Ashraf Abdelghany, MD

Dr. Ashraf Abdelghany serves as the Director of Research at ICAN, International Cancer Advocacy Network, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to direct patient navigation and personalized information services for Stage IV cancer patients. In addition to handling major research projects for the Biomarker Collaborative, which is now under the direction of ICAN, Ashraf works with ICAN’s various patient organizations–the Exon 20 Group, MET Crusaders, PD-L1 Amplifieds, and NRG1 Energizers, updating members with new drug and clinical trial announcements. He also works with the leadership of ICAN’s satellite organizations outside the United States.

In March 2021, Ashraf moved to Barcelona to join SciTech DiploHub as a Research Fellow, a globally recognized think-and-do tank in Science Diplomacy. Backed by leading research centers, universities, nonprofits, startups, corporations, and public institutions, SciTech DiploHub aims to elevate the role of science, technology, and cities in foreign policy.

Previously, Ashraf served as Chairman and Outreach Coordinator at the Egyptian Association of American Medical Training and Research (EAMTAR), where he organized and moderated career advising sessions for Egyptian medical students and graduates pursuing medical residency, fellowships, and research opportunities in the U.S. In January 2014, he initiated a partnership between EAMTAR, EducationUSA, and the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, moderating nearly all “Medical Study in the U.S.” events until March 2016. Recognizing his impactful volunteer work, he was nominated by the U.S. Embassy to participate in the prestigious International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) in November 2015.

Ashraf has a profound passion for cancer research and public health. In 2017, he was a research fellow at the Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO) in Madrid. His commitment to advancing personalized medicine and translational research led him back to Spain, where he earned a Master’s degree in Personalized Medicine and Translational Research from the University of Granada in 2024.

His dedication to science and health diplomacy is evident in his participation in the 2017 Health Security Futures Fellowship (HSP) in Valencia and Washington, D.C. As a fellow, he developed a health diplomacy project aimed at raising awareness about global health diplomacy among young scientists and medical professionals in Egypt. He presented his project at AAAS’s Science Diplomacy Conference in Washington, D.C. and at the Science Policy Symposium at Rockefeller University in New York. In June 2018, he was selected by the AAAS Center for Science Diplomacy as one of 28 future science diplomats worldwide, representing Egypt and the Middle East at the Science Diplomacy and Leadership Workshop.

Ashraf obtained his medical degree from Al-Azhar University School of Medicine in Cairo, Egypt. Currently, he resides in Spain, where he manages and leads international research projects with a diverse team of volunteers.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Ashraf enjoys the beach, volleyball, hiking, and traveling across Spain.