Researchers at the College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) have been awarded two major research grants that will support their work contributing to understanding disease trends and translating basic research into clinical implementation. 

Dr. Borbala Mifsud, assistant professor at CHLS, was awarded a Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) grant under the Path to Precision Medicine (PPM) program as lead principal investigator for the project “Pharmacogenomics of TNF inhibitors in autoimmune diseases”. The grant will include all CHLS  Genomics and Translational Biomedicine Division faculty members, as well as Sidra Medicine and Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). The objective of QNRF’s PPM call is to support and advance research that aims to guide healthcare decisions toward the most effective prevention of disease or treatment for a given patient based on their genetic profile. 

Dr. Ayman Al Haj Zen, assistant professor at CHLS, has received funding from the Medical Research Center (MRC) at HMC for the project titled “Drug repurposing screen targeting the endothelial ACE2 for preventing cardiovascular complications in COVID-19 patients”. 

Dr. Ayman Al Haj Zen is the lead principal investigator, collaborating with co-principal investigators, Dr. Nady El Hajj, assistant professor at CHLS; Dr. Ali Omrani, senior consultant, Communicable Disease Center, HMC; and Dr. George Hindy, assistant professor of Population Medicine, College of Medicine, Qatar University. The MRC focuses on excellence in healthcare through research.

Dr. Edward Stuenkel, Founding Dean, CHLS, HBKU, said: “Each grant will offer the needed support that will enable significant impact in the two important areas of precision medicine and drug discovery. We are delighted at this recognition of the quality and promise of our research work and for CHLS to be at the forefront of addressing Qatar’s research priorities. We welcome the opportunity to achieve this with national stakeholders such as Sidra Medicine and Hamad Medical Corporation.”