Dr. Isra Marei is a research associate in pharmacology at WCM-Q, a position she has held since 2019. She obtained an MRes in biomedical research in 2013, and a PhD in clinical medicine research in 2018, both from Imperial College London. Her PhD thesis focused on the biofunctionalization of materials to induce endothelization by blood progenitors. Dr. Marei has previously worked with Dr. Ding and Dr. Triggle’s laboratories as a research specialist until 2012, after which she joined the Qatar Research Leadership Program to pursue her postgraduate studies at Imperial College London.
Dr. Marei’s research focuses on the use of blood progenitor cells for diabetes and cardiovascular applications. Her research has been moving towards three directions within the tissue engineering and regenerative medicine field: (1) Gene therapy: Dr. Marei’s first postdoctoral fellowship, supported by QNRF PDRA4-0129-18003, focused on the modulation of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) to enhance endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) bioavailability and induce regeneration. Dr. Marei was also awarded the Pickford Award by the British Pharmacological Society in 2020 to further investigate the potential of this application. (2) 3D vascular models to study diabetes and cardiovascular diseases: This application will provide a better understanding of vascular biology and disease and represents an improvement of the current methods used to study and develop cardiovascular and diabetes drugs. Dr. Marei was awarded the L'Oréal - UNESCO For Women in Science Middle East Regional Young Talents Award (2020) in recognition of the potential application of these models. She has also worked towards this aim through the QNRF Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP) awards and most recently through UREP25-042-3-011, focusing on the use of tissue engineering techniques for the development of 3D vascular grafts. (3) Endothelialization of vascular stents to prevent in-stent thrombosis in diabetes: This aim is an extension of the Dr. Marei’s PhD work in which she was able to establish a modified polymeric surface to attract EPCs. She has been awarded an early career research award from QNRF ECRA02-007-3-006, to pursue this aim.
Research Profiles of Dr. Isra Marei:
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7028-3614
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isra-marei-349b3338/
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=55513576400
Research Funding:
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Grant
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Role
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Status
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ECRA02-007-3-006: In Situ Endothelialization of Stents by Endothelial Progenitors for the Reduction of In- Stent Thrombosis in Diabetic Subjects (2021-2023)
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Primary investigator
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Active until 01-May-2023
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PDRA4-0129-18003: Use of Nitric Oxide Synthase Gene Therapy in Endothelial Progenitor Cells as a Therapeutic Strategy for the Treatment of Vascular Complications In Diabetics (2019- 2021)
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Postdoctoral fellow
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Completed
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UREP25-042-3-011: Towards the Development of an Endothelial Progenitor Cell - Based Vascular Graft for Drug Screening
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Primary research mentor
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Completed
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UREP24-036-3-013: Role of endothelial cells in heart valve pathology: Effect of diabetes on side specific valve endothelial cells (2019-2020).
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Research mentor
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Completed
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UREP24-044-3-017: Effect of Diabetes on the Bioavailability of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase in Blood Outgrowth Endothelial Cells: Towards Blood Stem Cell-Based Gene Therapy
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Research mentor
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Completed
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