Symposium 2023

7^th QU Health Annual Research Symposium: Translational Research

About the Symposium

On March 4th and 5th, 2023, the 7th QU Health Annual Research Symposium: Translational Research provided an opportunity for QU Health Colleges and BRC faculty members and students to present their research findings and develop and exchange information in formal scientific presentation and workshop settings over the course of two days. The first day was dedicated to a symposium that included poster and oral presentations and a workshop by Qatar Biobank. The second day was dedicated to the Evidence Synthesis workshop on Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Network Meta-Analysis.

The Theme of Focus or (Scientific topics)

Translational Research

Learning Objective

Within the theme of translational research, the 7th QU Health Annular Research Symposium provided a platform for the exchange of ideas on current research, nationally and internationally, to enhance the potential for collaborative opportunities. Attention was focused on trends in translational research at QU that may have become critical shortly. Rationales for the various details within translational research standards were provided, and new opportunities for translational research and related products were identified during the symposium.

Event Dates, Location, and Schedule

1^st day: March 4^th, 2023, I06 Auditorium and Atrium

Keynote speech: Dr. Laith Abu-Raddad (WCM-Q): Groundbreaking COVID-19 research findings.
Eight (8) selected presentations (relevant for translational research) from faculty members across QU Health colleges and BRC.
Six (6) Mic Drop graduate students oral presentations.
Qatar Biobank: Hidden treasures and research opportunities.

2^ndday: March 5^th, 2023, A07, G16

A faculty development workshop: Systematic review, Meta-analysis, and introduction to Network Meta-analysis.

Committee & Location

Dr. Moustafa Al Hariri – Chair, QU Health
Dr. Mohamed Elrayess – co-Chair, QU Health
Dr. Asad Zeidan – Member, CMED
Dr. Daoud Al-Badriyeh – Member, CPH
Dr. Fatiha Benslimane – Member, BRC
Dr. Mashael Alshafai – Member, CHS
Dr. Nebu Philip – Member, CDEM
Dr. Waqas Sami – Member, CNUR

Highlights

“Breaking Grounds in Translational Research: The 7th QU Health Annual Research Symposium"

Organized by: QU Health

With the presence of Prof. Dr. Asmaa Al-Thani, Vice President for Health and Medical Sciences, the QU Health Basic Research office put together the 7th QU Health Annual Research Symposium centered on the theme of "Translational Research." On March 4th, 2023, the Ibn Al-Bitar Hall at QU was filled with energy as approximately 150 attendees, including faculty members, students, and staff members from QU Health colleges, gathered in person for the first time in two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This dynamic event provided a unique platform for exchanging ideas on the latest research topics at both national and international levels within the captivating theme of focus. By showcasing the groundbreaking translational research trends at QU Health, the symposium promoted the collaboration among participants who were eager to share their insights and expertise

Dr. Mohamed Elrayess, the Director of Basic Research at QU Health, extended a warm welcome to the attendees and expressed his joy at the opportunity to organize the event in-person after conducting it remotely for two years owing to the pandemic. Following his remarks, Mrs. Nouf Al-Kuwari, a Lecturer at the College of Nursing, delivered an introductory presentation highlighting the various programs offered by the college. Notably, the college is the first and only national program in Qatar to offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.

Dr. Abu Raddad, Professor of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medical College - Qatar (WCM-Q), was the first keynote speaker of this event and he delivered a presentation on the groundbreaking research findings related to COVID-19. Subsequently, Dr. Nahla Afifi, the Director of Qatar Biobank (QBB), took the stage as the final keynote speaker of the event. Her presentation focused on highlighting the QBB’s added value in the realm of medical research in Qatar. Additionally, various researchers shared a summary of their experiences in diverse research fields. Their contributions were valuable in providing insights that could facilitate the advancement of health research and education at QU but also beyond.

