Khawla Loubani
Dr. Khawla Loubani is a lecturer and researcher in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and an experienced occupational therapist with over two decades of clinical and academic experience.
She holds a PhD from the University of Haifa (2020). Within the framework of her doctorate, she developed an innovative intervention for women after breast cancer named "Managing Participation with Breast Cancer (MAPBC)." This intervention is the first evidence-based intervention in Israel in the field of occupational therapy that focuses on improving the participation and quality of life of women after breast cancer alongside the integration of self-management strategies and tele-rehabilitation. Dr. Lubany completed a combined postdoctoral fellowship at Tel Aviv University and the University of Indianapolis in the USA (2021–2023). Within its framework, she expanded her research areas in the oncology field and tele-rehabilitation.
Her research areas focus on the rehabilitation of patients after cancer, innovation in rehabilitation, and tele-rehabilitation, with a special emphasis on Knowledge Translation (KT) and the implementation of research findings in the clinical field. Her research includes the study of executive function deficits among people undergoing chemotherapy treatments, alongside the promotion of national and international collaborations to improve occupational therapy services. She integrates quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research methodologies.
As a lecturer, Dr. Loubani has taught a wide range of courses in the field of neurological and orthopedic disabilities, intervention skills, and statistics. At Ben-Gurion University, she currently teaches muscular anatomy, academic writing, and motor learning, with an emphasis on integrating theoretical knowledge with practical application, with the goal of preparing students for a successful professional career.
In addition to her academic activities, Dr. Loubani continues to work in the clinical field one day a week within Clalit Health Services, where she focuses on upper limb rehabilitation and orthopedic injuries. Within the framework of her role, she leads initiatives to develop the involvement of occupational therapists in the treatment of oncology patients and promotes the implementation of tele-rehabilitation technologies in clinical practice. The combination of her abilities in teaching, research, and clinical practice allows her to bridge these fields and influence the development of the field of rehabilitation and occupational therapy in Israel and worldwide.
