Dr. Sima Tokajian is a Professor of Microbial Genomics at the Lebanese American University (LAU), where she has been a faculty member since 2005. She previously served as Chair of the Department of Natural Sciences and currently leads the LAU Microbial Genomics Lab.
Her research focuses on using genomic and bioinformatic approaches to investigate the evolution, resistance mechanisms, and pathogenicity of clinically relevant bacteria. Dr. Tokajian’s lab integrates short- and long-read sequencing, metagenomics, and molecular microbiology to study the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens in healthcare and environmental settings.
Her work has addressed key challenges in understanding the genetic basis of resistance and virulence in Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and the Enterobacter cloacae complex. She has also contributed to national surveillance efforts for SARS-CoV-2 variants in Lebanon and participated in global collaborative projects on pathogen genomics.
With more than 90 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Tokajian is recognized for her contributions to microbial genomics and antimicrobial resistance research. Her work has been supported by national and international agencies, including the WHO and the Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS).
Dr. Tokajian holds a Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne. She is an active member of the American Society for Microbiology and the International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. In addition to her research, she is deeply engaged in graduate and undergraduate teaching and mentoring, and she has played an important role in advancing genomics education and research capacity.
