Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS) student Jamil Mahmoud Ali Alenbawi won the Best Poster Award at the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Organization for Rare Diseases Annual Meeting 2023.

Jamil received the award for his research as a student in CHLS’ PhD in Genomics and Precision Medicine program, titled “Genome-Wide Association Study of Sitosterolemia in Qatar.” The work featured the first genome-wide association study to identify genetic determinants of Sitosterolemia in the country, with Mr. Alenbawi and his team of CHLS and Qatar Genome Programme researchers using a whole genome sequencing approach in 6,218 individuals.

“I am grateful to the team for helping me carry out this important research and to HBKU’s CHLS for providing the institutional support necessary for me to pursue my PhD. The College granted me and my peers the knowledge and experience to lead scientific discovery and advance personalized healthcare relevant to Qatar and the world,” said Jamil.

The Annual Meeting invited more than 500 experts from academia and industry operating in various medical fields to gather and exchange insights from their research on rare diseases. The event featured more than 100 speakers who delivered presentations, talks, and workshops on contemporary developments across several medical disciplines, including neurology, cardiology, pediatrics, and more.