Dr. Maroua Khalifa, Ph.D
We are now Thryv.
LQT Therapeutics Inc. has changed its name to Thryv Therapeutics Inc.
At LQT Therapeutics, our most valued resources are the remarkable team members who work toward the development of more effective therapies for patients suffering from Long QT Syndrome, life-threatening arrhythmias and treatment-resistant cancers. In this post, we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Maroua Khalifa.
Dr. Khalifa was born and raised in Tunisia, growing up by the sea. In 2012, upon being named the recipient of a prestigious local scholarship, she moved to Canada to pursue her Ph.D. at the University of Montreal, where she graduated in 2017.
She returned home and worked as a research and development project manager at Novalix Tunisia before once again relocating to Canada to consult at Gladius Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Khalifa joined LQT Therapeutics in November of 2019.
A fluent speaker of three languages (Arabic, French and English), Dr. Khalifa recently took time from her laboratory research to share more about herself.
Describe your role at LQT Therapeutics: What are your day-to-day tasks and accountabilities?
Dr. Khalifa: My position at LQT Therapeutics is that of a research scientist, in both chemistry and medicinal chemistry. In that role, I review chemistry and biology reports, design new molecules and their synthetic routes to target specific biological pathways, and develop and execute multi-step synthesis of new small molecules.
Tell us a bit about your upbringing: What and who were the biggest influences in your life?
I am Tunisian, born and raised in Tunisia in a family of five, where I grew up by the sea. I am where I am at today thanks to my parents who always encouraged me to give my best in everything I do. My parents are the biggest influences in my life: They are handworkers and achievers of dreams. They gave me the strength, hope and love I needed to achieve my own goals.
When I look back, I realize I had to overcome several challenges, including leaving my family behind and starting a whole new life half a world away. It was a big cultural difference for me, and it was magnified by working under a professor who demanded nothing less than perfection. It would have been easy to have given up and tried something new - I have friends and colleagues who have done just that. But, my parents taught me that if I wanted something, I could achieve it through hard work and perseverance. For me, it’s about focusing and never abandoning the dream.
Of your life experiences, what has taught you the most, and how do you reflect on that learning as you go forward?
When I was 16 years old, my father was diagnosed with epilepsy, and since that day, our lives have changed. A lifelong treatment was needed in order to control his seizures. Learning how to live with this condition and finding the right treatment was so challenging but because of our faith and perseverance, we are now leading a relatively normal life again.
The entire experience showed me how important it is to patients, and their families, to receive the right treatments and, hopefully, remedies; to be able to live their lives with no fear and without restrictions.
It also affected my career path. Up to that time, I had envisioned myself as a pharmacist. After my father’s diagnosis and the journey we travelled on together to discover and adopt an effective treatment, I decided to pursue a different career option, where I hopefully could make a larger impact.
What sparked your interest in science, and when did you decide upon science as a career path?
Since I was a kid, I have always been curious and very observant, and I always wanted to discover how things worked. While other kids were playing outside, I was enjoying myself with experimenting or reading science books and magazines. So, when I grew up and I had to choose a path, it was a very clear choice: Science!
How did you first learn of Long QT Syndrome, and how has further learning about LQTS impacted your professional work?
The first time I heard about LQT Syndrome, it was late 2019 when we were establishing the company in Laval. LQTS is not a common disease; many understand heart failure, but not so many understand LQTS as one of its root causes. So, I started immersing myself in understanding more about this rare condition, and the more I learned, the more eager I got to help those patients to lead a normal life. I continue to find it very inspiring and motivating to read about their stories.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your work at LQT Therapeutics?
I find the most rewarding aspect is that one day, by developing the right small therapeutic molecule, we can help a person pursue their dreams freely without limits or fear.
Over the years and with personal experience, I have come to know the struggle of patients with rare diseases not well understood by doctors and researchers. In addition to my father being diagnosed with epilepsy, my best friend was also diagnosed with epilepsy, and I’ve gone through those journeys with them together. There is immense reward, and pride, in helping them live a more normal life. My drive is that we can accomplish that for those with LQTS everywhere.
Outside of work, what are the activities you’re most passionate about?
Away from the lab, I love reading books, particularly novels, and especially anything written by Paulo Coelho. I also paint, and my favorite mediums are on silk and on glass, depending on my inspiration at the time. I also enjoy exercising and I work out regularly.
In addition to those hobbies, I also enjoy volunteering, and my interests there revolve around children, those with autism spectrum disorder and those with Down syndrome.
