Building a Research InfrastructureWith more than $19 million from Qatar Foundation's National Priorities Research Program, WCMC-Q has begun outfitting six new laboratories to investigate causes and treatments for diseases prevalent in the Gulf Region, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and respiratory illnesses. The funding also supports studies that will apply the latest proteomic, genomic and imaging technologies to a broad array of biological and molecular processes to advance the basic understanding of disease development and develop therapeutic interventions.
With additional grants during the year from Qatar Foundation's Undergraduate Research Experience Program, nearly 50 WCMC-Q students are investigating topics such as the molecular and genetic basis of breast cancer and bone formation and barriers to early cancer screening in Arab women. Besides introducing students to the latest research techniques, the research studies familiarize them with the crucial relationship between basic science and medicine.
Publishing New KnowledgeWCMC-Q research is appearing in prestigious international scientific journals. New research on the molecular mechanisms of cellular signalling performed in the laboratory of Khaled Machaca, PhD, professor of physiology and physics, was published in the Oct. 14 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, one of the world's most cited multidisciplinary scientific journals. The research elaborates on a basic aspect of many physiological and pathological processes, including reproduction, the development of immune responses and the spread of cancer cells; and it was performed exclusively in WCMC-Q laboratories.
Other eminent scientific publications showcased research by WCMC-Q faculty members in collaboration with renowned research centers around the world. Laith Abu Raddad, PhD, assistant professor of public health and physics, collaborated on a study funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. It assessed the impact of the foundation's funded interventions designed to eliminate tuberculosis by the year 2050.
Ahmed Teebi, MD, professor of genetics, collaborated on a study on chromosomal variations in autism spectrum disorder that was published in the American Journal of Human Genetics.
"Our progress in a short time is truly gratifying. It is a tribute to the strong partnership built by Weill Cornell Medical College and Qatar Foundation," says Dr. Sheikh. "We take great pride in our accomplishments so far and we are confident that the future holds even greater promise."