Sema Sgaier

Sgaier was born in 1975 in Tripoli, Libya to a Libyan father and Turkish mother. Sgaier studied molecular biology and genetics at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, Turkey, where she graduated with her Bachelor of Science in 2005, ranking first of her class. Sgaier later obtained her Masters in Art in neuroscience from Brown University in 1999 and Masters in Science and Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in cellular and molecular biology (Developmental Genetics) in 2005 from New York University. She conducted her postdoctoral training in human genomics in the lab of Dr. Christopher A. Walsh at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard Medical School.

Sgaier is the recipient of New York University, Brown University fellowships and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center fellowships.{{Citation needed|date=February 2012}}

Sgaier studied Documentary Photography at the International Center of Photography.{{Citation needed|date=February 2012}}

Sgaier was the first to fine tune and apply the technique of Genetic Inducible Fate Mapping (GIFM){{cite journal |doi=10.1002/dvdy.20884 |title=Genetic inducible fate mapping in mouse: Establishing genetic lineages and defining genetic neuroanatomy in the nervous system |year=2006 |last1=Joyner |first1=Alexandra L. |last2=Zervas |first2=Mark |journal=Developmental Dynamics |volume=235 |issue=9 |pages=2376–85 |pmid=16871622|s2cid=24550187 |doi-access=free }} to understand how the complex 3D cerebellum develops from early-undifferentiated neuronal cells of the anterior hindbrain.{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/j.neuron.2004.12.021 |title=Morphogenetic and Cellular Movements that Shape the Mouse Cerebellum |year=2005 |last1=Sgaier |first1=Sema K. |last2=Millet |first2=Sandrine |last3=Villanueva |first3=Melissa P. |last4=Berenshteyn |first4=Frada |last5=Song |first5=Christian |last6=Joyner |first6=Alexandra L. |s2cid=17199408 |journal=Neuron |volume=45 |pages=27–40 |pmid=15629700 |issue=1|doi-access=free }} With Tim Yu and colleagues, she discovered that mutations in the gene WDR62 causes microcephaly.{{cite journal |doi=10.1038/ng.683 |title=Mutations in WDR62, encoding a centrosome-associated protein, cause microcephaly with simplified gyri and abnormal cortical architecture |year=2010 |last1=Yu |first1=Timothy W |last2=Mochida |first2=Ganeshwaran H |last3=Tischfield |first3=David J |last4=Sgaier |first4=Sema K |last5=Flores-Sarnat |first5=Laura |last6=Sergi |first6=Consolato M |last7=Topçu |first7=Meral |last8=McDonald |first8=Marie T |last9=Barry |first9=Brenda J |last10=Felie |first10=Jillian M |last11=Sunu |first11=Christine |last12=Dobyns |first12=William B |last13=Folkerth |first13=Rebecca D |last14=Barkovich |first14=A James |last15=Walsh |first15=Christopher A |journal=Nature Genetics |volume=42 |issue=11 |pages=1015–20 |pmid=20890278 |pmc=2969850|display-authors=8 }}

At the Center for Global Health Research, Sgaier designed and developed the Sample Registration Health Check-Up Survey to study the underlying risk factors of various diseases in India.{{cite journal |last1=Sgaier |first1=Sema |date=November 16, 2007 |title=Public health. Biobanks in developing countries: needs and feasibility |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1149157|journal=Science |volume= 318 |issue=5853 |pages=1074–1075 |doi=10.1126/science.1149157 |pmid=18006727 |access-date=November 18, 2024 |url-access=subscription }} She has published on the epidemiology of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases.{{cite journal |last1=Arora |first1=Paul |last2=Nagelkerke|first2=Nico |last3=Sgaier |first3=Sema |last4=Kumar |first4=Rajesh |last5=Dhingra |first5=Neeraj | last6=Jha |first6=Prabhat |date=August 24, 2011 |title=HIV, HSV-2 and syphilis among married couples in India: patterns of discordance and concordance |url=https://doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2011-050203corr1|journal=Sexually Transmitted Infections |volume=89 |issue=678 |doi=10.1136/sextrans-2011-050203corr1 |access-date=November 18, 2024 }}

From 2008, Sema was a Program Officer with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She led a portfolio on voluntary medical male circumcision for HIV prevention across eastern and southern Africa. As part of BMGF’s India Country Office, Sema led the scale-up of the foundation’s HIV prevention program (Avahan) in several states, managed its transition to the government of India, and developed data platforms for decision-making. She worked closely with the Indian National AIDS Control Program to assist in the design of their program and strengthen their analytic efforts.{{Cite web|url=http://www.iasociety.org/Default.aspx?pageId=54&elementId=13906|title=Home|website=www.iasociety.org|language=en-US|access-date=2017-11-16}}

She, Mala Gaonkar, and Malcolm Gladwell, co-founded the Surgo Foundation. They invested in public health projects, by listening to local needs. She founded Surgo Health.

