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Khalifa University’s RIC2D and Partners Join A.J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute to Launch Research Project on MXene for Water and Healthcare

Three-Year Project Aims to Achieve Industrial Production by 2028

 

Khalifa University of Science and Technology’s Research & Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC2D) along with partners at the University of Padua (Italy), and Carbon-Ukraine (Ukraine), are working together with the Drexel University’s A.J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute and the Department of Materials Science & Engineering to develop methodologies for MXene production. The project will focus on two important applications: water desalination and advanced biomedical analysis.

 

The project titled “Commercial MXene manufacturing toward technology innovations in the UAE and beyond,” (MX-Innovation), is led by Professor Yury Gogotsi, Charles T. and Ruth M. Bach Distinguished Professor of Materials Science & Engineering, and Director of the A.J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute. MX-Innovation is one of three projects under RIC2D’s inaugural call. The three-year project will aim to achieve industrial production by 2028.

 

Professor Gogotsi said: “We are thrilled to begin work on this exciting project. Exploring these MXene applications at a greater scale will certainly expand the capabilities of this family of materials and offer vital opportunities to people in need of more drinking water, and cell labeling and tracking for crucial clinical research and medical diagnostics. This study is timely and further emphasizes the importance of the work we are doing with MXenes.”

 

Professor Hassan Arafat, Senior Director, RIC2D, said: “The partnership between Khalifa University and Drexel University is well-aligned, as both institutions share a strong focus on commercializing the research. Ultimately, RIC2D in the UAE will serve as the hub for deploying these innovative MXene-based technologies—advancing potable water production and cell tracking capabilities. These solutions are critically important for the UAE and the broader region, and the project promises to deliver meaningful global impact.”

 

The global partnership also brings together Professor Ekaterina Pomerantseva (US), and Khalifa University faculty Professor Lucia Gemma Delogu (Italy and the UAE), Dr. Ahsan Ul Haq Qurashi, Dr. Anna Maria Pappa, Dr. Faisal AlMarzooqi, and Dr. Emad Alhseinat (UAE), with Dr. Laura Fusco (Italy), Dr. Veronika Zahorodna and Dr. Oleksiy Gogotsi (Ukraine), to tackle important issues impacting many communities worldwide.

 

Water desalination and biomedical applications are among the fields in which MXenes have shown great promise. Developing tailored 2D materials to produce drinking water from high-salinity seawater from the Arabian Gulf or brackish water, and support clinical research through ‘Cytometry by Time-of-Flight’, a disruptive technology already replacing flow cytometry in clinical settings, is the focus of this study.

 

Production of MXene with the composition and properties required in these applications is a necessity to carry this project through to a successful outcome. For MX-Innovation, the aim is to develop production methodologies for two specific purposes, whilst paving the way to producing MXenes at a commercial scale.

 

RIC2D was established in 2022 at Khalifa University to foster scientific exploration, development and commercialization of graphene and other novel materials that will have a positive impact on both the UAE and the global civilization.

 

 

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Khalifa University’s Master’s Program in HSE Engineering Goes Fully Online from Fall 2025

Designed for Engineers Seeking in-Demand Expertise in Health, Safety and Environmental Areas

 

Khalifa University of Science and Technology today announced its Master of Engineering program in Health, Safety and Environmental Engineering (MEng in HSE Engineering) will be available fully online from Fall 2025, to help practicing engineers and graduates enhance their expertise with such specialties.

 

The online MEng in HSE Engineering will offer concentrations in Fire Protection, Process Safety, and Radiation Protection, and will equip professionals to assess and manage risk, devise optimal engineering and operational solutions, and ensure compliance with regulatory mandates and industry best practices.

 

Professor Bayan Sharif, Provost, Khalifa University, said: “The fully online MEng in HSE Engineering reflects our commitment to offering strategically relevant programs that remain critical to the regional and global workplace requirements. As a research and enterprise-oriented higher education institution, our objective is to offer the community initiatives that help build capacities while creating awareness on environment and safety. We believe the graduates that will come through this program will significantly contribute to not only the economic progress but also the overall well-being of the society.”

