Khalifa University wins the highest number of ADEC Awards for Research Excellence

ABU DHABI, 22nd February, 2016 (WAM) -- Twelve Khalifa University faculty members have won 9 awards totalling almost AED3 million in Research Excellence Awards from the Abu Dhabi Education Council, ADEC, as part of its Award for Research Excellence, A2RE 2015. The awards are bestowed in order to fund research initiatives in a number of important areas. One of the awarded projects is the first study to investigate the multidimensional measures of obesity in the UAE. Specifically, the study will look at genetic, biochemical/inflammation and biomechanical profiles of Emirati youth in order to devise a holistic integrative predictive model for the early prediction of obesity-associated chronic disease. Another will look at developing a new low-power device based on a spintronic semiconductor chip which can detect tiny amounts of material. This new device could greatly expand the types of samples that can be analysed by magnetic resonance, the technology used in an MRI, and give scientists and medical professionals the possibility to develop new applications for magnetic resonance across a broad range of fields, from diagnostic medicine to quantum computing. Others will examine the effect that environment-mediated drug resistance, EMDR, has on cancer-associated stroma; a system for predicting the functions of un-annotated proteins associated with cancer by extracting information from biomedical literature; a low-cost and non-invasive abdominal phonogram device that uses a mobile phone to assist in foetal screenings for use in developing countries, as well as in remote areas of the UAE, and a research study that proposes to address the needs associated with making changes to current engineering classes in the UAE in order to improve student learning. The study intends to incorporate project-based learning using real case studies, and will provide Civil and Infrastructure Engineering students with opportunities to use and demonstrate their acquired academic skills and knowledge in real life projects. Commenting on the results, Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice President of Khalifa University, said, "Research is of key importance at Khalifa University, and we ensure that our faculty and students have the resources and support they need in order to conduct it. "Obtaining the highest number of awards is testament to the pioneering position Khalifa University enjoys in the research scene in the region. We are very proud of their achievements and pleased that our students have the opportunity to assist them in their endeavours, and develop the knowledge and inspiration to conduct ground-breaking research of their own," added Al Hammadi. – Emirates News Agency, WAM -http://www.wam.ae/en/news/general/1395291849370.html