Scholars: Al Jalila has invested 41 million dirhams in local researchers
The CEO of Al Jalila Foundation, Dr. Abdul Karim Al Olama, stated that the Foundation has invested 41 million dirhams in local researchers, noting that the Foundation has worked to enhance the research culture in the country and encourage researchers to complete their medical research.
The scholars said in press statements, during a media tour at the Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Medical Research, that the institution receives annually 120 requests for research funding, and there is a committee of 82 scientists around the world evaluating research funding requests, and the best research is selected for funding, based on several criteria. Represented by the importance of research and its impact at the local level, the Foundation has so far funded 955 researches worth 25 million dirhams, out of a total of 700 applications, 41 million dirhams investment in local researchers, 59 local and international scholarships and 8 international research fellowships.
The scientists pointed out that the Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Medical Research consists of four departments, and the ventilation system changes the air 10 times per hour, and the center includes the latest medical devices, whether related to genomes, stem cells and genes so that researchers can conduct their research, such as a hand-sized device for measuring the sequence Genomic, and university researchers began to conduct research at the center in multiple fields, including genetics, cancer and communicable diseases research in the country, in addition to the emerging corona virus research, and 15% of researchers at the center are Emiratis, and this matter is a matter of pride for the nation.
He stressed that the Foundation is working to fund Corona research, as 91 scientific research papers all related to Coronavirus are currently being reviewed, and each research will be funded at a value of half a million dirhams. The emerging corona virus research that won the financial support will be announced early next month, and he pointed out that the center is focusing on 5 main research areas, namely, heart, diabetes, cancer, obesity, and mental health, and the full capacity of the center is 210 researchers.
The scholars said that the Foundation is working to encourage doctors to complete their postgraduate studies by offering scholarships to them, and the focus in the current period will be in the field of pandemics, virology, immunology and nanotechnology, and the institution is working to prepare a new generation of qualified researchers in various health specialties, and to promote innovation in the sector. Health care, especially as the Corona pandemic has demonstrated the urgent need for intensive research in the fields of biomedicine, preventive medicine, pathology and epidemiology.