QF Awards Top Stem Cell Researchers At International Conference

Doha, February 29 (QNA) - Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) has awarded the stem cell researches on preventing breast cancer recurrence, using organ regeneration to combat obesity-related diseases and enabling vascular repair for patients suffering from cardiovascular disease. The award ceremony , hosted by Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development and held at Qatar National Convention Centre, the venue of Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science & Policy, now in session in Doha, on Wednesday, recognized two professional researchers and one Qatar Science Leadership Programme (QSLP) student recognized for excellence in stem cell research, with the research exhibited through poster presentations during the conference. Leaders from Qatar Foundation and top figures in the stem cell science and ethics field congratulated the award recipients. Dr. Abdelali Haoudi, Vice President for Research at Qatar Foundation, said, "We are truly impressed with the research presented this year in poster presentations, as well as in the oral presentations and panel discussions taking place throughout the conference." "Through the Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy, we hope to drive further exploration in this exciting field that will lead to even greater progress in applying stem cell science to prevent and treat diseases afflicting communities both in Qatar and around the world," he added. The three posters were selected for recognition by an abstract review committee, comprised of academics, researchers and scientists, including Nobel Laureates and international experts. For her part, Pegah Ghiabi, a researcher at the Stem Cell & Microenvironment Laboratory at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, received an award for her poster presentation on research into therapy to inhibit the cancer stem cell population to prevent the recurrence of breast cancer. Research by Lara Bou-Khzam of the McGill University Health Centre Research Institute in Montreal, Canada, also received recognition at the award ceremony. Bou-Khzam s poster focused on her stem cell research towards vascular repair for patients suffering from cardiovascular disease, one of the world s leading causes of mortality. The final award was presented to Dr. Heba Al Siddiqui for her research at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute on preventing chronic obesity-related diseases through tissue engineering and organ regeneration. This research was recently featured in the leading international scientific journal Nature. Dr Al Siddiqui is a trainee in the Qatar Science Leadership Program, a Qatar Foundation initiative aimed at equipping rising Qatari generations for leading roles in the country s scientific and research endeavors. "Tackling obesity-related diseases such as coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes through developing stem cell technology is very important as these diseases are increasingly common in Qatar," observed al-Siddiqi. "I am excited about the potential of creating cell-based therapies to treat and prevent chronic diseases in Qatar for future generations," she added. The Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy, organized through a partnership between Qatar Foundation and the James A. Baker III Institute of Public Policy at Rice University, will conclude on Thursday 1 March. The four-day conference, which featured expert panels and presentations on the latest opportunities and challenges in stem cell research, was attended by top figures in the fields of science, ethics and policy of stem cell research from across the Middle East region and around the world. (QNA)