All posts by Carla Duarte

Press Release

Al Jalila Foundation partners with Fundación Iker Casillas and IDOVEN to advance cardiovascular research and promote healthy living

Al Jalila Foundation, a member of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, dedicated to transforming lives through medical innovation, today announced it has partnered with Fundación Iker Casillas and IDOVEN to improve monitoring of cardiac health through the use of technology, artificial intelligence and innovation applied to health to improve lives.

Together with Al Jalila Foundation, the parties will lead a pilot study to monitor cardiac health of a cohort of 100 people who will undergo extensive professional medical assessment and provide their ‘heartbeat data’ to contribute to research and prevention of sudden death among groups at high risk of heart disease.

Fundación Iker Casillas is a non-profit entity chaired by the world famous football legend Iker Casillas who created the foundation to support, promote, and develop activities that help improve the health and quality of life.  IDOVEN is a European HealthTech startup company based in Madrid that seeks to prevent cardiac diseases, myocardial infarction, and sudden death.

According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally with almost 20 million lives being lost every year. It is also the primary cause of death in the UAE contributing to 30% of fatalities annually. The partnership aims to reduce preventable heart disease.

Dr Abdulkareem Al Olama, CEO of Al Jalila Foundation, welcomed Iker Casillas, the Founder of Fundación Iker Casillas, and Dr. Manuel Marina Breysse, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of IDOVEN, and took them on a tour of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Medical Research Institute and briefed them on the Foundation’s education and research programmes.

Dr Abdulkareem Sultan Al Olama, CEO of Al Jalila Foundation, said: “From telemedicine to artificial intelligence and robotic surgery, technology is revolutionising the healthcare industry. Advances in medical technologies are beyond anything we could have ever imagined. These innovations have allowed us to advance patient treatment and, sometimes, even predict the onset of illnesses to prevent serious complications and even premature death. Today, thanks to advances in medical research, people are living longer and healthier lives. With remote patient monitoring, physicians can now know what is going on with a patient without physically being close. This pilot study will give us new insights into preventing heart attacks and other heart problems, which can contribute to saving lives and benefiting millions of people.”

The partnership will pioneer the implementation of automatic cardiac diagnostic systems, making it possible to remotely monitor patients through scalable technology in the future and at the same time contributing to research and prevention of cardiovascular diseases in the UAE.

Iker Casillas, Founder of Fundación Iker Casillas, said: “I am proud to foster prevention and health beyond the borders of my country. Thanks to Al Jalila Foundation, today I can strengthen my Foundation’s commitment to reduce heart diseases. Through this alliance with IDOVEN and its artificial intelligence, we will achieve more accessible health and a healthier population in the UAE.”

Dr Manuel Marina Breysse, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of IDOVEN SL, said: “At IDOVEN, we are proud to collaborate with Al Jalila Foundation and Fundación Iker Casillas bringing our cardiac technology to the UAE. It is our belief that this project will contribute to the health and wellbeing of the country’s diverse population to support the UAE’s national healthcare strategy and its drive to deliver innovative healthcare programmes to its people.”

Since its inception in 2013, Al Jalila Foundation has led opportunities to increase innovative and impactful medical research investing AED28 million to award 100 research grants and nine international research fellowships to discover solutions for the region’s biggest health challenges: cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, mental health and emerging diseases.  In 2021, Mohammed Bin Rashid Medical Research Institute, a subsidiary of Al Jalila Foundation, pledged AED 8 million annual funding to Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences to advance biomedical research.

Stories of Hope

Battle Cancer leads the fight against cancer

Al Jalila Foundation was delighted to be the charity partner of the first Battle Cancer CrossFit Challenge in Dubai which brought together athletes of all abilities in the fight against cancer.

Battle Cancer Dubai is a one-day fitness challenge for teams of four which incorporates teamwork, high-intensity cardio, functional fitness and accessible weights. The teams were encouraged to raise as much funds possible for their chosen cancer charity and those who raised more received higher scores.

