Research on preventing breast cancer recurrence, using organ regeneration to combat obesity-related diseases, and enabling vascular repair for patients suffering from cardiovascular disease has received awards at the ongoing Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy 2012. The award ceremony hosted by Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development at Qatar National Convention Centre recognised two professional researchers and one student researcher for excellence in stem cell research, with the research exhibited through poster presentations during the conference. Leaders from QF and top figures in the stem cell science and ethics field congratulated the award recipients. Dr Abdelali Haoudi, vice president for research at QF, said: We are truly impressed with the research presented this year in poster presentations, as well as in the oral presentations and panel discussions taking place throughout the conference. He added: Through this conference, we hope to drive further exploration in this field that will lead to even greater progress in applying stem cell science to prevent and treat diseases afflicting communities both in Qatar and around the world. The three posters were selected for recognition by a review committee, comprised of academics, researchers and scientists, including Nobel Laureates and international experts. Pegah Ghiabi, a researcher at the Stem Cell & Microenvironment Laboratory at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, received an award for her poster presentation on research into therapy to inhibit the cancer stem cell population to prevent the recurrence of breast cancer. Research by Lara Bou-Khzam of the McGill University Health Centre Research Institute in Montreal, Canada, also received recognition. The poster focused on her stem cell research towards vascular repair for patients suffering from cardiovascular disease, one of the worlds leading causes of mortality. The final award was presented to Dr Heba al-Siddiqui for her research at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute on preventing chronic obesity-related diseases through tissue engineering and organ regeneration. Dr al-Siddiqui is a trainee in the Qatar Science Leadership Programme, a QF initiative aimed at equipping rising Qatari generations for leading roles in the countrys scientific and research endeavours. The Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy, organised through a partnership between QF and the James A. Baker III Institute of Public Policy at Rice University, will conclude today. The four-day conference, which featured expert panels and presentations on the latest opportunities and challenges in stem cell research, was attended by top figures in the fields of science, ethics and policy of stem cell research from across the Middle East region and around the world.

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QF honours stem cell researchers