ARF 2012 recognises outstanding research

Some of the recipients of the best student prize in various disciplines at the Annual Research Forum (ARF) 2012, have come out with various discoveries in their fields of research. Abou Ziki from Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q), who was awarded the best student prize in health and biomedical research at ARF 2012, has uncovered a genetic mutation prevalent among Qatari and African-derived populations that is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Now in his third year WCMC-Q, Abou Ziki said “The Arab populations in general, and the Qatari population in particular, are under-represented in international studies on genetic markers of disease. Hence, what is discovered in European populations on the genetic risk factors for diabetes, for instance, might not be applicable to the patient population in Qatar.”The success of his award-winning study, ‘High Prevalence of the ApoE Arg145Cys Dyslipidemia At-risk Polymorphism in African-derived Populations’, a collaboration with his mentor at WCMC-Q, has inspired Ziki to continue his research into new frontiers of genetic diagnosis. “We set out to discover the genetic variations that increase the risk for diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease in the Qatari population,” he added. Similarly, winners of ARF 2012 Qatar University’s Momina Adel Zakzok and Shamsa Abdullah al-Khanjari have examined the contamination of one of Qatar’s lesser-known natural treasures, the coastal mangroves of the northeast. Al-Khanjari’s study, entitled ‘Concentrations and Bioaccumulation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Soft Sediments of Mangrove, East Coast of Qatar’, won her the Best Student Poster of the Year in Energy and Environment Research. She said: “Oil industries and transportation can impose a potential environmental impact on this unique ecosystem, so I was interested in investigating the concentrations of different PAHs in the sediments and bivalve tissues within the mangrove ecosystem.” Adel Zakzok uncovered alarming arsenic contamination in the mangroves. She hopes that her ARF award for best student energy and environment research of the year will help when applying for a place on master’s programmes, where she would like to continue her research on environmental contamination in Qatar. Many of the award winners of the previous years are also engaged in a number of research activities and have made many presentations and released a number of publications. Though many of these studies are under different disciplines, they are united by their concern for issues critical to the development of modern Qatar. This is an indication of success of the ARF, organised by Qatar Foundation. Through the forum, QF aims to inspire younger generations to engage in research for Qatar that not only adds to the country’s own knowledge-base but also generates life-changing discoveries that extend beyond its borders.