The global fitness fundraising challenge in partnership with XDubai and endorsed by the Dubai Sports Council took place at NAS Sports Complex. The participants were surprised with a visit from His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, a sports enthusiast himself, who cheered on the teams as they competed for the top prize.

In the inaugural UAE edition of Battle Cancer the athletes and participants raised an incredible AED 120,000 for Al Jalila Foundation to support cancer research and treatment while spreading hope that the disease can be beaten. As a token of appreciation ‘Battle Cancer’ was added to Bassmat Rashid Bin Saeed donor recognition wall marking their dedication to winning the battle against cancer.

Since establishment in 2017, Battle Cancer has demonstrated an incredible commitment to promote cancer awareness through sport and has raised almost AED 12 million for more than 50 cancer charities across the world.

Battle Cancer founder and director, Scott Britton, said: “We share XDubai’s ethos that being active is a life choice and that pushing yourself is the challenge. Everyone has been touched by cancer in some way and Battle Cancer connects a supportive community united with fun, fitness and philanthropy.”

Plans are already underway for the 2023 edition of Battle Cancer…stay tuned for more details.

Press Release

Dubai to launch first robotic biobank in the UAE to advance medical research and discovery

Al Jalila Foundation, a member of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, announced that it will establish the UAE’s first robotic biobank, in partnership with the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). The collaboration is set to advance medical research in the areas of genetic disorders, cancer and other chronic diseases and pandemics.

Set to open in 2023 with a capacity to manage seven million specimens, the biobank will be one of the world’s largest in terms of sample capacity. The facility will be located at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Medical Research Institute, part of Al Jalila Foundation, in Dubai Healthcare City.

Due to the vital role biobanks play in progressing research and advancing medical discovery, the biobank will become an indispensable resource for the new Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital and other healthcare facilities in the UAE to conduct research and offer effective treatment.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Al Jalila Foundation Board of Trustees, said: “Access to genetic and imaging data through biobanks is driving forward pioneering approaches to analysis that would have been impossible just a few years ago. The launch of the UAE’s first robotic biobank reflects Dubai’s commitment to strengthening the capabilities of the healthcare sector and advancing efforts to improve people’s health. The biobank will serve as a major contributor to the advancement of modern medicine and will enable scientific discoveries that will help enhance the health and wellbeing of the community.”

A biobank is a place to store all types of human biological samples, such as blood, tissue, cells, or body fluids. It also stores data related to the samples as well as other biomolecular resources that can be used in health research. Biobanks have become an important resource in medical research, supporting many types of contemporary research like genomics and personalised medicine, and the development of diagnostics and therapeutics.

Her Excellency Dr Raja Easa Al Gurg, Chairperson of Al Jalila Foundation Board of Directors and Member of the Board of Trustees, said: “Biobanking is a game-changer for healthcare and will revolutionise medical research, leading to better outcomes for patient treatment. The biobank will provide an opportunity for people in the community and researchers to work together to build a better, healthier future for generations to come. Scientific progress will shape the nation’s economy by influencing our knowledge about human health, disease, therapeutics, personalised medicine, and more.”

Al Jalila Foundation is investing AED17 million to build a state-of-the-art facility and will manage seven million human biological materials. An automated, robotic, Artificial Intelligence based system will ensure biological samples are secured in cryogenic storage (below 80 degree Celsius) maintaining proper sample integrity and retrieval.

Dr Abdulkareem Sultan Al Olama, CEO of Al Jalila Foundation, said: “Biorepositories are places where you can store patient samples and really serve as a hub of collaboration between scientists for doing either population health studies, or looking at cohorts of patients who have specific diseases, and trying to find better therapeutics and diagnostics to treat patients and save lives.”

Patient confidentiality will be a priority in line with UAE’s laws and regulations. The biological and medical data will be used by scientists for research to make new discoveries about common and life-threatening diseases such as cancer, heart disease and stroke in order to improve public health.

