Dr Hassan Choucair
BSc (Hons), PhD (Medicine), FHEA
Dr Hassan Choucair is a Lecturer (Education Focused) at UNSW whose work bridges higher education practice and biomedical science. He focuses on supporting the first-year student experience, with particular emphasis on student transition and engagement in science, while his scientific research centres on drug discovery, oncology, and cancer biology. He is a Fellow of Advance HE (FHEA), an internationally recognised accreditation that recognises expertise in university teaching and a commitment to evidence-based, student-centred practice in higher education.
Hassan completed his PhD in Medicine at the University of Sydney in 2020, supported by a competitive Australian Government Research Training Program scholarship, where his research investigated the mechanism of action of a novel class of anti-cancer drugs. Alongside his doctoral studies, he taught across multiple faculties, including Science, Medicine and Health, and Engineering. He then worked as an Academic Lecturer and Education Manager on the Gold Coast, teaching science and humanities subjects to students preparing for entry into medical programs, while also supporting international medical graduates and clinicians pursuing specialist training pathways. In 2023, he joined The University of Notre Dame Australia as an inaugural member of the School of Health Sciences in Sydney, where he coordinated the first-year Biomedical Science curriculum and supported pathway programs into Medicine.
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
2026, Education Focused Grant – Conference Presenter to attend and present at EDULEARN26 Conference in Palma, Spain from 29 June – 01 July. UNSW Sydney, AUD $5,000.
2025, Education Focused Grant – First Time Attendee to attend ISSOTL25 Conference in Christchurch, New Zealand from 3–6 November. UNSW Sydney, AUD $4,000.
2024, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Seed Grant for ‘Transforming Health Science Learning with AI Chatbot Technology.’ The University of Notre Dame Australia, AUD $5,000.
2025, UNSW Scientia Education Academy Exemplary Teaching Practice Award. UNSW Sydney, AUD $1,000.
2024, Early Career Researcher Award for ‘Enhancing Anticancer Drug Development by Targeting Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.’ The University of Notre Dame Australia, AUD $10,000.
2019, Sydney Catalyst Professor Rob Sutherland Travel and Education Award. To attend and deliver a poster presentation at the 33rd Genes and Cancer Annual Meeting 2019 in Cambridge, UK, April 8–11, 2019. The University of Sydney, AUD $2,000.
2016, Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. A highly competitive Department of Education award recognising exceptional research potential to undertake a PhD at the University of Sydney, from 2016–2019. The University of Sydney, AUD $26,682 p.a.
Hassan's research spans drug discovery, oncology, and cancer biology. He has supervised multiple Honours students and mentored PhD candidates from various cancer research groups across Sydney. At The University of Notre Dame Australia, he led a project on the implementation and benefits of generative artificial intelligence in teaching. Currently, at UNSW, Hassan is involved in teaching research within the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion space and is investigating the use of AI agents to enhance student experience.
Community Engagement
2025, NSW Cancer Summit 2025 Abstract Reviewer.
2023, NSW Cancer Research Education Review Focus Group Participant.
2023–2022, Pre-Employment Structured Clinical Interview (PESCI) Panel Member.
2023, NSW Cancer Conference 2023 Scientific Advisory Committee.
2023, University of Sydney Cancer Research Network Postgraduate Student Mentor.
2023, Sydney Cancer Partners Conference Funding Support Panel Member.
2023, NSW Cancer Research Education Review Focus Group Participant.
2022–2020, Australian Research Council BIOTech Futures Challenge Mentor.
2021, Sydney Cancer Conference 2021 Scientific Advisory Committee.
Memberships
2025–present, International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (ISSOTL).
2021–present, Sydney Cancer Partners.
2021–present, Australasian Cell Death Society.
2021–2019, Sydney Catalyst.
2016–present, University of Sydney Cancer Research Network.
2016, Australasian Society of Clinical & Experimental Pharmacologists & Toxicologists (ASCEPT).
My Teaching
Hassan is well-experienced in university teaching across all levels, with a particular focus on supporting first-year students as they transition from high school to university. His teaching expertise includes biochemistry, cellular biology and genetics, molecular biology, pharmacology, physiology of body systems, and the pathological basis of disease. Hassan is also actively involved in working to create an inclusive and supportive learning environment. He is dedicated to fostering student growth and helping them build a strong foundation in these critical subjects.