I’m a writer, broadcaster, and academic who started her professional life in the lab, with a doctorate in molecular immunology from the University of Cambridge. My career took an unusual turn when I traded in my petri dish for a word processor and joined The Economist as Healthcare Correspondent, winning a few awards along the way.

After September 11th, I wanted to better understand my Arab heritage (I’m half- Egyptian, half-Welsh). That curiosity first took me to Al Jazeera, where I worked as a programme presenter. In 2007, I began Sex and the Citadel. Over the past few years, I’ve combined research with advocacy on HIV/AIDS, serving as vice-chair of the UN’s Global Commission on HIV and the Law.

Although studying sexuality in the Arab world is a full-time occupation, I have a couple of other interests. I’m an inaugural TED Global Fellow and a member of the Global Experts network of the UN’s Alliance of Civilizations. I sit on the advisory board of Meedan, a digital town square promoting dialogue between Arabic and non-Arabic speaking communities around the world, as well as the Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality, an NGO promoting human rights across the region. I also serve on the editorial board of Dinar Standard, a leading publication on finance and business in the Islamic world.

I grew up near Toronto, but now divide my time between London and Cairo. Sex and the Citadel is my first book – the latest chapter in an unexpected career.