Dr. Laith Abu-Raddad said: “The groundbreaking COVID-19 research in Qatar over the last 3 years is a natural outcome of Qatar’s investment in building a thriving scientific community and modernizing healthcare. These accomplishments show also the potential for Qatar to extend these accomplishments to other areas of translational research and to produce groundbreaking findings that improve health in Qatar and globally.”

Dr. Nahla Afifi, emphasized the significance of biobanks and stressed that: “Biobanking is not just the storage of biological samples, but rather the preservation of potential breakthroughs in medical research, providing a critical resource for translating scientific discoveries into life-saving treatments and cures.”

Dr. Hamdi Mbarek, Director of Research Partnerships at the Qatar Genome Program added, “I think the next few years will be an exciting era for genomics, precision medicine, and precision health overall. Qatar has made remarkable progress in the field of genomics with world-class research-based evidence. We are committed to continuing our efforts to translate these findings from bench to bedside and to spearhead the Arab representation in the global human genomics map”.

In addition to the oral presentations delivered by faculty members, the seventh edition of the symposium included a new competition named "Mic Drop”, for graduate students at QU Health. The competition aimed to offer a platform for the students to showcase their presentation skills, receive constructive feedback from peers and experts, and enhance their research defense skills. This innovative initiative has enabled students to gain proficiency in communicating their research findings, which in turn has contributed to the success of the event.

Program

Time	Description
08:00 - 08:05	Welcoming remarks
08:05 - 08:15	Introducing the College of Nursing
08:15 - 09:00	Keynote speech: Dr. Laith Abu-Raddad (WCM-Q): Groundbreaking COVID-19 research findings.
09:00 - 09:15	Dr.Huseyin Yalcin: Computational assessment of wall shear stress, oscillatory shear index, endothelial cell activation potential, and relative residence time, predicts rupture locations for abdominal aortic aneurysms.
09:15 - 09:30	Dr. Hesham Korashy: Does the BCL-2 inhibitor Venetoclax increase the risk of cancer? A Real-World Pharmacovigilance Study.
09:30 - 09:45	Dr. Vijay Ganji: High folate status is associated with decreased metabolic syndrome in the post-folic acid fortification period in US adults-data from National Health and National Examination Surveys.
09:45 - 10:00	Dr. Ajith Sominanda: Immunomodulatory potential of anti-IFN-beta antibodies on monocyte-derived macrophages.
10:00 - 10:30	Coffee break & Poster viewing
10:30 -10:45	Dr. Ashraf Khalil: Evaluation of the molecular mechanism of monoamine oxidase inhibition by selected chalcone analogs.
10:45 - 11:00	Dr. Laiche Djouhri: Blockade of HCN channels with ivabradine attenuates pain hypersensitivity in the streptozotocin rat model of diabetic neuropathic pain.
11:00 - 11:15	Dr. Faez Al-Hamed: Efficacy of pharmacological agents in the management of intracapsular temporomandibular disorders: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
11:15 - 11:30	Dr. Manal Matoug-Elwerfelli: Biomechanical assessment of immature non-vital incisors with different treatment modalities: a finite element analysis.
11:30 - 12:30	Lunch, Poster viewing & Score calculations for prizes
12:30 - 13:30	Mic Drop graduate student session: Menatallah Rayan: Ethanol-Based Proliposomes Incorporating Dexamethasone for the Treatment of COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Using Nebulizers. Fatima Ali Bahman Nejad: Predicting ICU mortality among septic patients using Machine Learning. Muhammad Ammar Zahid: Identification of a miRNA signature as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Lubna Therachiyil: Comparative proteomic profiling identifies key modulating proteins involved in carcinogenesis and chemoresistance in ovarian cancer cell lines. Amr Mohamed Fahmi: Clinical versus fixed warfarin dosing and the impact on the anticoagulation quality. Lara Sranek: Parental Perceptions of Early Intervention for Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder Attending Secondary Care Settings: A Mixed-Methods Study
13:30 - 13:40	QGP Research Landscaping
13:40 - 14:40	Qatar Biobank (hidden treasures and research opportunities) Introduction to QBB resources Process of requesting samples/data from QBB
14:40 - 15:00	Prizes for best speakers, Mic drop, and posters

Awards

This year, we had two oral presentation categories and three poster award categories. In the oral presentation categories, 8 faculty members presented their research work, and 6 graduate students presented their projects. In the poster categories, 96 posters were displayed and presented.

