Watfa Al-Mamari

Developmental pediatrician
Sultan Qaboos University

Watfa Al-Mamari is a developmental pediatrician who established the first developmental pediatric clinics in Oman in 2011. She has worked closely with academic institutions to ensure that developmental pediatrics is included in the curriculum for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. She has a special interest in autism and led the team to establish a national program in Oman to screen children for autism at 18 months of age.
Al-Mamari graduated from Sultan Qaboos University in Muscat, Oman, and later did her residency and fellowship at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

From this contributor

Spectrum

How one doctor made Oman a leader on autism in the Middle East

By Laura Dattaro
4 February 2020 | 5 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

3D illustration of arterial blood supply in the human brain.
Neurovascular system

Arousal neurons’ activity explains brain’s blood flow dynamics in mice

The findings could influence how researchers interpret signals from techniques that use blood flow as a surrogate for neuronal activity.

By Claudia López Lloreda
15 April 2026 | 4 min read
Illustration of an open journal featuring lines of text and small illustrations of eyes and mouths.
Spectrum

Autism-linked genes alter sleep behavior, and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 13 April.

By Jill Adams
14 April 2026 | 2 min read
Illustration of a monkey pushing a button.
This paper changed my life

This paper changed my life: Erin Calipari ponders the nuances of rewarding and aversive stimuli

A 1960s study by Kelleher and Morse found that lever pressing in squirrel monkeys depended not on whether they received a reward or shock, but on the rules of the task. This taught Calipari to think deeply about factors that influence how behavior is generated and maintained.

By Erin Calipari
14 April 2026 | 5 min read