French
Stéphanie CHACAR (EL) HABR (EL)
Directeur cursus - PCEM
Faculty of Medicine
+961 (1) 421 000 stephanie.chacar@usj.edu.lb
Dr. Chacar is a faculty member at the Faculty of Medicine of Saint Joseph University of Beirut, where she is actively involved in teaching and research and serves as Director of the First Cycle of Medical Studies. She holds a PhD in Physiology and Pathophysiology, earned jointly at Saint Joseph University and the University of Poitiers, France, and completed a four-year postdoctoral fellowship at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at Khalifa University, United Arab Emirates. She also holds a Diploma in Health Data Analytics from the American University of Beirut (AUB), complementing her expertise in biomedical research.
Her research focuses on cardiovascular diseases, particularly the molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac remodeling and cardiomyopathies. Her background in nutrition and food chemistry further supports her research interests in antioxidants and bioactive compounds and their potential impact on cardiovascular health.
Education
| Degree | University | Country | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diplôme - Health data analytics | American University of Beirut | Liban | 2026 |
| Doctorat - Physiologie et physiopathologie | Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth | Liban | 2018 |
| Master - Chimie alimentaire | Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth | Liban | 2014 |
| Licence - Nutrition et diététique - option : nutrition humaine | Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth | Liban | 2011 |
Research themes
1.
Johnson MP, Hamka AA, Chacar S, Ekpo O, Nader M, Hughes MP. Dielectrophoretic estimation of resting membrane potential in excitable cells. PloS one. August 2026.
2.
Chacar S, Al Hageh C, Ali L, Zalloua P, Suleiman S, Howarth FC, Khraibi AA, and Nader M. The Calmodulin/Striatin Interaction Is Enhanced in Diabetic Hearts and Defines Novel Signaling Clusters Implicated in Cardiac Remodeling. ACS OMEGA. May 2026
3.
Chacar S, Catacutan MK, Chahine M, Hughhes MP, and Nader M. Striatin Modulates Zeta and Membrane Potentials to Stabilize Electrical Activity in H9c2 Cardiomyoblasts. Journal of King Saud University – Science. May 2026
4.
Chacar S, Al Hageh C, Venkatachalam T, Zalloua P, Suleiman S, Howarth FC, Khraibi AA, and Nader M. Mapping the proteomic and human genomic bridge of the cardiac Striatin interactome identifies unique molecular signature between diabetes and heart remodeling. European Heart Journal. November 2025.
5.
Al Hageh C, Henschel A, Zhou H, Zubelli J, Nader M, Chacar S, Lakovidou N, Haralampos H, Abchee A, O’Sullivan S, Zalloua P. Improving T2D machine learning-based prediction accuracy with SNPs and younger age. Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal. June 2025.
6.
Chacar S, Abdrabou W, Al Hageh C, Ali L, Venkatachalam T, Zalloua P, Suleiman S, Howarth FC, Khraibi AA, and Nader M. Remodeling of the Cardiac Striatin Interactome and Its Dynamics in The Diabetic Heart. Scientific reports. Feb 2025
7.
Al Hageh C, O’Sullivan S, Henschel A, Abchee A, Hantouche M, lakovidou N, Issa T, Chacar S, Nader M, Zalloua P. PHACTR1 and APOC1 genetics variants are associated with multi-vessel coronary artery disease. Lipids in Health and Disease. October 2024.
8.
Al Hageh C, O’Sullivan S, Henschel A, Chacar S, Hantouche M, Nader M, Zalloua P. Assessment of genetic and clinical factors in T2D susceptibility among patients with hypertension. Acta diabetologica. May 2024.
9.
Chacar S*, Catacutan MK*, AlBakr S, Al Safar H, Babiker S, Ahmed S, Albrizeh A, Alshehhi A, Lee S, Nader M, Hughes M. Rapid, Label-free, contactless measurement of membrane potential in excitable H9c2 cardiomyoblasts using Ȥ-potential. Measurement Science and Technology. February 2024.
10.