• {{cite journal |doi=10.1016/j.neuron.2004.12.021 |title=Morphogenetic and Cellular Movements that Shape the Mouse Cerebellum |year=2005 |last1=Sgaier |first1=Sema K. |last2=Millet |first2=Sandrine |last3=Villanueva |first3=Melissa P. |last4=Berenshteyn |first4=Frada |last5=Song |first5=Christian |last6=Joyner |first6=Alexandra L. |s2cid=17199408 |journal=Neuron |volume=45 |pages=27–40 |pmid=15629700 |issue=1|doi-access=free }}
• {{cite journal |doi=10.1016/j.ydbio.2006.04.449 |title=Βeta-catenin activation is necessary and sufficient to specify the dorsal dermal fate in the mouse |year=2006 |last1=Atit |first1=Radhika |last2=Sgaier |first2=Sema K. |last3=Mohamed |first3=Othman A. |last4=Taketo |first4=Makoto M. |last5=Dufort |first5=Daniel |last6=Joyner |first6=Alexandra L. |last7=Niswander |first7=Lee |last8=Conlon |first8=Ronald A. |journal=Developmental Biology |volume=296 |pages=164–76 |pmid=16730693 |issue=1|doi-access= }}
• {{cite journal |doi=10.1242/dev.000620 |title=Genetic subdivision of the tectum and cerebellum into functionally related regions based on differential sensitivity to engrailed proteins |year=2007 |last1=Sgaier |first1=S. K. |last2=Lao |first2=Z. |last3=Villanueva |first3=M. P. |last4=Berenshteyn |first4=F. |last5=Stephen |first5=D. |last6=Turnbull |first6=R. K. |last7=Joyner |first7=A. L. |journal=Development |volume=134 |issue=12 |pages=2325–35 |pmid=17537797 |pmc=2840613}}
• {{cite journal |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0001001 |title=Sexual Risk Factors for HIV Infection in Early and Advanced HIV Epidemics in Sub-Saharan Africa: Systematic Overview of 68 Epidemiological Studies |year=2007 |editor1-last=Siegfried |editor1-first=Nandi |last1=Chen |first1=Li |last2=Jha |first2=Prabhat |last3=Stirling |first3=Bridget |last4=Sgaier |first4=Sema K. |last5=Daid |first5=Tina |last6=Kaul |first6=Rupert |last7=Nagelkerke |first7=Nico |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=2 |issue=10 |pages=e1001 |pmid=17912340 |author8=International Studies of HIV/AIDS (ISHA) Investigators |pmc=1994584|bibcode=2007PLoSO...2.1001C |doi-access=free }}
• {{cite journal |doi=10.1126/science.1149157 |title=Public Health: Biobanks in Developing Countries: Needs and Feasibility |year=2007 |last1=Sgaier |first1=S. K. |last2=Jha |first2=P. |last3=Mony |first3=P. |last4=Kurpad |first4=A. |last5=Lakshmi |first5=V. |last6=Kumar |first6=R. |last7=Ganguly |first7=N. K. |s2cid=166785291 |journal=Science |volume=318 |issue=5853 |pages=1074–5 |pmid=18006727}}
• {{cite journal |doi=10.1038/ng.683 |title=Mutations in WDR62, encoding a centrosome-associated protein, cause microcephaly with simplified gyri and abnormal cortical architecture |year=2010 |last1=Yu |first1=Timothy W |last2=Mochida |first2=Ganeshwaran H |last3=Tischfield |first3=David J |last4=Sgaier |first4=Sema K |last5=Flores-Sarnat |first5=Laura |last6=Sergi |first6=Consolato M |last7=Topçu |first7=Meral |last8=McDonald |first8=Marie T |last9=Barry |first9=Brenda J |last10=Felie |first10=Jillian M |last11=Sunu |first11=Christine |last12=Dobyns |first12=William B |last13=Folkerth |first13=Rebecca D |last14=Barkovich |first14=A James |last15=Walsh |first15=Christopher A |journal=Nature Genetics |volume=42 |issue=11 |pages=1015–20 |pmid=20890278 |pmc=2969850|display-authors=8 }}
• {{cite journal |doi=10.1136/sti.2010.043687 |title=Prevalence and correlates of Herpes Simplex Virus-2 and syphilis infections in the general population in India |year=2010 |last1=Sgaier |first1=S. K. |last2=Mony |first2=P. |last3=Jayakumar |first3=S. |last4=McLaughlin |first4=C. |last5=Arora |first5=P. |last6=Kumar |first6=R. |last7=Bhatia |first7=P. |last8=Jha |first8=P. |s2cid=8556425 |journal=Sexually Transmitted Infections |volume=87 |issue=2 |pages=94–100 |pmid=21059842}}
• {{cite journal |last1=Sgaier |first1=S.K. |last2=Anthony |first2=J |last3=Bhattacharjee |first3=P |last4=Baer |first4=J |last5=Malve |first5=V |last6=Bhalla |first6=A |last7=Hugar |first7=VS |title=Strengthening government management capacity to scale up HIV prevention programs through the use of Technical Support Units: lessons from Karnataka state, India. |journal=Glob Health Sci Pract |date=2014 |volume=2 |issue=4 |pages=444–58 |doi=10.9745/GHSP-D-14-00141 |pmid=25611478 |pmc=4307860 }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Sgaier |first1=S.K. |last2=Reed |first2=JB |last3=Thomas |first3=A |last4=Njeuhmeli |first4=E |title=Achieving the HIV Prevention Impact of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision: Lessons and Challenges for Managing Programs |journal=PLOS Med |date=2014 |volume=11 |issue=5 |pages=e1001641 |doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.1001641 |pmid=24800840 |pmc=4011573 |doi-access=free }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Sgaier |first1=S.K. |last2=Baer |first2=J |last3=Rutz |first3=DC |last4=Njeuhmeli |first4=E |last5=Seifert-Ahanda |first5=A |last6=Basinga |first6=P |last7=Parkyn |first7=R |last8=Laube |first8=C. |title=Toward a Systematic Approach to Generating Demand for Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision: Insights and Results From Field Studies. |journal=Glob Health Sci Pract |date=2015 |volume=3 |issue=2 |pages=209–229 |doi=10.9745/GHSP-D-15-00020 |pmid=26085019 |pmc=4476860 }}
• Sgaier, Sema; Engl, Elisabeth; and Kretschmer, Steve. "[https://ssir.org/articles/entry/time_to_scale_psycho_behavioral_segmentation_in_global_development Time to Scale Psycho-Behavioral Segmentation in Global Development]". Stanford Social Innovation Review, Fall 2018.
• {{cite journal |doi=10.12688/gatesopenres.13029.2|pmid= 31701090|pmc= 6820452|title= Identifying population segments for effective intervention design and targeting using unsupervised machine learning: an end-to-end guide [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]|year=2019 |last1=Sgaier |first1=Sema K. |last2=Engl |first2=Elisabeth |last3=Smittenaar |first3=P. |journal= Gates Open Research |volume=3|pages= 1503|doi-access= free}}