 

Graduates of the MEng in Health, Safety, and Environment Engineering will be equipped to design water and wastewater systems that ensure clean, safe water by eliminating harmful bacteria and viruses. As environmental and safety concerns grow worldwide, demand for these specialists is expected to rise. In addition to environmental protection, their expertise in fire engineering is critical for designing systems and protocols that prevent, detect, and control fires in industrial and public settings. Health and Safety Engineers play a key role in protecting lives, infrastructure, and the environment through risk reduction and sustainable planning. They are also trained to assess hazards, report findings, and develop innovative, science-based solutions to complex safety and environmental challenges.

 

In addition, health and safety engineers will be able to design machinery and equipment which improve human health or prevent diseases, assisting in waste disposal, improving pollution control measures, as well as in developing methods of cleaning up existing hazards.

 

Learn more about the program here. 

 

Clarence Michael
English Editor – Specialist  

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Mapping the Emotional Landscape of Speech with Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence models for detecting emotions in speech conversations show promise but may still be getting mixed signals

 

Listen now to explore the profound implications of AI’s emotional intelligence.

 

Artificial intelligence is getting better at interpreting how we feel — at least in theory. Emotion recognition from speech, once mere science fiction, is now central to emerging tools in mental health, customer service, and virtual assistants. But a new study from Khalifa University suggests these systems may not be as emotionally fluent as we think. 

 

 

Ghada Alhussein, Ioannis Ziogas, Shiza Saleem and Prof. Leontios Hadjileontiadis, all from Khalifa University’s Department of Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology, published a systematic review and meta-analysis in Artificial Intelligence Review, analyzing 51 studies from 2010 to 2023. They found major discrepancies in how emotions are labelled, the types of data used, and how algorithms are tested. 

 

 

The field, known as Speech Emotion Recognition in Conversations (SERC), uses AI to identify emotions in human speech. These tools have potential applications in areas like mental health monitoring, human-computer interaction, and call center analytics. But the research finds that while accuracy has improved — especially with the use of deep learning and self-supervised models — bias and methodological issues remain unresolved. 

 

 

One major finding is that datasets often use inconsistent or poorly defined emotional labels. Some studies use categorical models (e.g. happy or angry), while others adopt dimensional models based on valence (positive vs. negative) and arousal (calm vs. excited). This inconsistency leads to confusion for algorithms trying to learn emotional patterns. Even the best AI systems can’t outperform the quality of the labels they’re trained on. 

 

 

Then, there’s the issue of realism. Many datasets used to train AI on emotion are based on acted speech: people pretending to be angry, sad, or cheerful. While easier to collect and label, these examples don’t always reflect how emotions actually sound in real conversations. The review found that most studies used scripted or acted datasets, which can produce inflated performance metrics that don’t translate to real-world settings. 

 

Dr. Nilesh

“Emotion recognition by AI is not just a technical challenge – it’s a question of how we define, experience and communicate feelings. That makes data quality just as important as model architecture.”

— Dr. Leontios Hadjileontiadis, Khalifa University.

 

 

Despite these challenges, technical improvements are helping. Newer models based on self-supervised learning show promise in extracting emotion-relevant features from speech, even with limited labelled data. Hybrid approaches that combine hand-crafted and deep features also tend to perform better. Still, this review makes it clear that model sophistication alone isn’t enough. Performance depends heavily on dataset quality, the realism of the speech samples, and the clarity of the emotional categories. 

 

 

“We see strong potential for AI in emotion recognition,” Prof. Hadjileontiadis said. “But the field needs to address foundational issues — particularly in how emotions are defined, labelled, and measured — if we want these systems to be both accurate and applicable.”

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Khalifa University Honors Top 10 Academic Achievers in UAE with Full Scholarships for Undergraduate Studies

Initiative in Line with Acknowledging Talented Students and Developing UAE’s Future Change Makers

 

Khalifa University of Science and Technology today honored the UAE’s top 10 academic achievers from grade 12, offering full scholarship for undergraduate studies and providing a platform that will help them transition into the next phase of their academic journey.

