WCM-Q Student Research Forum showcases ingenuity of trainee doctors

The appetite for innovation and scientific discovery of Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) students was demonstrated as the elite medical college held its annual Student Research Forum.

Students, faculty, staff and visitors thronged the halls of WCM-Q, viewing an impressive display of 78 scientific posters, discussing the research projects with the authors, watching oral presentations, and finally witnessing the announcement of the winners of the awards competition.

The event also featured a presentation by Prof. George P. Chrousos, a highly distinguished pediatrician, endocrinologist, and neurobiologist who is renowned globally for his groundbreaking contributions to medical research. Prof. Chrousos, who holds the UNESCO Chair on Adolescent Health Care and is ranked among the top 250 most cited scientists worldwide, gave a keynote address on research focused on the management and consequences of stress and the role of the endocrine system in stress.

There then followed a series of messages about the power of research to revolutionize clinical practice and healthcare given by four returning WCM-Q alumni who now work at leading healthcare institutions in Qatar and the US: Dr. Sarah Kanbour, now a consultant in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at AMAN Hospital; Dr. Essa Abuhelaiqa, a transplant nephrologist with Hamad Medical Corporation; Dr. Ghaith Abu-Zeinah, assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York; and Dr. Wasseem Skef, assistant professor of medicine, gastroenterology and hepatology at Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston.

Six oral research presentations were then given by students Syed Muhammad Jalil, Ateeque Mohamad Ali, Tala Abu Samaan, Kareem Fanous, Aisha Al-Mulla, and Aimen Javed. The one-day event concluded with the announcement of the winning students in the research contest.

Dr. Nayef Mazloum, assistant professor of microbiology & immunology/assistant dean for student research, said: “We were truly impressed by the caliber and breadth of our students’ research capacity, as well as being extremely gratified by the wonderful levels of enthusiasm, engagement and participation that characterized this year’s forum. The organizing committee thank everyone who played a part in making the event a resounding success and an excellent vehicle for the sharing of ideas.”

Dr. Khaled Machaca, professor of physiology and biophysics/senior associate dean for research, innovations, and commercialization, said: “The talent, dedication and appetite for innovation demonstrated by the students who participated in this year’s WCM-Q Student Research Forum is testament to Qatar’s vision to establish a thriving biomedical research sector here. We are very pleased to see our students making the most of the opportunities to engage in research that come with studying at WCM-Q.”

The winners of the oral presentation awards in the Area of Concentration category were Tala Abu Samaan in first place (mentored by Dr. Isra Marei and Dr. Chris Triggle), Syed Muhammad Jalil in second (mentored by Dr. Ziyad Mahfoud), and Ateeque Mohamad Ali in third (mentored by Dr. Abdelaziz Belkadi). The winners of the oral presentation awards in the Medical Students Research Award category were Aimen Javed in first place (mentored by Dr. Daniel Choi), Kareem Fanous in second (mentored by Dr. Chris Triggle and Dr. Isra Marei), and Aisha Al-Mulla (mentored by Dr. Roberta Marongui).

The winners of poster presentations awards in the Areas of Concentration section were Haya AlKaabi in first place (mentored by Dr. Zahra Naqvi), Yasmeen Al-Hashimi in second (mentored by Dr. Rayaz Malik), and Ammar Ahmed Khan in third (mentored by Dr. Laith Abu-Raddad). The poster presentation winners in the Medical Students Research Award/Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP) category were AlDana Al-Khalaf in joint first place (co-mentored by Dr. Nayef Mazloum and Dr. Aisha Madani), Haya Al-Kuwari in joint first place (mentored by Dr. Sejal Saglani), and Fatima Al Mohammed representing students from UREP29-144-3-047 in second (co-mentored by Dr. Nayef Mazloum and Dr. Aisha Madani). UREP is a program of Qatar National Research Fund, a Qatar Foundation organization.

Dr. Thurayya Arayssi, professor of clinical medicine and vice dean for curricular and academic affairs, said: “The quality of research showcased at the Student Research Forum this year was simply outstanding and the level of engagement and energy in evidence at the event was tremendous. In addition to demonstrating great passion for research, the students also showed themselves to be extremely accomplished at conducting, presenting and discussing their projects.”