full Professor at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, and holds multiple roles including Associate Researcher at Montreal University. Prof. Khazaal’s research focuses on cognitive behavioral therapies, game-based interventions, and the development of smartphone apps for addiction treatment. He has published extensively on addictive disorders and is a key figure in international psychiatric societies. 🏥📚🔬

Publication Profile

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Education

Prof. Dr. Yasser Khazaal is a distinguished psychiatrist with an impressive academic background. He earned his MD from René Descartes, Paris V, France, in 1998. In 2005, he achieved Swiss Board Certification in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy. His expertise and contributions were further recognized with his appointment as a Privat Docent (senior lecturer) at Geneva University in 2009. Dr. Khazaal is known for his work in psychiatry and psychotherapy, holding a prominent position in the academic and clinical communities in Switzerland. 🌐🩺📚

Employment History

Prof. Dr. Yasser Khazaal has an extensive background in addiction psychiatry. From 2003 to 2005, he served as a senior psychiatrist and head of the mood and anxiety disorders outpatient unit at Lausanne University Hospital. From 2007 to 2018, he was the deputy head of the Addiction clinic at Geneva University Hospitals. Over the years, he held successive academic appointments at Geneva University, Switzerland, eventually becoming a full professor of addiction psychiatry at the Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne since 2019. He is also a member of the board of Addiction medicine at Lausanne University Hospital. Prof. Khazaal is an associate researcher at the Montreal University Institute of Mental Health, Canada, and an associate professor at the Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, Montreal University, Canada. Additionally, he served as a visiting professor at Kazimierz Wielki University, Poland, in 2022, as part of a project co-financed by the European Union. 📘🔍🌍

Teaching

Prof. Dr. Yasser Khazaal has extensive experience in teaching medical students at both the University of Lausanne (2003-2007, 2019-2023) and the University of Geneva (2007-2018). His teaching portfolio includes courses on mood and anxiety disorders (2003-2007), psychopharmacology (2006-2007), addiction (2019-2023), and community research in practice (2021-2023). He has also taught and supervised clinical cognitive and behavior therapy (CBT) skills (2018-2023), CBT for bipolar disorder (2007), CBT for mood disorders (2005-2006), and CBT of impulsive behaviors (2020). Prof. Dr. Khazaal is committed to integrating clinical teaching and practice in his courses. 📚💬🧠

Grants

Prof. Dr. Yasser Khazaal is a leading researcher in addiction and mental health, with extensive funding from various Swiss and international sources. His projects include studies on cognitive behavioral interventions for psychosis, mood and anxiety disorders, smoking cessation, and smartphone applications for addiction treatment. Key grants include the Swiss National Science Foundation (268,426 CHF) and Astra-Zeneca (140,000 CHF) for LACOSMA, as well as research on “Impact of Pick Klop game on smoking cessation” (172,500 CHF) and smartphone applications (194,942 CHF). He collaborates internationally on projects such as managing trauma exposure in Congo (12,125 Euros) and the “Sesame” serious game for mental health (20,000 CHF). His work continues to advance the field with a focus on innovative and practical solutions to addiction and mental health challenges. 🧠💊🚬

Conferences and Awards

Prof. Dr. Yasser Khazaal is a distinguished academic and leader in the field of social psychiatry. He served as the Chair for the European Congress of Social Psychiatry in 2012, 2015, and 2018. He was also the Co-chair for the International Conference of Behavioral Addictions in 2016, held in Geneva, Switzerland. More recently, he co-chaired the Challenges of Ecology Related to Mental Health conference in Athens in 2022. In recognition of his contributions, he was elected an Honorary Fellow of the World Association of Social Psychiatry in 2013. 🌍🔍💬

Scientific Achievements

Prof. Dr. Yasser Khazaal is a renowned expert in addiction studies, focusing on game-based interventions, including delusions and smoking cessation. He has contributed significantly to the development of smartphone app interventions for addictive disorders and mood regulation. Prof. Khazaal has published extensively on the assessment and psychopathology of addictive disorders. He also leads research on Recovery Oriented Services, exploring community interventions and peer support initiatives. 🌱📱🚭📚