 

 

During a ceremony organized at the University’s Main Campus, His Excellency Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri, President, Khalifa University, welcomed the students and their families and honored them with recognition for their achievements.

 

 

His Excellency Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri said: “We are delighted to honor the top 10 academic achievers in the UAE, demonstrating our status as an institution that nurtures the UAE’s future change makers and acknowledging talented students. The UAE’s top-ranked Khalifa University believes in effectively attracting the top talents and by honoring these students we provide them with an opportunity to become full-fledged future leaders.”

 

 

The students were later taken on a tour of campus facilities such as the Khalifa University Center for Autonomous Robotics Systems (KU-CARS), the Advanced Research and Innovation Center that focuses on aerospace, the Khalifa University Space Technology and Innovation Lab (KUSTIL), the Advanced Robotics Lab for Marine Studies and Research – equipped with wave and stream generation facilities.

 

Clarence Michael 
English Editor – Specialist 

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Khalifa University and National Center of Meteorology Sign MoU to Strengthen Scientific Collaboration

Joint Research, Knowledge Exchange, and Development of Future Initiatives Aim to Serve National Priorities

 

Khalifa University of Science and Technology announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Center of Meteorology (NCM) to cooperate across a range of scientific, academic, and technical fields.

 

The MoU was signed by His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Ahmed Al Mandous, Director-General,  National Center of Meteorology and Permanent Representative of UAE with World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and His Excellency Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri, President, Khalifa University. The MoU facilitates collaboration in joint research, knowledge exchange, and the development of future initiatives aligned with mutual interests and national priorities.

 

His Excellency Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri said: “Khalifa University is proud to continue playing a key role in national initiatives that combine academic excellence with real-world impact. Through closer cooperation with the National Center of Meteorology, we aim to deepen our contributions in areas such as climate science, polar research, and atmospheric technologies. This collaboration represents a step forward in aligning the scientific efforts of both institutions, reinforcing the UAE’s ambition to lead in environmental research, innovation, and global collaboration.”

 

His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Ahmed Al Mandous, Director General, NCM, said: “This partnership with Khalifa University reflects our shared commitment to advancing scientific excellence and developing solutions to address climate and environmental challenges. By combining our operational expertise with the University’s academic capabilities, we are paving the way for impactful research, technological innovation, and the development of national talent to support the UAE’s long-term sustainability goals.”

 

Through this MoU, Khalifa University and the NCM aim to explore opportunities for conducting joint scientific studies, exchanging expertise, providing consulting services, hosting academic and technical events, and implementing joint training and development programs.

 

Khalifa University and NCM already collaborate in key research areas including polar science, cloud seeding, and drone technology. Researchers from Khalifa University have actively participated in NCM-led workshops, and both entities are currently co-developing proposals that apply drone-based systems to environmental and meteorological research.

 

Alisha Roy
Science Writer

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Khalifa University and Knowledge E to Organise AI Futures Summit in Abu Dhabi

Abstracts Submission Deadline is 27 July 

 

Khalifa University of Science and Technology and Knowledge E, today announced a partnership for the AI Futures Summit: Empowering Higher Education, taking place on 24–25 September 2025 at Khalifa University’s state-of-the-art Main Campus in Abu Dhabi. This summit is designed as a response to the urgent need to equip higher education professionals with the tools and insights necessary to thrive in an increasingly AI-driven academic landscape.

 

 

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape research methodologies and knowledge dissemination, the AI Futures Summit: Empowering Higher Education will delve into current trends, challenges, and opportunities presented by AI. The conference is intended for higher education leadership, researchers, faculty, librarians, graduate students, and academic professionals seeking to navigate and collaborate with AI in academia.

