The Department of Biomedical Sciences at the at Qatar University (QU) is proud to announce the success of its Master's Defense Presentations, held on May 6th and 7th, 2024. The presentations showcased the comprehensive research endeavors of ten Master of Science students in Biomedical Sciences. Among them, eight students successfully completed their master's programs, with one specializing in the Laboratory Management Track and seven in the Research Track. Two other students showcased their Thesis I Progress Presentations—Research Track, providing insights into their ongoing research projects that they aim to complete by the next term.

Faculty examiners from various health-related clusters, such as the College of Medicine and other health sciences departments like Public Health, carefully organized the defense sessions. The examination committees comprised both internal members from Qatar University, the Biomedical Research Center (BRC), and external experts from leading institutions within Qatar, such as Sidra Medicine and Weill Cornell Medicine, as well as from the United Kingdom.

Tasneem Hussein Al-Hamad, a student in the Laboratory Management Track, presented her project, "Performance Evaluation of Mindray (CL900I) and Snibe (Maglumi) Chemiluminescent Immunoassays (CLIA) for the Assessment of Vitamin D." Dr. Gheyath Nasrallah and committee member Dr. Eleni Fthenou supervised the project. Tasneem’s findings demonstrated good sensitivity and specificity for both assays, indicating their potential for accurate vitamin D assessment. These results could enhance clinicians' ability to diagnose and treat vitamin D deficiencies effectively, potentially improving public health outcomes.

In the research track, six students presented their projects. The student, Fatima Hassan Ali, presented her project titled “Unraveling the Microbiome Diversity and Dynamics in Different Sample Types during Coronavirus Infections.” Dr. Hadi Yassine, along with committee members Dr. Hebah A. AlKhatib and Dr. Maha Al-Asmakh, supervised the project. The study revealed dominant Staphylococcus patterns in later stages of infection, providing crucial insights into microbiome dynamics during coronavirus infections.

In the same track, Ilham Ahmed Ajaj presented her project titled “Dissecting the Role of Physical Activity and Sleep in Metabolically Healthy Obese Subjects: A National Study.” Dr. Maha Al-Asmakh, in collaboration with committee members Dr. Mohsen Mazidi (UK), Dr. Richard Webb (UK), Dr. Ian Davies (UK), and Dr. Mohamed El-Rayess, supervised the study. Her findings suggest that increasing physical activity and avoiding weight gain can help prevent the transition from metabolically obese (MHO) to metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO), supporting Qatar's national strategy to reduce non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes mortality by 36% by 2030.

Alaa Ahmed Abdellatif presented her project titled “Assessment of GNAS Loss of Function in Monogenic Obesity Using the Zebrafish Model,” supervised by Dr. Mashael Al-Shafai, along with committee members Prof. Khalid Hussain and Dr. Zain Zakaria. Alaa developed a zebrafish model of Gsa deficiency, displaying significant developmental abnormalities resembling human Gsa deficiency and providing a valuable tool for further research into this condition.

Sondos Abed Alhameed Muneer Yousef presented her project titled “Characterization of Pathogen-Associated Antibody Profiles in Diabetes Mellitus-Type 2 Patients Using an Immunoproteomics Approach.” Dr. Wisam Ibrahim, Dr. Frank Schmidt, Dr. Sareena Chennakkandathil, and Dr. Sara Taleb supervised the study. The study found that T2DM patients had a lower antibody response against certain pathogens compared to healthy individuals, which could inform strategies to enhance protection and reduce morbidity in T2DM patients.

Asma Allouch presented her project titled “Analysis of Mutations Using Ancient DNA Genomes to Understand Pathogenic Emergence and Disease Evolution in MENA Populations.” Dr. Rozaimi Razali supervised the project with committee members Dr. Mashael Al-Shafai and Dr. Hatem Zayed. Her study identified 20 variants with significant implications for modern metabolic diseases, helping to shape preventive measures and guide functional experiments.

Tara Fathi Abdulazeez Al-Barazenji gave a presentation on her project, "Identification and Functional Validation of Rare Missense Variants in PLXNA1 as a Candidate Gene for Severe Early-Onset Obesity." Dr. Mashael Al-Shafai and committee member Prof. Khalid Hussain supervised the last project in the research track. Using zebrafish and cell-line models, Tara found and confirmed rare missense variants in the PLXNA1 gene, which is linked to severe obesity that starts early. Her work opens new avenues for precision medicine and potential treatments for childhood obesity. Tara also won the QU-level 3MT competition for her exceptional research.

In the Thesis I Progress Presentations—Research Track, Salma Muhammad Sadeq Ahmad presented her project titled, “Synthesis and Evaluation of a Novel 2D Mg Diphosphate Hydrogel Doped with Zn and Ag for Treating Microbial Skin Infections.” Dr. Gheyath Nasrallah supervised the project, as did Dr. Faleh Marino, a committee member. Her research showed promising results for treating microbial skin infections using novel hydrogel technology.

Fatemeh Abdullah Mohammad Ahmadi presented her project titled, “Application of Ancient DNA to Uncover Insights into the Relationship between Thalassemia and Malaria in Southeast Asian Populations.” Supervised by Dr. Rozaimi Razali, along with committee members Dr. Zilfalil Alwi and Dr. Elham Sharif. Her research showed big differences in genetic variants between modern and ancient genomes, mainly in the SOX5 and TENM4 genes, which could have something to do with how likely someone is to get malaria.

For more information about the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the College of Health Sciences, please visit their web page.