Faculty member Oral presentation

Presenter Name: Dr. Laiche Djouhri

Project Title: Blockade of HCN channels with ivabradine attenuates pain hypersensitivity in the streptozotocin rat model of diabetic neuropathic pain

Presenter Name: Dr. Manal Matoug-Elwerfelli

Project Title: Biomechanical assessment of immature non-vital incisors with different treatment modalities: a finite element analysis

Presenter Name: Dr. Hesham Korashy

Project Title: Does the BCL-2 inhibitor Venetoclax increase the risk of cancer? A Real-World Pharmacovigilance Study

Graduate student Oral presentation

Presenter Name: Menatallah Rayan

PI name: Dr. Abdelbary Elhissi

Project Title: Ethanol-Based Proliposomes Incorporating Dexamethasone for the Treatment of COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Using Nebulizers

Presenter Name: Amr Mohamed Fahmi

PI name: Dr. Hazem Elewa

Project Title: Clinical versus fixed warfarin dosing and the impact on the anticoagulation quality.

Presenter Name: Lara Sranek

PI name: Dr. Mujahed Shraim

Project Title: Parental Perceptions of Early Intervention for Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder Attending Secondary Care Settings: A Mixed-Methods Study

Faculty member poster presentations

Presenter Name: Dr. Mujahed Shraim

Project Title: The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on depression screening rates and depression symptoms severity in Qatar: An epidemiologic study of 1.9 million primary health care consultations

Presenter Name: Dr. Reema Tayyem

Project Title: Mediterranean Dietary Pattern is Associated with Lower Risk of Gastric Cancer: A Case-Control Study

Presenter Name: Dr. Rozaimi Razali

Project Title: Large-scale analysis of whole genome sequencing data from Qatar revealed key novel historical and social insights into Middle Eastern population

Graduate poster presentation

Presenter Name: Hevna Dhulkifle

PI name: Dr. Zaid Almaayah

Project Title: 6-Formylindolo(3,2-b) carbazole dampens inflammation and reduces endotoxin-induced kidney injury via Nrf2 activation

Presenter Name: Dr. Hashim Alhussain

PI name: Dr. Nahla Omer Eltai

Project Title: Epidemiological Status of Human and Animal brucellosis in Qatar

Presenter Name: Shailaja Raghavan

PI name: Dr. Isabel Ferreira de Sousa

Project Title: Effectiveness of pre-cooling the injection site with ice versus topical anesthetic gel in reducing pain of local anesthesia injection in children. Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Undergraduate poster presentation

Two posters ranked in the first place

First Poster
Presenter Name: Aya Abdelhamid
PI name: Dr. Laiche Djouhri
Project Title: Association between serum uric acid and cognitive function - a cross-sectional study
Second Poster
Presenter Name: Kaoutar Barakat
PI name: Dr. Alaaldin Alkilany
Project Title: Formulation of a Novel Silver Nanoparticle/Chitosan-based Hydrogel for Topical Antimicrobial Treatment

Presenter Name:
Ashraf Ahmed
Hissa Nasser Alsuwaidi
Sara Mohamed Ali
Shooq Ihsan Uddin

PI name: Dr. Tawanda Chivese

Project Title: Association Between Metabolic Syndrome and Decline in Cognitive Function in Qatar: A Cross-sectional Study

Presenter Name:
Salma Said
Dana Al Kubaisi

PI name: Dr. Monica Zolezzi

Project Title: Exploring the viability of providing home blood pressure monitoring services in community pharmacies

We would like to extend our congratulations to all the awardees and wish all members continuous success. Thank you for your participation in this year's symposium.