 

 

Professor Bayan Sharif, Provost, Khalifa University said: “As a leading institution driving innovation in artificial intelligence, through education and research, Khalifa University is proud  to collaborate with Knowledge E for the AI Futures Summit: Empowering Higher Education. This partnership demonstrates our shared commitment to advancing the responsible development of AI technologies, empowering the next generation of scientists in the UAE and the region, contributing to the UAE’s status as global leader in digital transformation.” 

 

 

Key themes and sessions include ‘AI in Teaching and Learning’ strategies for integrating AI technologies into curriculum design and assessment to enhance educational experiences, ‘Ethical and Sustainable AI’ addressing the ethical and societal implications of AI in education, including privacy, security, and environmental considerations, ‘Institutional AI Use Cases’ showcasing practical applications of AI in research repositories, data management, learning management systems, and institutional operations, and ‘Industry Partnerships’ for fostering collaborations between universities and corporations to solidify student experiences and drive innovation.

 

 

The organising committee invites everyone to submit their abstracts related to the summit’s themes. Preference will be given to case studies demonstrating innovative AI collaborations in higher education institutions. The submission deadline is 27 July 2025. Accepted speakers will receive a full waiver of the conference registration fees.

 

Organisations interested in sponsoring the AI Futures Summit: Empowering Higher Education can choose from various packages, including digital sponsorships, exhibitor tables, social events, and speaking opportunities. 

 

 

Further information about the AI Futures Summit can be found on the Summit, Knowledge E and Khalifa University’s social media channels as well as the conference website: https://aifuturessummit.com, while requests and questions can be directed to events@knowledgee.com

 

Clarence Michael
English Editor – Specialist 

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Khalifa University Showcases Sustainable and Smart Technologies at Al Ain Emirates Agriculture Conference and Exhibition 2025 

Innovations Cover Vertical Farming, Smart Greenhouse, Plant-Based Biomedical Solutions, and Microalgae Farming with AI 

 

Khalifa University showcased several sustainable and smart agriculture technologies, vertical farming, and plant-based innovations in biomedical field at the Emirates Agriculture Conference and Exhibition 2025, organized under the ‘Plant the Emirates’ National Program. 

 

The Emirates Agriculture Conference and Exhibition was   held from 28 – 31 May at ADNEC Centre Al Ain, gathering farmers, investors, experts, government agencies, and scientific research institutions, contributing to the exchange of knowledge and expertise in sustainable agriculture. The Khalifa University pavilion, located in the ‘Schools and Universities Zone’, featured the latest innovative solutions customized and designed for the farm sector growth. 

 

Professor Bayan Sharif, Provost, Khalifa University, said: “Our participation in the first Emirates Agriculture Conference and Exhibition illustrates our commitment to creating sustainable agricultural solutions in line with the UAE’s strategic vision to support the local agricultural sector and promote sustainable national food security. The vertical farming techniques from our Food Security and Technology Center (FSTC) and the Khalifa University AgX research facility are some of the advanced technologies we continue to develop to assist in smart and sustainable agriculture. Through these advanced solutions we aim to seek wider industry partnerships that will help contribute to the UAE’s national objectives.” 

 

Some of the projects on display at the Khalifa University stand focused on smart greenhouses with light-heat-water management, agricultural co-products up-cycling for achieving circular bioeconomy, and smart microalgae farming with the use of AI and IoT. 

 

The biomedical initiatives are strategically aligned to promote healthy longevity through nature-derived interventions. These include plasma-enhanced plant extracts and microalgae for accelerated wound healing, nanoparticle delivery of plant-derived phenolic compounds for targeted anticancer and anti-Alzheimer therapies, plant-based nutraceutical formulations for anti-aging and Vitamin D supplementation, and the development of seaweed-enriched dietary regimens to support metabolic health and long-term wellness. 

 

The Khalifa University AgX, part of FSTC, aims to accelerate innovation cycles in controlled environment agriculture (CEA), commercialize new agricultural products suited for extreme environments, and address challenges in seed availability and greenhouse integration. It also plans to develop high-value crops for commercial viability, while testing new agricultural technology innovations for food security applications. 

