Worldwide, lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality in both men and women and in the UAE it is ranked the second deadliest disease among UAE nationals.

Al Jalila Foundation research grant recipient, Dr Saba Al Heialy, Assistant Professor of Immunology at Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, is a brilliant researcher who aims to identify genes involved in severe asthma and their correlation with the development of early lung cancer.

Interestingly, recent data from Dr Saba’s study has identified common genes, such as TLR4 and FCγRIIIB, between asthma and lung cancer which are both heterogeneous diseases of the lungs. Many studies have focused on the genetic alterations in asthma and lung cancer separately; however, there are no studies on the common genetic alterations in both lung cancer and asthma which she is exploring through her pioneering research.

Dr Saba Al Heialy was one of 15 female scientists worldwide honoured as ‘International Rising Talent’ at the 21st L’Oréal-Unesco For Women In Science Award Ceremony. The award is Dr Saba’s second L’Oréal-Unesco for Women in Science recognition; last year, she was one of only four ‘Outstanding Female Scientists’ from the GCC awarded a Middle East Fellowship.

Dr Saba’s father, an accomplished researcher, her inspiration and mentor, instilled “the core values and self confidence that have allowed me to become the researcher I am today. I hope my story will inspire many girls and young women in the Middle East to pursue their scientific dreams and reach their full potential.”

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 4.8 million people in the UAE suffer from obesity. These numbers underscore the need for long-term funding into scientific research to develop discoveries in the field of obesity.

Al Jalila Foundation research grant recipient, Dr Teresa Arora from Zayed University, is conducting a pilot study to assess the feasibility of sleep improvement intervention for weight loss, and its maintenance in sleep impaired obese adults.

There is a well established association between sleep and obesity. However, the approach that has not yet been explored is the possibility and effectiveness of treating sleep impaired obese patients with sleep improvement to enhance weight loss and its maintenance.

The study takes obese, sleep impaired adults into two groups to receive lifestyle intervention to improve dietary and exercise habits using evidence-based psychological approaches. One group will additionally undertake a six-week training program to improve sleep targeting sleep duration, quality and timing. Should the twelve-week lifestyle intervention be feasible, secondary outcomes including weight loss and its sustainability will be assessed over six months along with other outcomes, such as mood, sleep, food intake and quality of life