Dr. Besma Bel Hadj Jrad-Tensaout is a Professor of Immunology and Biological Sciences at the Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir (ISBM), University of Monastir, Tunisia, with over 25 years of academic and research experience. She is an internationally recognized immunologist whose work bridges cancer immunology, neuroinflammation, infectious diseases, and psychiatric disorders, contributing significantly to translational biomedical research.
Online Profiles
Dr. Jrad’s scientific contributions are indexed in major international databases including PubMed, with an h-index of 15, and she maintains institutional and professional visibility through the University of Monastir and ISBM research platforms, reflecting sustained international research impact and scholarly recognition.
Education
She earned her Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Aix-Marseille II, France, following an M.Sc. in Immunology from the same institution and a B.Sc. in Natural Sciences from the University of Carthage, Tunisia, and later obtained her University Habilitation from Monastir University, qualifying her for full professorship and doctoral supervision.
Research Focus
Her research focuses on immunogenetics, tumor immunology, viral oncology, neuro-immuno-psychiatric disorders, cytokine signaling pathways, host–pathogen interactions, and the role of inflammatory and genetic factors in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and EBV-associated cancers.
Experience
Dr. Jrad has served as a University Professor at ISBM since 2012, with prior academic roles as Lecturer, Assistant Professor, and Assistant in Biological Sciences, alongside continuous research engagement at the Laboratory of Genetic, Biodiversity and Bio-resources Valorization (LR11ES41) since 1998.
Research Timeline & Research Contributions
Her early research (1998–2006) centered on TNF-TNFR superfamily involvement in EBV-associated cancers and viral oncology, later evolving (2007–2016 onward) toward neuro-inflammatory mechanisms underlying psychiatric diseases, integrating immunology, genetics, and environmental risk factors.
Research Impact
Dr. Jrad has authored over 40 peer-reviewed scientific publications in international journals, significantly advancing understanding of cytokine polymorphisms, immune dysregulation, viral infections, and psychiatric disease susceptibility within North African and Mediterranean populations.
Innovation & Intellectual Property
Her work demonstrates methodological innovation through the integration of immunogenetics, molecular diagnostics, and epidemiological modeling, contributing novel insights into immune-mediated disease mechanisms with translational relevance for diagnostics and therapeutic targeting.
Research Projects & Funding
She has led and contributed to multiple institutionally and nationally supported research projects on cancer immunology, neuroinflammation, infectious diseases, and psychiatric disorders, while supervising master’s and doctoral theses within structured research programs at ISBM.
Conference Contributions
Dr. Jrad has actively contributed to national and international scientific conferences through oral presentations, invited lectures, and scientific committee participation, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue in immunology, neuroscience, and biomedical sciences.
Academic Excellence
She is a senior academic leader with extensive doctoral supervision experience (6 PhD theses completed), mentorship of over 11 master’s dissertations, and sustained academic service including thesis evaluation, accreditation committees, and quality assurance leadership.
Societal / Industry Contribution
Her research contributes directly to public health by addressing immune-related mechanisms in cancer and psychiatric diseases, while her leadership in psycho-neuro-endocrino-immunology promotes interdisciplinary approaches to mental health challenges.
Global Recognition
Dr. Jrad holds international recognition through long-standing research collaborations with European institutions, indexed publications in high-impact journals, leadership of the Tunisian Society of Psycho-Neuro-Endocrinal-Immunology, and global academic engagement.
Publications (Peer-Reviewed Journals)
Bel Hadj Jrad, B., et al., “Identification of Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor 2 (TNFR2) as a Possible Susceptibility Gene for Paranoid and Adult-Onset Schizophrenia,” Journal of Molecular Neuroscience, 43, 358–363, 2011.
Aflouk, Y., Inoubli, O., Saoud, H., Zaafrane, F., Gaha, L., & Bel Hadj Jrad, B., “Association Between TLR2 Polymorphisms and Schizophrenia in a Tunisian Population,” Immunological Research, 69(6), 541–552, 2021.
Additional Publications:
Dr. Besma Bel Hadj Jrad is the author or co-author of more than 40 peer-reviewed scientific articles published in indexed international journals in the fields of immunology, neuroinflammation, cancer biology, infectious diseases, and psychiatric research; the complete publication list is available through PubMed and institutional research databases.