External Speakers

Professor Laith Abu-Raddad, Ph.D.
Professor of Population Health Sciences
Weill Cornell Medical College

Dr. Laith Abu-Raddad is a highly esteemed Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar of Cornell University and the WHO Collaborating Center for Disease Epidemiology Analytics director. He has a wealth of experience in the ﬁeld of infectious disease epidemiology. He has published his work in numerous leading journals, including New England Journal of Medicine, Science, Lancet journals, JAMA, Nature Medicine, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Hepatology, PLOS Medicine, and Clinical Infectious Diseases. His research focuses on a wide range of diseases, including COVID-19, HIV, and others, and has been instrumental in shaping public health policy at the national, regional, and international levels. He will be joining us as a speaker at the 7th QU Health Annual Research Symposium and is sure to provide valuable insights and thought-provoking discussions.

Dr. Nahla Aﬁﬁ, Ph.D.
Director of Qatar Biobank

Dr. Nahla Aﬁﬁ earned her MBBCh with honors, a Master of Anatomy and Embryology, and a Diploma in Gynecology and Obstetrics from Ain Shams University in Egypt. She earned her PhD with joint supervision from UMD in New Jersey, USA. Dr. Aﬁﬁ began her career as a Medical Researcher in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at UMD, NJ, USA, before continuing her academic career at Ain Shams University, Dubai Medical College for Girls, UAE, and Qatar University. She was promoted to the rank of full professor of Anatomy and Embryology in 2007. In 2013, Dr. Aﬁﬁ joined Qatar Foundation as Education and Scientiﬁc Manager and was subsequently appointed Director of Qatar Biobank in 2017. Dr. Aﬁﬁ has published numerous research papers in her ﬁeld of expertise. She is a member of several international societies, including the American Association of Anatomists, the American Society for Investigative Pathology, the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories, the International Human Cell Culture Society, and the European, Middle Eastern & African Society for Biopreservation and Biobanking. In recognition of her outstanding achievements in biobanking, Dr. Aﬁﬁ was awarded the ISBER Award for Outstanding Achievement in Biobanking in 2022.

Dr. Hamdi Mbarek, Ph.D.
Research Partnerships Manager at Qatar Genome Program

Dr. Hamdi Mbarek is the Research Partnerships Manager at Qatar Genome. He is responsible for the research collaborations projects at Qatar Genome. His background is in genetic and epidemiological analyses of complex traits, the molecular study of complex diseases, and the relationships between human behavior, lifestyle, traits, diseases and genetics. He published more than 100 articles in high impact scientiﬁc journals (Nature, Cell, Nature Genetics..) and is the author of a book chapter with Springer. Dr. Mbarek leads an international collaborative consortium, the Twinning Genetics Consortium, to study the genetics of twinning and birth weight in twins. After 30 years of research, Dr. Mbarek was the ﬁrst scientist to ﬁnd the ﬁrst genes responsible for dizygotic twinning. His paper was selected among the best groundbreaking genetics research published in the American Journal of Human Genetics (AJHG) in 2015 and 2016. In 2019, he was nominated for the Prix Galien Research award. With a strong background in molecular genetics, Dr. Mbarek was formerly an assistant professor at VU University in Amsterdam and contributed to the teaching of classes on human molecular genetics, omics, twin research, and human genetics. He acquired extensive research experience and a rich network aboard during his time in Africa, Europe, and Asia.

Dr. Mbarek obtained his PhD in molecular and cellular biology at the University of Évry Val d'Essonne in Paris, France. He completed a ﬁrst postdoctoral research on the genomics of complex diseases at University of Tokyo in Japan, and a second one on the genetics of psychiatric diseases and genetics of addiction at VU University in the Netherlands.