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Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) celebrates the achievements of 215 graduates in the Class of 2022, further amplifying its unique role in Qatar’s education landscape. Having created an educational environment where excellence and innovation in basic and applied research can thrive, its newest graduates have emerged with a deeper understanding of their specialized fields and the knowledge and critical thinking skills to generate far-reaching impact.
The research efforts and ideas which have earned them competitive graduate degrees align with the strides made by HBKU to accelerate discoveries in sustainability, genomic and personalized medicine, advanced technologies, and other fields that address challenges facing local and global societies today.
Umm-Kulthum Ismail Umlai, graduating with a PhD in Genomics and Precision Medicine (GPM) from the College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), explains why she chose HBKU: “I did my master’s abroad at Imperial College London, and when HBKU launched the GPM doctoral program, based on the objectives of the Qatar Genome Programme, I knew I wanted to return to Qatar to enroll. This was a very exciting time for our scientific community and I wanted to be part of the momentum of the genomics wave in the country and region. With the strong need and interest to train talent capable of interpreting and researching genomic data, I knew I would have lots of support from very knowledgeable people while being surrounded by friends and family at my second home. Our community at HBKU is very warm and welcoming. Students and faculty alike are always ready to help.”
She adds: “One of the main attractions of HBKU as a destination for learning is their strong collaborations with other institutions, which strengthen the scientific contributions of the academic community. Our professors hail from highly renowned institutions with reputations for academic rigor and merit and these same qualities are transferred to HBKU. I knew I would be offered nothing less if I were to join.”
CHLS’ GPM program, like HBKU’s other specialized research-intensive programs at the master’s and PhD levels, is multidisciplinary, emphasizing an innovative, entrepreneurial mindset focused on solving real-world problems.
“HBKU encouraged me to believe in my potential to achieve a lot through my scientific contributions, and to go beyond. They supported and encouraged us to delve into other fields and find unconventional solutions to problems facing our communities. I personally want to continue helping my community in Qatar, whether through public health programs or education in the genomics field. It was an absolute privilege to be invited by HBKU and Sidra Medicine to work on projects related to genetic diseases, from initiation to completion, using real patient samples. I was part of a multidisciplinary expert team of physicians, nurses, scientists, and bioinformaticians to achieve our research goals and it was a fascinating journey. We worked on deciphering the genetic bases of disorders leading to growth delays and short stature to provide precise molecular diagnoses in children. Such a diagnosis could mean changes in the treatment, prevention of further complications, and prognosis of the disorder, and may impact a patient’s quality of life. Going forward, I want to be able to work in a diverse team like this where we can learn more together by drawing on each other’s strengths.”
Looking back on the highlight of her time at HBKU, she says: “Honestly there have been so many memorable and beautiful moments throughout my journey. We collectively went through personal and academic/professional hurdles. When I finally reached the end and was able to present my senior thesis defense, I was ecstatic. My project came together, and I was grateful to share it with my friends, classmates, colleagues, family, and community. It was truly the peak of my journey, to demonstrate the potential of the research and its capacity to improve the lives of the patients involved.”
Amal Elfatih Elgenid Abdelmageed, also a PhD graduate in the Genomics and Precision Medicine program, analyzed the pilot phase of the Qatar Genome Program (QGP) in her project. Her aim was to describe and characterize novel and clinically actionable disease-causing variants in certain genes, an effort that can contribute to early intervention for certain diseases.
“My classes gave me a sound theoretical knowledge in the field of genetics, which was essential for my project and for doing good research. HBKU allowed us to work and conduct our research at Sidra Medicine, where I was able to experience clinical research aspects and engage with patients and physicians to see the impact of our work on patients’ lives.”
Abdelmageed took full advantage of the opportunities offered by the GPM program to gain advanced knowledge and training in state-of-the-art information gathering and analysis technologies. These skills prepare graduates to advance the future of the field as researchers or practitioners.
“HBKU and CHLS allowed me to improve myself in different aspects, including presentations, writing skills, evaluating information, and deciding when and how to use it. I have been highly supported and encouraged by my supervisor, who provided me with the academic support that I needed. More importantly, she believed in me and my project even when I doubted it,” she says.
Like Umlai, her academic experience was marked by outstanding contributions that mark them as future change-makers. “Being a PhD student at HBKU was one of the most amazing experiences. One of the most fulfilling was being accepted to present my work at the European Society of Human Genetic Conference 2021, for which I won the early career award. I was also able to publish three scientific papers in top prestigious journals,” she concludes.
As HBKU celebrates their graduates’ excellence in research, societies in Qatar, the region, and across the globe stand to benefit from the impact of their knowledge, expertise, and skills.
For more information on Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s programs and research, please visit hbku.edu.qa