Scientific Knowledge Transfer
Conferences
In 2023, the Research Sector staff of DDI presented 63 abstracts at 36 conferences (Figure 3). Researchers achieved unprecedented success in 2023 when 15 abstracts were presented at the 83rd Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association (ADA). DDI researchers had the opportunity to present research from various areas currently conducted at DDI (Supplementary Table 1).
Figure 3. Breakdown of conferences attended and presented at by the Research Sector in 2023 by type.
Supplementary Table 1. List of poster and oral presentations by the Research Sector at the 83rd Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association conducted on 23–26 June 2023 in San Diego, CA, USA.
| All authors | Presenting Author | Department | Title | Type (Poster/Oral) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amal Hasan, Shihab Kochumon, Iman Albasiri, Fahd Al-Mulla, Rasheed Ahmad | Dr. Amal Hasan | Immunology and Microbiology | Soluble Suppression of Tumorigenicity 2 is Directly Correlated with Body Fat, Metabolic Dysfunction, and Inflammation in Children and Adolescents | Poster |
| Amal Hasan, Shihab P. Kochumon, Iman D. Albasiri, Shaima Albeloushi, Ebaa S. Alozairi, Fahd Almulla | Dr. Amal Hasan | Immunology and Microbiology | Circulating Calprotectin is Increased in Children with T1D and Obesity: Implications for T1D Progression and Outcome | Poster |
| Rasheed Ahmad, Texy K. Jacob, Shihab P. Kochumon, Reeby S. Thomas, Steve Shenouda, Nadeem Akhter, Ajit Wilson, Fatemah Bahman, Amal Hasan, Fatema Alrashed, Hossein Arefanian, Ashraf Al Madhoun, Fahd Almulla, Sardar T. A. K. Sindhu | Dr. Rasheed Ahmad | Immunology and Microbiology | Differential Effects of Cocoa Butter, Sunflower, Soybean, and Fish Oil Based Sucrose-Free HFDs on Hepatic Steatosis, Lipogenesis, Inflammation, and Insulin Resistance in Mice | Poster |
| F.Al-Rashed: H.Arefanian: S.T.Sindhu: F.Bahman: H.Alsaeed: A.Al madhoun: F.Alzaid:. F.Al-Mulla: R.Ahmad: | Dr. Fatema Al-Rashed | Immunology and Microbiology | Neutral Sphingomyelinase Inhibition Limits Hepatic-Lipotoxicity and Inflammation in a Cell Model of Steatosis [Board No. 1609) | Poster |
| F.Bahman: H.Alsaeed: S.Albeloushi: F.Almulla: R.Ahmad: F.Alrashed: | Dr. Fatemah Bahman | Immunology and Microbiology | Regular Physical Activity Plays a Crucial Role in Improving the Anti-inflammatory Status of Healthy Individuals by Modulating TLR2 Expression. | Poster |
| Sardar Sindhu, Nadeem Akhter, Ajit Wilson, Hossein Arefanian, Reeby Thomas, Shihab Kochumon, Fatema Al-Rashed, Fatemah Bahman, Ashraf Al-Madhoun, Fawaz Alzaid, Fahd Al-Mulla, Rasheed Ahmad | Dr. Rasheed Ahmad | Immunology and Microbiology | ER Stress Drives the VEGF Expression in Monocytic Cells by Mechanisms Involving CHOP/ROS/HIF-1alpha/NRF2 and NF-kappaB/p38 MAPK Pathways | Poster |
| Hossein Arefanian, Ashraf Al Madhoun, Fatema Alrashed, Fatemah Bahman, Halemah Alsaeed, Nermeen A. Abukhalaf, Steve Shenouda, Michayla R. Williams, Rasheeba Nizam, Sumi E. John, Sindhu Jacob, Mohammed Alhusayan, Shibu J. Kurian, Shihab P. Kochumon, Sardar T.A.K. Sindhu, Fawaz Alzaid, Mohamed Abu-Farha, Jehad Abubaker, Alphonse T. Thangavel, Rasheed Ahmad, Fahd AlMulla | Dr. Ashraf Al Madhoun | Immunology and Microbiology | Verapamil Increases ß-Cells Proliferation in MIN6 Cells and ß-Cell Mass in Zebrafish Model | Poster |
| Hossein Arefanian, Fatemah Bahman, Ashraf Al Madhoun, Fawaz Alzaid, Sardar T. Sindhu, Michayla R. Williams, Fatema Alrashed, Rasheeba Nizam, Sindhu Jacob, Sumi E. John, Mohammed Alhusayan, Shibu J. Kurian, Nermeen A. Abukhalaf, Steve Shenouda, Halemah Alsaeed, Shihab P. Kochumon, Mohamed Abu-Farha, Jehad Abubaker, Alphonse T. Thangavel, Rasheed Ahmad, Fahd Almulla | Dr. Ashraf Al Madhoun | Immunology and Microbiology | Increased Glucose Sensing and Insulin Secretion Induced by Verapamil Is Associated with Enhanced Oxygen Consumption Rate in MIN6 ß-Cells | Poster |
