The 5th forum for Women in Research, themed “QUWA: Together Innovating to Shape the Future”, was held on February 20th at the University of Sharjah and February 21st at the University of Khorfakkan. During the event forty-three grants were awarded for projects led by exceptional women researchers. Among the winners for the medical and health sciences category was the project “Evaluating the Effect of Hypoxia on UHRF1 Expression and its Role in the Tumorigenesis of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma”.
This research project was submitted by Mrs. Ayesha Rifath (Master student in the MDD program, COP) and her supervisor, Dr. Raefa Abou Khouzam (assistant professor and research scientist, TRIPM, COM). The project entails a first of its kind attempt to understand whether hypoxia, a key malignant feature in the microenvironment of pancreatic tumors, affects the expression of UHRF1, an epigenetic regulator that is often overexpressed in this disease. The work aims to explore the interplay between hypoxia and UHRF1 as it pertains to hypoxia-mediated tumorigenic behavior in pancreatic cancer. Outcomes of the study could lead to the discovery of a novel targetable axis that can be explored for improving patient outcomes.
The forum itself constitutes an initiative by the University of Sharjah to praise women’s contribution to science. The two-day event saw a gathering of inspiring women from all branches of science discussing sustainable innovation as well as how to bridge the gap between scientific research and practical solutions.
This year more than 800 applications for grants were received from 53 countries, making it its most competitive yet. Winning the 10’000 AED thus marks a great achievement for GMU as it highlights the outstanding caliber of competitive research that is being conducted by students, researchers and faculty.
Both Mrs. Ayesha and Dr. Raefa are thrilled with the win and are honored to be recognized among the women hoping to instill the pursuit of knowledge and curiosity for science in future generations.