Bilal Azab, PhD

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Bilal Azab, PhD

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Specialty

Pathology

Phone Number

602-933-1283

Locations

Phoenix Children's Hospital - Thomas Campus

1919 E. Thomas Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85016
United States

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About Bilal Azab, PhD

Bilal Azab, PhD, is the Associate Director of Clinical Genomics at Phoenix Children's. With over a decade of career experience in genetics and genomics, he is dedicated to enhancing the healthcare quality of children by integrating their genomic profiles into their diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.

Dr. Azab collaborates with a dedicated multidisciplinary team at Phoenix Children's and takes pride in enhancing the quality of care and enabling children to lead fulfilling lives. He is also actively involved in expanding Phoenix Children's genetic test menu by developing and validating cutting-edge genomic testing for various pediatric disorders, ensuring Phoenix Children's remains at the forefront of healthcare and personalized medicine.

...Read more

Bilal Azab, PhD, is the Associate Director of Clinical Genomics at Phoenix Children's. With over a decade of career experience in genetics and genomics, he is dedicated to enhancing the healthcare quality of children by integrating their genomic profiles into their diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.

Dr. Azab collaborates with a dedicated multidisciplinary team at Phoenix Children's and takes pride in enhancing the quality of care and enabling children to lead fulfilling lives. He is also actively involved in expanding Phoenix Children's genetic test menu by developing and validating cutting-edge genomic testing for various pediatric disorders, ensuring Phoenix Children's remains at the forefront of healthcare and personalized medicine.

Dr. Azab earned his doctoral degree in human and molecular genetics from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), formerly known as Medical College of Virginia, where he received the prestigious "Roscoe D. Hughes Award for Excellence in Graduate Studies and Research." Following this, he pursued a post-doctoral research fellowship and served as a visiting scholar in molecular diagnostics in the same institution.

Dr. Azab completed his clinical fellowship in laboratory genetics and genomics at Columbia University-New York Presbyterian Hospital, NY. He is an American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG) certified clinical molecular and cytogeneticist. Dr. Azab is also a fellow of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics.

Prior to joining Phoenix Children's, Dr. Azab was a tenured faculty member at The University of Jordan School of Medicine (UJ-SOM). There, he directed the Molecular Biology Laboratory with a focus on unravelling the genomic landscape of hereditary diseases in the Middle East, especially Jordan, and correlating the consequent phenotypes with the underlying genetic variation of this population. Dr. Azab also worked as the director of the Genetics Division at the Cell-Therapy-Center, The University of Jordan, where he led the overall operations and administration of the division. He developed the molecular diagnostic services infrastructure and initiated testing for hereditary diseases.

Dedicated to advancing pediatric genetic disease research, Dr. Azab has secured grants to support his research studies. His contributions include over 55 articles in peer reviewed medical journals including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Genes, Cancer Research and the European Journal of Medical Genetics. Dr. Azab has presented his work at national and international conferences, including the American Molecular Pathology Annual Meeting, the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics Annual Meeting, and the Jordanian Society of Hematology International Conference in Malignancies, amongst others. Dr. Azab is a member of the Association for Molecular Pathology and the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics.

Dr. Azab was inspired to specialize in this field after his cousin was born with developmental delays and congenital abnormalities. Learning about genetics in high school and witnessing the impact it had on the lives of his relatives, Dr. Azab knew he wanted to support families like his own in their search for answers about congenital diseases.

Outside the lab, Dr. Azab spends his time volunteering and working to educate people about the benefits of genetics in medicine. He also enjoys reading, hiking, traveling and exercising.

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+–Education & Training

Board Certification

Laboratory Genetics and Genomics; American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG)

Medical School / Education

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Richmond, VA

Fellowship

(Laboratory Genetics and Genomics) Columbia University-New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY

+–Academic and Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations

Fellow, American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics

Member, Association for Molecular Pathology

Member, American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics

+–Research & Publications

Publications

Altamimi E, Rabab'h O, Aburizeg D, Akasheh L, Dardas Z, Srour L, Awad H, Azab B. Investigating the genetic profile of familial atypical cystic fibrosis patients (DeltaF508-CFTR) with neonatal biliary atresia. J Appl Genet. 2023 Feb;64(1):71-80. doi: 10.1007/s13353-022-00729-5. Epub 2022 Oct 7. PubMed PMID: 36205856.