O’Sullivan S*, Al Hageh C*, Henschel A, Chacar S, Alefishat E, Zalloua P, Nader M. HDL levels modulate the impact of Type 2 Diabetes susceptibility alleles in older adults. Lipids in health and disease. February 2024.
11.
Chacar S, Abdi A, Almansoori K, Alshamsi K, Al Hageh C, Zalloua P, Khraibi A, Holt S, Nader M. Role of CaMKII in diabetes induced vascular injury and its interaction with anti-diabetes therapy. Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders. December 2023.
12.
Al Hageh C, O’Sullivan S, Platt D, Henschel A, Chacar S, Gauguier D, Abchee A, Alefischat E, Nader M, Zalloua P. Coronary Artery Disease patients with rs7904519 (TCF7L2) are at a persistent risk of Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice. December 2023.
13.
Al Hageh C#, Chacar S#, Vankatchalam T, Gauguier D, Abchee A, Chammas E, Hamdan H, O'Sullivan S, Zalloua P*, Nader M*. Genetic Variants in PHACTR1 & LPL mediate restenosis risk in coronary artery patients. Vascular health and risk management, December 2022.
14.
Al Hageh C#, Chacar S#, Sabbagh M, Platt D, Henschel A, Hamdan H, Gauguier D, El Murr Y, Alefishat E, Chammas E, O'Sullivan S, Abchee A, Nader M*, Zalloua P*. Elevated Lp(a) levels correlate with severe and multiple stenotic lesions. Vascular health and risk management, December 2022.
15.
Al Kury L#, Chacar S#, Alefishat E, Khraibi A, Nader M. Structural and electrical remodeling of the sinoatrial node in diabetes: new dimensions and perspectives. Frontiers in Endocrinology. July 2022
16.
Jreije A, Hashim MM, Hajal J, Saliba Y, Chacar S, Fares N, Khouzami L. Calcitriol Supplementation Protects Against Apoptosis and Alleviates the Severity of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Induced by Angiotensin II and Anti-TGFβ. Journal of Cardiovascular Translational Research. April 2022.
17. Chacar S, Hajal J#, Saliba Y#, Bois P, Louka N, Maroun RG, Faivre JF#, Fares N#. Long term intake of phenolic compounds attenuates age-related cardiac remodeling. Aging Cell. 2019 Jan 24
18.
Saliba Y, Jebara V#, Hajal J#, Maroun R, Chacar S, Smayra V, Abramowitz J, Birnbaumer L, Fares N. TRPC3/NFATc3 signalling pathway critically regulates myocardial fibrosis. Antioxidants redox signaling 2018 Oct 15
19.
Chacar S, Tarighi M, Fares N, Faivre JF, Louka N, Maroun RG. Identification of Phenolic Compounds-Rich Grape Pomace Extracts Urine Metabolites and Correlation with Gut Microbiota Modulation. Antioxidants. May 2018
20.
Maroun RG, Rajha HN, El Darra N, El Kantar S, Chacar S, Debs E, Vorobiev E, Louka N. Emerging technoligies for the extraction of polyphenols from natural sources. Polyphenols: Properties, Recovery and Applications. Chapter 8. Elsevier. 2018
21.
Chacar S, Fares N, Bois P, Faivre JF. Basic Signaling in Cardiac Fibroblasts. Journal of cellular physiology 232(4):725-730. 2017
22.
Chacar S, Itani T, Hajal J, Saliba Y, Louka N, Faivre JF, Maroun RG, Fares N. The Impact of of Long-Term Intake of Phenolic Compounds-Rich Grape Pomace on Rat Gut Microbiota. Journal of food science Vol. 00, Nr. 00, 2017
23.
Rajha HN, Chacar S, Afif C, Vorobiev E, Louka N, Maroun RG. beta-Cyclodextrin-assisted extraction of polyphenols from vine shoot cultivars. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 63(13):3387-3393. 2015
24.
Saker S, Chacar S, Mathieu F. The final acylation step in aromatic dithiolopyrrolone biosyntheses: identification and characterization of the first bacterium N-benzoyltransferase from Saccharothrix algeriensis NRRL B-24137. Enzyme and microbial technology 72:35-41. 2015