Research Focus

Yasser Khazaal is a researcher primarily focused on behavioral addictions, particularly in the context of online gaming and internet use. His work explores how common behaviors can become problematic without necessarily being pathologized as addiction. He investigates self-reported motivations behind playing online games, such as World of Warcraft, and examines problematic involvement in these games using various psychological and survey methods. Khazaal’s research aims to refine the understanding of behavioral addiction and its implications for mental health, with a particular interest in the validation and adaptation of assessment tools for addictive behaviors in digital environments. 💻🕹️📊

Publication Top notes

Are we overpathologizing everyday life? A tenable blueprint for behavioral addiction research

How can we conceptualize behavioural addiction without pathologizing common behaviours?

Why do you play World of Warcraft? An in-depth exploration of self-reported motivations to play online and in-game behaviours in the virtual world of Azeroth

French validation of the internet addiction test

Validation of a short French version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale

Problematic involvement in online games: A cluster analytic approach

Does self-selection affect samples’ representativeness in online surveys? An investigation in online video game research

Motivations to play specifically predict excessive involvement in massively multiplayer online role-playing games: evidence from an online survey

Muritala Suleiman Odidi | Medicine and Health Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Dr Muritala Suleiman Odidi, Federal University Dutse Jigawa State, Nigeria

Dr. Muritala Suleiman Odidi is a dedicated lecturer at Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria, specializing in gross anatomy, embryology, genetics, biostatistics, and anthropology since June 2018 📚. He uses audio-visual microscopy to enhance histology teaching 🧬. Before academia, he was a Business Development Executive at Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries (2015-2018) and a Senior Medical Sales Representative at Nosak Health Care Limited (2012-2015) 💊. He has attended numerous workshops and conferences globally, contributed to many publications, and holds several administrative roles within his department 🏅. His research focuses on forensic science and anthropometry 🔬.

Education

He hold a PhD in Human Anatomy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna, conferred on December 16th, 2022 🎓. Prior to this, He completed my MSc in Human Anatomy and Physical Anthropology at Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria, on March 30th, 2016 📚. My academic journey began with a BSc in Human Anatomy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna, where I graduated with a second class upper on April 16th, 2009 🎓. This robust educational foundation has equipped me with extensive knowledge and expertise in the field of human anatomy and physical anthropology 🧠.

Experience

Since June 2018, he have been a lecturer, teaching and demonstrating gross anatomy, embryology, genetics, biostatistics, and anthropology to undergraduate medical students. Additionally, he utilize audio-visual microscopy to effectively teach histology 📚. Previously, from March 2015 to June 2018, he worked as a Business Development Executive at Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited in Lagos, Nigeria. In this role, he organized and conducted Continuing Medical Education on the company’s product ranges, brokered business deals with health institutions, and interfaced with Key Opinion Leaders (KOL) 💼. Prior to that, from February 2012 to February 2015, I served as a Senior Medical Sales Representative at Nosak Health Care Limited, where he promoted new products and increased brand awareness during community pharmacist meetings and conferences 🌟.

Awards

He was honored to serve as a Fellow in the Data Science Fellowship Program by the Bureau of Statistics, Kaduna State Government, in collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) from January to July 2021 📊. During this enriching experience, he honed my data science skills and contributed to impactful projects 🎯. Additionally, he received a prestigious prize and Certificate of Honour for meritorious services from the Government of Oyo State of Nigeria, in collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps 🏅. This recognition underscores my dedication and hard work in service to my community and nation 🌟.

Research focus

Based on the provided publication list, M.O. Suleiman’s research focus spans multiple disciplines including forensic science, entomology, anatomy, and toxicology. Their work covers the use of plant-based substances for pest control, the effects of plant extracts on health, and various aspects of human morphology and forensic analysis. This diversity indicates a multidisciplinary approach with significant contributions to both environmental and health sciences.