Werd Al-Najim

Dr. Werd Al-Najim is a Research Fellow and Research Project Manager at University College Dublin's School of Medicine, affiliated with the Conway Institute. She holds a PhD from Imperial College London (UK) and a bachelor's degree in Nutrition Science from Kingston University (UK). Her work integrates clinical research, public health education, and media engagement, including TV programs and a health-focused social media platform with 113k followers.

Her research focuses on obesity pharmacotherapy, metabolic diseases, and nutritional interventions, emphasizing safe, holistic patient outcomes. Key projects include the STRIVE trial evaluating liraglutide efficacy and the OTID trial exploring GLP-1/SGLT2 inhibitor combinations for type 1 diabetes. She also addresses systemic challenges in healthcare systems, such as Iraq's pharmaceutical infrastructure post-war.

Dr. Al-Najim's articles emphasize nutritional risks of obesity medications, weight loss maintenance pathways, and behavioral factors influencing patient treatment choices. Her work bridges clinical practice with public education, advocating for dietitian-led strategies to improve adherence and safety. Grants include the Enterprise Partnership Scheme (2018–2020) and collaborations with Novo Nordisk A/S.

Notable contributions include studies on meal replacement efficacy, choline deficiency in diabetes, and the role of satiety hormones like LEAP2. She collaborates globally, co-leads health communication initiatives, and emphasizes long-term health gains over sole focus on weight metrics.