 

Clarence Michael
English Editor – Specialist 

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Khalifa University Student Team Wins Top Award at 19th IEEE UAE Student Day Senior Design Project Competition  

Proof-of-Concept Indoor Drone System with Computer Vision and AI Can Detect, Verify, and Count Warehouse Assets

 

A Khalifa University  team of four students has won the top award in the ‘Computing and Robotics’ category under the Senior Design Project (SDP) Competition at the 19th IEEE UAE Student Day for an indoor drone system designed to detect, verify, and count warehouse assets using computer vision and AI.

 

The team included Sahlah Adesina, Aaminah Arif, Rahika Roza, and Tasneem Ahmed, while Dr. Reyad El-Khazali, Dr. Mihai Sanduleanu and Dr. Sean Swei offered mentorship, and technical guidance. More than 330 students from 58 academic institutions participated in the IEEE UAE Student Day at the University of Dubai, making it one of the largest student technology expos in the world.

 

The fully functional proof-of-concept custom-built manually piloted drone system has been successfully tested for stable indoor flight, and is equipped with onboard sensors, an AI camera, and a Raspberry Pi – a versatile, single-board and low-cost computer. The solution stands out for its portability and the use of AI.

 

The drone also includes YOLOv8-based (You Only Look Once – YOLO series of real-time object detection algorithms) models for detecting normal and damaged boxes, as well as QR/barcodes, with over 95% Mean Average Precision (mAP). In addition, it also has a full-stack web dashboard with real-time video feed and inventory tracking, supporting scans with less than three-second latency that is crucial for real-time applications.

 

Dr. Reyad El-Khazali said: “Congratulations to our students for winning the top award in the category and demonstrating Khalifa University’s role as a higher education institution of scientific excellence. It was also an incredible experience to showcase our students’ senior design project among some of the most innovative and inspiring student work across the country. From AI-powered healthcare systems to sustainable tech and cutting-edge robotics, the level of creativity and technical excellence at each booth was truly motivating.”

 

Clarence Michael 
English Editor – Specialist 

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Officials from Central Banks and Global Financial Institutions Gather at Khalifa University to Discuss Critical Role of Cybersecurity and AI

Representatives from Khalifa University, UAE Central Bank, UAE Cyber Security Council, Italian Central Bank, and University of Bologna Share Perspectives

 

Khalifa University of Science and Technology and the UAE Cybersecurity Council today announced senior leaders from global banking and finance sector including central banks, financial institutions, and the academia gathered at Khalifa University for discussions on the critical importance of cybersecurity within the financial ecosystem. The event was co-organized with the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) and the Bank of Italy (Banca d’Italia-BDI).

 

The event titled ‘Cybersecurity and Resilience in the Financial Sector’ at Khalifa University Main Campus featured distinguished speakers from CBUAE, BDI, the UAE Cyber Security Council, Khalifa University’s College for Computing and Mathematical Sciences, the University of Bologna and CERTfin. The public-private cooperative initiative aimed at increasing the cyber resilience of the Italian financial sector.

 

The event included keynote sessions, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, offering a platform for knowledge exchange and potential collaboration.

 

It started with welcome addresses from His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of UAE Cyber Security Council, H.E. Lorenzo Fanara, Ambassador of Italy to the UAE, H.E. Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri, President of Khalifa University, and Claudio Impenna, Head of the Market and Payment System Oversight directorate at Banca d’Italia.

 

The keynote titled ‘Cyber threat in the financial sector – trends, challenges, and responses’, was delivered by Professor Ernesto Damiani, Dean of the College of Computing and Mathematical Sciences. It focused on bridging academic research with practical applications, offering a forward-looking perspective on technological advancements in financial cybersecurity with a focus on Artificial Intelligence and machine learning.

 

H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government, said: “The relentless evolution in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence places the financial sector on the frontlines against escalating cyberattacks and complex regulatory demands—particularly surgically targeted ransomware, AI-powered fraud networks, and emerging threats. Our challenge extends beyond asset protection to maintaining trust amid the fragile equilibrium between innovation and security. This demands AI-driven defense systems and radical cross-sector collaboration.”