• "[https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/9789814366168_0018 India: Scaling HIV Prevention through Partnerships – The Avahan Experience in India]". with Aparajita Ramakrishnan and Ashok Alexander. in [https://www.amazon.com/Innovative-Health-Partnerships-Diplomacy-Diversity/dp/9814366145/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327253763&sr=1-1 Innovative Health Partnerships: The Diplomacy of Diversity] (Global Health Diplomacy: Volume 1). Daniel Low-Beer, ed. World Scientific Publishing Company, 2011. {{ISBN|978-981-4366-14-4}}
• "The Concept of Fate Through the Lens of Genetics" with F. Berenshteyn, A. L. Joyner, S. Miller, C. Song, and M. P. Villanueva in Responsive Architectures: Subtle Technologies. Philip Beesley, Sachiko Hirosue, Jim Ruxton, Camile Turner, and Marion Tränkle, ed. Cambridge: Riverside Architectural Press, 2006 pp. 26–29. {{ISBN|0978097807}}

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Category:Boğaziçi University alumni

Category:1975 births

Category:Libyan people of Turkish descent

Category:People from Tripoli, Libya

Category:Molecular biologists

Category:Brown University alumni

Category:New York University alumni

Category:21st-century women photographers

Category:Living people

Category:Libyan scientists

Category:Harvard Medical School faculty

Category:American health care chief executives