WCMC-Q program boosts Qatari research capacity

July, 2014

Seven interns have used an innovative Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q) program as a springboard to launch their careers in biomedical research.

The interns completed the six-month Biomedical Research Training Program for Nationals, which offers graduates the opportunity to learn a comprehensive range of scientific research skills by working with WCMC-Q’s world-class faculty in the college’s state-of-the-art laboratories.

Each of the seven interns was awarded a certificate of completion at a ceremony held at the college on Wednesday, 16 July.

Dr. Khaled Machaca, Associate Dean for Research at WCMC-Q, said the program offered a hands-on research experience that would prove invaluable to the interns in future.

He said: “The program provides the trainees with a very strong and broad grounding in the essential skills they need to pursue successful careers in research, ranging from practical bench research skills through to design of research projects and research administration. I hope and am confident that this very accomplished group of interns has gained experience that will allow them to make very meaningful contributions to Qatar’s growing biomedical research community.”

Dr. Machaca also used his address to thank Dr. Mohammed Al-Thani, Director of Public Health at the Supreme Council of Health, who was in attendance, for his institution’s continued support for the program.

The ceremony marked the completion of the fourth installment of the Biomedical Research Training Program for Nationals, which runs from January to July each year at WCMC-Q. This year’s cohort of interns comprised Amera Al Saadoun, Ghada Saeed Mubarak, Sara Nasser Al-Thani, Ayeda Ahmed, Noor Saad Al-Hajri, Amna Al-Thani and Alya Saleh Al-Sulaiti.

Dr. Javaid Sheikh, Dean of WCMC-Q, praised the dedication of the interns and hailed the program as a key element of the college’s commitment to build human capacity in scientific research in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.

He said: “Our mission as a college is not only to produce truly excellent clinicians, but also to help build the workforce Qatar needs to realize its bold and unique vision to become a world leader in the field of research and development.

“By completing this very rigorous and demanding program the interns have shown they have the potential to be crucial members of this new generation of scientific investigators. I offer each of the interns my warmest congratulations – mabrouk to you all.”

A total of 18 interns have now completed the Biomedical Research Training Program for Nationals since it was launched by WCMC-Q in 2011. The program is overseen by Yassir Hussain, WCMC-Q’s Nationals Training Program Coordinator, and Shaikha Al Qahtani, Program Coordinator at WCMC-Q, who are both graduates of the program.

Intern Noor Al-Hajri, a graduate of Qatar University’s biomedical science degree program, said: “Learning how real research works has been extremely beneficial and has given most of us quite clear ideas of the paths we wish to follow in our careers. I myself have a strong interest in neurogenetics and I want to pursue research in this area in the future – the program has helped me to develop skills I need to do that.”

Although the program is aimed at recent graduates who are interested in pursuing a career as a bench scientist, clinician or biomedical researcher, graduates who have non-science degrees may also be accepted.

Applications for next year’s program will be accepted in Fall 2014, with specific dates to be announced on the following webpage by September: http://qatar-weill.cornell.edu/research/programs/program3.html