Under the esteemed patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Abu Dhabi University (ADU) hosted the 12th edition of the Undergraduate Research and Innovation Competition (URIC) on May 29, 2025, at its Abu Dhabi Campus. For the third consecutive year, RTX sponsored the event, reaffirming its dedication to advancing STEM education and innovation locally and globally.

As the largest undergraduate research competition platform in the GCC and MENA regions, URIC 2025 attracted an impressive 650 research submissions from approximately 1,300 students representing 105 universities across 14 countries. Participants showcased innovative research and creative solutions across 27 academic disciplines, including engineering, business, education, law, and health sciences.

The Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences is proud to announce the participation of five student research teams, who presented their work under the expert supervision of Dr. Mohammad G Mohammad (Associate Professor), Dr. Ali ElBakri (Lecturer), Dr. Mohamed Madkour (Assistant Professor) and Ms. Dana Salahat (Lecturer). Demonstrating excellence in scientific inquiry and presentation, three of the five teams were declared winners in their respective categories, while the remaining two teams were recognized as finalists.

This outstanding achievement reflects the department’s commitment to fostering undergraduate research and contributing meaningfully to scientific advancement in the region.

Category: Basic Sciences:

First Place Winner Team:
Research Topic: The Black Fungus, Rhizopus delemar, Dampens Inflammatory T helper Lymphocyte Response in a delayed-type hypersensitivity mouse model.

Students:

• Zahraa Al Muwaness
• Areen Ayman
• Judi Maksoud

Supervisor: Mohammad G Mohammad, Ph.D.

Third Place Winner Team:
Research Topic: Optimizing the isolation and cultivation of Cryptosporidium parasite into pure cultures.

Students:

• Fatima Bakhder
• Al-Anood Al-Lahabi
• Fatimah Younas
• Aaesha Hijazi
• Maha Alalwan

Supervisor: Ali ElBakri, Ph.D.
Co-supervisor: Mohammad G Mohammad, Ph.D.

Category: Clinical Sciences:

3rd place winner team:
Research Topic: Anti-GAD65 autoantibodies as a Diagnostic Biomarker Tool in Distinguishing Between LADA and Type 2 Diabetes.

Students:

• Shima Ahmad
• Reem Manea
• Shahad Alameeri
• Shahd Jawass

Supervisor: Dana Salahat, MSc.

Other Finalist Teams:

Category: Clinical sciences:
1. Research Topic: Intermittent Fasting-Induced Modulation of LC3B-Mediated Autophagy and Cellular Longevity in HepG2 and Human Dermal Fibroblast Cultures: An In Vitro Analysis.

Students:

• Amina Mouselly
• Shamma Abdallah
• Roaa Awad
• Alreem Alketbi

Supervisor: Mohamed Madkour, Ph.D.

2. Research Topic: Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics of Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA) Compared to Type 2 Diabetes (T2D): A Comparative Analysis.

Students:

• Alshaimaa Ahmed
• Maryam Eslam Rashed
• Saja Abulkhair
• Raghad Awad

Supervisor: Dana Salahat, MSc.