AUC's “faculty at the Forefront” Showcases Research Driving Child Health Policy in Egypt

The American University in Cairo (AUC) hosted a media roundtable discussion featuring Seham Elmrayed, assistant professor at the Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology, as part of the “Faculty at the Forefront” series. The series is an ongoing University initiative that highlights the expertise of faculty members whose research is driving global innovation and community impact.

The session highlighted efforts to translate new international growth standards for preterm infants into tangible public health action that can benefit families across Egypt. Elmrayed discussed the significance of her research as part of the team who developed the latest  the Fenton Third-Generation Growth Charts, a large-scale global initiative that drew on data from 4.8 million births across 15 countries. While the research establishes a new global benchmark, Elmrayed emphasized that data alone cannot improve health outcomes; meaningful change requires active, strategic engagement with local stakeholders, an approach supported by AUC.

Commenting on the importance of applying academic research to public health policymaking, Elmrayed said, “Through my work at AUC, I am very intentional about ensuring that research does not stop at publication. I actively engage with Egyptian public and private institutions to translate global and national evidence into policies and programs that genuinely serve Egyptian families.”

As an example, Elmrayed pointed to a recent high-level scientific meeting that she organized and hosted at AUC titled Advances in Preterm Care: Growth, Nutrition and Development. The event brought together neonatologists, and experts from Egypt’s public and private sectors, alongside international researchers including Dr. Fenton, an internationally known figure in child growth research, known for her widely adopted Fenton Growth Charts. Elmrayed noted that the meeting created a unique space for Egyptian clinicians to engage directly with the science and ask practical questions about how global evidence applies to preterm populations in Egypt.

Following the meeting, leading clinicians and key stakeholders developed a shared vision for Egypt’s first national preterm database. Currently in the pilot phase, the initiative aims to aggregate data from hospitals across the country to establish a localized evidence base. “The aim is to build a large, high-quality national database that reflects Egyptian preterm growth trajectories and outcomes, so that future guidelines, clinical decisions, and policies are informed by Egyptian data,” Elmrayed explained. “For me, this is what translating large numbers into real impact looks like,moving from millions of global data points to better-informed care for every preterm baby in Egypt.”

Beyond preterm growth, the Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology is actively demonstrating AUC’s commitment to public service by addressing broader malnutrition issues affecting Egyptian children, such as iron deficiency anemia and childhood obesity. An example is the recent economic evaluation study which Elmrayed led, investigating the economic burden of child anemia while proposing effective solutions. "This work is done in collaboration with experts from the ministry of Health and Population and Egyptian university hospitals with the explicit aim of producing findings that are not just scientifically robust but also policy-relevant and actionable," Elmrayed said. AUC facilitates these critical partnerships between academic researchers, Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo University and government policymakers.

Elmrayed also noted that there are collaborations with healthcare institutions and academic partners across Egypt, with AUC serving as a hub that brings together researchers, clinicians, and policymakers. “Across all of these partnerships, the goal is the same: to adapt global and national research evidence to Egypt’s social, economic, and health-system realities, and to ensure that research ultimately improves the everyday health and wellbeing of Egyptian children and their families.”

The session concluded with a clear message, which is that growth is not just a medical outcome.“Genes may set the boundaries, but nutrition, household conditions, maternal health, education, and the environments in which children grow up determine where they fall within those boundaries. If we want to improve child growth in Egypt, we cannot rely on clinical care alone.”  Elmrayed noted that policies must invest in early life (before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and in the first years of life). “Policies must also address nutrition, food affordability, caregiver knowledge, and supportive environments together,” she concluded.

About Seham Elmrayed

Seham Elmrayed is a pediatric epidemiologist at the Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology (IGHHE) at The American University in Cairo (AUC). Her research focuses on child growth and development across the life course, using data from the pre pregnancy period through early childhood. She has an interdisciplinary and international background, with teaching and research experience in Europe, Canada, and Egypt, including work in Canada analyzing national public health datasets and conducting longitudinal studies on the long-term effects of early childhood development under varying social, nutritional, and environmental conditions.

An accomplished author and researcher, Elmrayed has been recognized with prestigious honors such as the Canadian government’s Vanier Award for her leadership and civic engagement. Her recent scientific work includes developing age correction for preterm growth monitoring and contributing to a global preterm growth reference encompassing 4.8 million births across 15 countries. Currently, her research in Egypt focuses on addressing iron deficiency anemia in children under five by identifying practical, family-oriented solutions to this public health challenge.