Professor Alawi Alsheikh-Ali, Deputy Director-General of the Dubai Health Authority said: “The establishment of the robotic biobank is a clear reflection of Dubai’s vision for advancing healthcare and being at the forefront of discovery. I am confident the planned biobank will bring significant value to the healthcare system in Dubai and the region. It is a clear example of how the integration of care with discovery, supported by advancement, can set the foundation for better outcomes for our current and future patients.”

The UAE’s diverse population, with people from varied ethnicities and nationalities, will provide a valuable platform for comparative studies on genetic, environmental, nutritional habits and behavioral aspects. Biobanks can give researchers access to data representing a large number of people. Samples in biobanks and the data derived from those samples can often be used by multiple researchers for cross-purpose research studies.

The UAE’s first robotic biobank will attract strategic collaboration opportunities with key healthcare authorities and partners across the region and globally. The collaborations will support pioneering biomedical research and accelerate medical discoveries to transform patients’ lives.

It will operate in the best practices in biobanking and adhere to the highest compliance regulations and ethical standards for the collection, processing, storage and analysis of biological samples and data for research into genetic and environmental factors that impact on human health and disease.

Research Matters, Stories of Hope, Uncategorized

Pioneering breast cancer research gives hope

In the UAE, breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women and constitutes around 40% of all female cancers. In addition to the rising incidence, another cause for concern is the advanced stage at presentation with the majority of women in the UAE diagnosed under the age of 40 with advanced stage of breast cancer.

To tackle this important issue, Al Jalila Foundation awarded a research grant to Professor Rifat Hamoudi from the University of Sharjah with the aim to understand ‘the role HER2, Estrogen and Progesterone receptors and PI3 kinase in breast cancer pathogenesis to provide deeper understanding of how the interplay of those biomarkers can initiate breast cancer and later lead to more aggressive forms of breast cancer in patients’. Understanding the underlying mechanism, pathogenesis can potentially discover therapies that can prevent the progression of the disease.

The study developed a pioneering technique by merging methods from classical pathology, molecular biology, mathematics, computer science and advanced bioinformatics to understand the role of progesterone receptor on breast cancer pathogenesis.

In summary, the research project led to the identification of various diagnostic, prognostic and potentially therapeutic biomarkers for breast cancer, facilitating the development and implementation of personalised medicine including prevention, early diagnosis and targeted combination therapy approaches giving hope to patients.

Stories of Hope, Uncategorized

Mother helps son with autism realise his full potential

According to the World Health Organization an estimated one in 160 children worldwide has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

To support families of children with autism in the UAE, Al Jalila Foundation’s Ta’alouf Parents Training program equips parents with the best possible tools to nurture their children of determination.

Iman, mother of 13-year-old Mohamad who has autism, attended Ta’alouf training in 2019 as she was eager to support her son to live to his full potential.

The program was able to offer her great insights on how best to communicate with her son and how to solve the problems that parents face with autistic children. Positive behaviour in education, skill development and self-protection were some of the key discussions and lectures from the program that Iman was able to apply in her family’s everyday life.

Iman cannot recommend the program enough, “The Ta’alouf program was inspiring. It provided new strategies which I was able to apply daily to support my son to flourish. Through the program, I learned a lot, and it gave me immense hope to focus on my child’s abilities and strengths.”

To date, Al Jalila Foundation has trained 521 parents and families of children with autism.

Stories of Hope, Uncategorized

Muhammad has a second chance at life

In May 2018, 2½ year old Muhammad was diagnosed with acute blood cancer (leukemia). Muhammad’s parents were devastated to learn of their toddler’s diagnosis and although there was hope that the disease was treatable, the family’s medical insurance was insufficient to cover the cost. More funds were needed to undergo Muhammad’s full medical plan and his parents were steadfast in their commitment to provide the best possible treatment for their son.

Undeterred by circumstance, his parents reached out to various channels for support and with the help of Al Jalila Foundation the case was supported by long standing partner, Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) who lead a company-wide fundraising campaign to raise the much-needed funds to facilitate Muhammad’s lifesaving treatment.

