Hamad Bin Khalifa University Earns Scale-Up Grant for AI Scholar MaternaCare Project

AI Scholar MaternaCare, an artificial intelligence (AI) platform for maternal and reproductive healthcare developed by researchers at the College of Science and Engineering (CSE), has been awarded second place in the Global Health and Artificial Intelligence Network in the Middle East and North Africa (GHAIN MENA) Scale-Up Award, part of the GHAIN MENA Pitch Competition. 

This recognition includes a grant of $17,500, following rigorous evaluation by an expert panel. The competition is organized by the Global Health Institute (GHI) at the American University of Beirut and supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Canada, as well as the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

The MaternaCare research team includes Dr. Mowafa Househ, Lead Principal Investigator; Dr. Mahmood Al-Zubaidi, Post Doc Fellow, who led the first phase of the project; and Dr. Zain Ul Abideen Tariq, Post Doc Fellow from CSE. The initiative also involves clinical collaboration with Dr. Khalid Alyafei and Zafar Iqbal from Sidra Medicine, bringing together expertise in AI, health informatics, clinical practice, and maternal and fetal healthcare.

Part of the AI Scholar Suite within the HikmaTech ecosystem, MaternaCare integrates AI-powered ultrasound image analysis, clinician decision-support tools, and automated medical report generation into a unified, workflow-ready system. It is designed to enhance diagnostic consistency, maintain full physician oversight and support earlier identification of maternal and fetal risks while reducing the documentation burden on healthcare professionals. 

Commenting on the achievement, Dr. Househ, noted: “We are truly excited to receive this recognition and funding, which will support the next stage of development for this initiative. The product underlines the strength of the University's research capabilities and the value of combining AI with clinical expertise to tackle real-world needs. MaternaCare has the potential to contribute to improved maternal and reproductive healthcare across the region and beyond.”

The platform builds on Phase I of the initiative, the Fetal Anomaly Detection Algorithm (FADA) that was developed by Dr. Mahmood Al-Zubaidi under the supervision of Dr. Mowafa Househ. The project used AI to transform standard two-dimensional ultrasound scans into comprehensive three-dimensional images that provide a more complete view of the fetus.

Moving on to the next phase, research will advance into a clinically deployable, multi-component platform for real-world healthcare environments. Focus will be on supporting clinicians in diverse and resource-variable settings, standardizing diagnostic workflows and reporting, reducing documentation burden, and enabling earlier identification of maternal and fetal risks. The process will also include pilot deployment at a primary healthcare center. 

The progression from FADA to MaternaCare reflects a clear pathway from validated scientific capability to a scalable healthcare solution, demonstrating how HBKU-led research can move from the laboratory toward clinical deployment and regional application.