Tawalbeh M, Aburizeg D, Abu Alragheb BO, Alaqrabawi WS, Dardas Z, Srour L, Altarayra BH, Zayed AA, El Omari Z, Azab B. SLC26A4 Phenotypic Variability Influences Intra- and Inter-Familial Diagnosis and Management. Genes (Basel). 2022 Nov 23;13(12). doi: 10.3390/genes13122192. PubMed PMID: 36553459; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9778369.

Azab B, Aburizeg D, Ji W, Jeffries L, Isbeih NJ, Al-Akily AS, Mohammad H, Osba YA, Shahin MA, Dardas Z, Hatmal MM, Al-Ammouri I, Lakhani S. TBX5 variant with the novel phenotype of mixed type total anomalous pulmonary venous return in Holt Oram Syndrome and variable intrafamilial heart defects. Mol Med Rep. 2022 Jun;25(6). doi: 10.3892/mmr.2022.12726. Epub 2022 May 6. PubMed PMID: 35514310; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9133962.

Azab B, Rabab'h O, Aburizeg D, Mohammad H, Dardas Z, Mustafa L, Khasawneh RA, Awad H, Hatmal MM, Altamimi E. Potential Composite Digenic Contribution of NPC1 and NOD2 Leading to Atypical Lethal Niemann-Pick Type C with Initial Crohn's Disease-like Presentation: Genotype-Phenotype Correlation Study. Genes (Basel). 2022 May 29;13(6). doi: 10.3390/genes13060973. PubMed PMID: 35741735; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9223108.

Saleh T, El-Sadoni M, Alhesa A, Awad H, Jaradat M, Al-Hazaimeh M, Dawoud R, Mryyian A, Azab B. Expression of Senescence and Apoptosis Biomarkers in Synchronous Bilateral Breast Cancer: A Case Report. Curr Oncol. 2021 Sep 30;28(5):3836-3845. doi: 10.3390/curroncol28050327. PubMed PMID: 34677245; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8535022.

Saleh T, Alhesa A, Al-Balas M, Abuelaish O, Mansour A, Awad H, El-Sadoni M, Carpenter VJ, Azab B. Expression of therapy-induced senescence markers in breast cancer samples upon incomplete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Biosci Rep. 2021 May 28;41(5). doi: 10.1042/BSR20210079. PubMed PMID: 33948615; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8725197.

Azab B, Dardas Z, Aburizeg D, Al-Bdour M, Abu-Ameerh M, Saleh T, Barham R, Maswadi R, Ababneh NA, Alsalem M, Zouk H, Amr S, Awidi A. Unique Variant Spectrum in a Jordanian Cohort with Inherited Retinal Dystrophies. Genes (Basel). 2021 Apr 19;12(4). doi: 10.3390/genes12040593. PubMed PMID: 33921607; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8074154.

Altamimi E, Khanfar M, Rabab'h O, Dardas Z, Srour L, Mustafa L, Azab B. Effect of Genetic Testing on Diagnosing Gastrointestinal Pediatric Patients with Previously Undiagnosed Diseases. Appl Clin Genet. 2020;13:221-231. doi: 10.2147/TACG.S275992. eCollection 2020. PubMed PMID: 33364809; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7751587.

Azab B, Dardas Z, Rabab'h O, Srour L, Telfah H, Hatmal MM, Mustafa L, Rashdan L, Altamimi E. Enteric anendocrinosis attributable to a novel Neurogenin-3 variant. Eur J Med Genet. 2020 Sep;63(9):103981. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2020.103981. Epub 2020 Jun 20. PubMed PMID: 32574610.

Dash R, Azab B, Quinn BA, Shen X, Wang XY, Das SK, Rahmani M, Wei J, Hedvat M, Dent P, Dmitriev IP, Curiel DT, Grant S, Wu B, Stebbins JL, Pellecchia M, Reed JC, Sarkar D, Fisher PB. Apogossypol derivative BI-97C1 (Sabutoclax) targeting Mcl-1 sensitizes prostate cancer cells to mda-7/IL-24-mediated toxicity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 May 24;108(21):8785-90. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1100769108. Epub 2011 May 9. PubMed PMID: 21555592; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3102401.

Additional publications by Dr. Azab: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=bilal+azab

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