Muhammad’s parents are filled with appreciation, “We cannot express enough how grateful and respectful we are of the UAE community. At a time when we were losing hope and needed help, our community lifted us up and pulled together to save our son. We are forever grateful.”

With the generosity and support of donors and his incredible medical team, today, 6-year-old Muhammad is in remission. He is a happy, energetic young boy who received a second chance.

Stories of Hope, Uncategorized

Deutsche Bank empowers children of determination

Through its global ‘Born to Be’ youth engagement programme, Deutsche Bank’s Middle East Foundation is continuously working to change the lives and prospects of the next generation in the region. Because every young person deserves the chance to become who they were born to be.

As part of this initiative, Deutsche Bank supported the 8th cohort of Ta’alouf Teachers Training program by Al Jalila Foundation, equipping 65 teachers in the UAE with the necessary skills to empower children of determination in their classrooms.

The Ta’alouf program was born out of the principle that every child, no matter their ability, has enormous potential and it must be channeled to empower the child to live a happy and productive life regardless of their abilities.

Our CEO Dr Abdulkareem Al Olama was delighted to welcome Loïc Voide, Deutsche Bank Co-CEO of Middle East and Africa and Chairman of Deutsche Bank Middle East Foundation, to Al Jalila Foundation to have their name engraved on Bassmat Rashid Bin Saeed donor recognition wall alongside fellow champions of hope.

Deutsche Bank is a wonderful example of how multinational corporations can make a positive impact by joining forces with a local non-profit to transform lives in the community.

Stories of Hope

Working together to ‘beat diabetes’

According to the World Health Organization, at least 422 million people worldwide have diabetes, and 1.5 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes each year.

For over a decade, Landmark Group has been leading the fight against diabetes in the region and in 2019 was honoured with the first Sports Imprint Award by Dubai Crown Prince, HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Al Jalila Foundation is proud to be the charity partner for the month-long Landmark Group ‘Beat Diabetes’ initiative that raises funds across its outlets in the UAE and then matches the donations raised dirham-for-dirham to double the amount collected to support diabetes research. In addition to fundraising, the annual Beat Diabetes Walk brings together over 10,000 participants to educate the public about the condition.

Diabetes is a crippling but preventable disease and unfortunately many patients are unable to get the treatment they need. This year, Landmark Group has committed to support Al Jalila Foundation’s A’awen treatment program with a pledge of AED5 million to help patients.

Renuka Jagtiani, Chairwoman and CEO of the Landmark Group, is passionate about the cause, “We have been committed to the fight against diabetes for more than a decade and our pledge is a vital step towards ensuring easier access to life-saving treatment for those who need it.”

Research Matters, Stories of Hope

Improving treatment for liver cancer

Liver cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide and incidence is increasing dramatically in the Gulf region.

As treatment options are limited Al Jalila Foundation awarded a research grant to Dr Kirsten Sadler Edepli from New York University Abu Dhabi who is looking at targeting the epigenetic changes and genomic instability that occurs in hepatocellular carcinoma as a promising avenue for developing new therapies.

The research aims to provide an understanding of how epigenetic changes lead to cancer. The team focus on the epigenetic regulator and oncogene, UHRF1, which is overexpressed in all human solid tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma.

Using zebrafish to decipher how UHRF1 causes cancer by overexpressing UHRF1 in hepatocytes, this model enables investigation into how precancerous cells develop, and how they are converted to malignant, tumor forming cells.

The study found that UHRF1 overexpression activates senescence as a tumor suppressive mechanism and stops hepatocyte proliferation, accompanied by the activation of DNA damage repair mechanisms.  DNA damage response is required for senescence induction and a pro-inflammatory immune signature and the recruitment of immune cells to the pre-cancerous liver tissue may halt tumor growth by eliminating cells damaged by high levels of UHRF1. Unfortunately, senescence can be bypassed so that precancerous cells can develop into cancer. Cells which are damaged by UHRF1 overexpression become malignant and form tumors. The investigation in the mechanism of senescence bypass continues, which is an important area to target to prevent pre-cancerous lesions from developing into tumors.

To learn more about this study please click here.