Master’s Degree Awarded to Ms. Afrah Al-Shaibani in Medical Biochemistry
Ms. Afrah Abdulsalam Al-Shaibani was awarded a Master’s Degree in Medical Biochemistry with an average of excellent and a grade of (92) for her thesis titled:
Assessment of Serum Vitamin D3 Levels and Thyroid Hormones in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Sana’a City, Yemen, which was submitted to the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences – Sana’a University. The MA defense was held on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
The MA Viva-voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:
# |
Committee Members |
Designation |
Position |
1 |
Assoc. Prof. Ibtisam Mahdi Al-Zubaidi |
Internal Examiner |
Chair |
2 |
Assoc. Prof. Abdulkarim Mohammed Al-Obaidi |
Main Supervisor |
Member |
3 |
Assoc. Prof. Abdulatif Dhaifullah Saleh Ali |
External Examiner |
Member |
The thesis aimed to:
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Assess serum vitamin D3 levels and thyroid hormone profiles among children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Sana’a City.
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Identify potential differences in these biochemical parameters between children with ASD and healthy controls.
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Contribute to a better understanding of the biochemical factors associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The study yielded several key findings summarized as follows:
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Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder exhibited significantly lower serum vitamin D3 levels compared with the control group, suggesting a potential association between vitamin D deficiency and ASD.
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Levels of Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) were significantly elevated among children with ASD compared with healthy children.
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Serum thyroxine (T4) levels were lower in children with ASD than in the control group, indicating possible alterations in thyroid function among affected children.
In light of these findings, the researcher recommended the following:
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Incorporating vitamin D and thyroid function testing into the routine clinical assessment and follow-up of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
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Including vitamin D and thyroid hormone screening within regular pediatric healthcare programs during the first three years of life to facilitate early detection and timely intervention.
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Conducting further large-scale clinical and epidemiological studies to investigate the relationship between vitamin D deficiency, thyroid dysfunction, and Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The defense session was attended by a number of academics, researchers, students, colleagues, and the researcher’s family.