| Hossein Arefanian, Fatemah Bahman, Ashraf Al Madhoun, Sardar T. Sindhu, Fatema Alrashed, Shihab P. Kochumon, Rasheeba Nizam, Sumi E. John, Sindhu Jacob, Mohammed Alhusayan, Nermeen A. Abukhalaf, Steve Shenouda, Halemah Alsaeed, Shibu J. Kurian, Michayla R. Williams, Fawaz Alzaid, Mohamed Abu-Farha, Jehad Abubaker, Alphonse T. Thangavel, Fahd Almulla | Dr. Ashraf Al Madhoun | Immunology and Microbiology | Pretreatment with Verapamil Increases MIN6 Mouse ß-Cell Survival after Exposure to Cytotoxic Stressors | Poster |
| Mohammed Dashti, Naser Ali, Hussain Alsaleh, Rasheeba Nizam, Fahd Al-Mulla, Thangavel Alphonse Thanaraj | Dr. Mohammed Dashti | Genetics and Bioinformatics | Mitochondrial Haplogroup H Is Protective against Type 2 Diabetes in Arabs from Gulf Region | Poster |
| Jehad Abubaker, Salman Al-Sabah, Irina Al-Khairi, Preethi Cherian, Nermeen Abukhalaf, Hossein Arefanian, Carol Dsouza, Suleiman Al-Sabah, Fahd Al-Mulla, Mohamed Abu-Farha. | Dr. Jehad Abubaker | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | Comparable Improvement in NAFLD, Weight Loss, and Lipid Metabolism in Rats Treated with Dual GLP-1–GIP Receptor Agonist (Tirzepatide) and Gastric Sleeve. | Oral |
| Anindya Ghosh, Marc Prentki, Yat Hei Leung, Jeffrey Yu, Robert Sladek, Isabelle Chénier, Abel K. Oppong, Marie-Line Peyot, S.R.Murthy Madiraju, Irina Al-Khairi, Jehad Abubaker, Fahd Al-Mulla, Mohamed Abu-Farha. | Anindya Ghosh | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | Adipocyte ANGPTL8 regulates insulin sensitivity and thermogenic programing. | Oral |
| Fatheya Alawadi, samir H. Assaad-Kalillf, Wael Almahmeed, Naji Alamuddin, Hessa AlKandari, Jihad Haddad, Lise Lotte N. Husemoen, Rayaz A Malik, Emel Mashaki Ceyhan, Hani Sabbour, Sam Salek, Gputav Yadav, Subodh Verma | Hessa Alkandari | Population Health | Prevalence of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Diseases in women with Type 2 Diabetes across the Middle East and Africa: Primary Gender analysis of PACT-MEA Study | Poster |
| Ashraf Al Madhoun, Dania Haddad, Shihab Kochumon, Sardar Sindhu, Reeby Thomas, Lavina Miranda, Fatema Al Rashed, Rasheed Ahmad, Fahd Al Mulla. | Ashraf Al Madhoun | Genetics and Bioinformatics; Immunology and Microbiology | Adipose Tissue Dectin-1 Upregulation in Hyperglycemic Obesity Involves TNF-α/NF-kB | Poster |
| Siham Abdelgani; Ahmed Khattab; John Adams; Mohamed Abu-Farha; Guisepe Daniele; Fahd Al-Mulla; Stefano Del Prato; Ralph A. DeFronzo; Muhammad Abdul-Ghani | Siham Abdelgani | Translational Research / Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | Distinct Mechanisms Responsible for the Increase in Glucose Production and Ketone Formation Caused by Empagliflozin in T2DM Patients | Poster |
Figure 4. Breakdown of conferences/events by region.
Scientific Knowledge Transfer
In 2023, the Research Sector organized 51 internal lectures, that included 26 Journal Clubs, 14 Research Presentations, and 11 Guest Lectures (Table 5). Key research is also highlighted in a quarterly-published Research Newsletter, through which the achievements of researchers and upcoming events are disseminated among the Sector.
Table 5. Number of internal lectures, i.e., journal clubs, research presentations, and guest lectures by the Research Sector in 2023.
| Event | Number |
|---|---|
| Internal Lectures | 51 |
| Journal Clubs | 26 |
| Research Presentations | 14 |
| Guest lectures | 11 |
| Total | 51 |
Summer Internship Program
In 2023, the Research Sector hosted 22 interns in the Summer Internship Program. The interns were provided the opportunity to be part of research in their respective departments and produced high-quality outputs, such as publications and posters. The Research Sector, via the Summer Internship Program continues to foster the intern’s individual growth through knowledge advancement, skills development, and public engagement activities.