 

H.E. Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri, President, Khalifa University, said: “Khalifa University is privileged to host an event of this stature with central bankers and security experts to highlight the ever-expanding role of AI in the global banking and finance sector. This gathering also reflects the significance of cybersecurity and its integral part in blocking data breaches and protecting against financial losses, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties. We believe the discussions and knowledge sharing resulting from this event will positively impact policy-makers and facilitate the implementation of robust cyber security measures incorporating AI to safeguard financial assets.”

 

Thabet Bakheet Khamis, Chief Risk Officer at the Central Bank of the UAE, delivered a talk on ‘CBUAE experience in fostering Cybersecurity in the financial sector and lead a panel discussion on ‘Cybersecurity regulations and supervisory practices’. 

 

Gino Giambelluca, Head of Payment Systems and Infrastructures oversight division at Banca d’Italia and BdI representative in the steering committee of CERTFin, delivered a talk on ‘Strengthening cyber resilience of the European financial ecosystem – policy, regulation and risk mitigation strategies’. 

 

Professor Jorge Zubelli, Chair of the Department of Mathematics at Khalifa University, highlighted the University’s research for robust data analytics and AI in the financial sector.

 

Mario Trinchera, Chief Information Security Officer at ABI Lab. And manager of CERTfin cybersecurity operations, offered a presentation on public-private and cross-sector collaboration, covering threat intelligence and information sharing, cyber training, as well as the best practices and risk assessment tools. 

 

Professor Michele Colajanni, University of Bologna, delivered a talk on ‘Innovation in cyber threat and response: How AI can improve the security of the financial sector’. 

 

The Italian Central Bank’s Luca De Angelis led a session on ‘Enhancing Cyber Resilience through Threat-Led Penetration Testing’.

 

The closing panel on ‘Enhancing resilience and countering cyber frauds in the financial sector by leveraging the emerging technologies’, featured industrial presentations from the UAE and Italian companies. It was moderated by BdI’s Claudio Impenna. Industrial presenters will include representatives from Italy’s cybersecurity and cryptographic solutions provider Telsy, and the UAE companies of the CyberE71 program of the Cyber Security Council.

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Khalifa University Links Game Design and UN SDGs in 3rd Annual E-Gaming Competition  

Undergraduate Students Turn Coding Skills into Tools for Real-World Impact 

 

Khalifa University hosted its 3rd Sustainability and Social Responsibility E-Gaming Competition at the Main Campus that brought together a large number of undergraduate students across various teams to design digital games and applications that raise awareness of global issues linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

 

Organized by the University’s Center for Teaching and Learning, the competition marked the culmination of a month-long program integrating sustainability education with digital innovation. Participants attended several workshop sessions, covering game development, design, and programming, and received mentoring to support their projects. 

 

The competition challenged students to apply their technical and creative skills to develop interactive platforms that highlight environmental and social challenges. Game concepts addressed topics such as climate change, food security, water conservation, mental health, and inclusive education. 

 

E-gaming and digital technologies are increasingly seen as effective tools to promote sustainability and civic awareness. This initiative leveraged those tools to cultivate innovation, collaboration, and a deeper sense of global responsibility among students. 

 

Final projects were assessed based on creativity, technical execution, and potential impact. Winning team members included undergraduate students Mohammad Arwani and Abdulla Almehairbi from the Computer Science program who won first place for their project titled, ‘Eco Galaxy.’ In second place was the project ‘What the Island Gives’ which included six undergraduate students from the Computer Science and Industrial and Systems Engineering program, while the project titled ‘E-Coffee’ won the third place including two students from Computer Science. The winning projects were recognized for their ability to effectively communicate sustainability issues and engage users through digital storytelling and gameplay. 

 

The competition forms part of Khalifa University’s broader strategy to align academic and co-curricular experiences with the UN SDG framework, while equipping students with the tools to contribute meaningfully to global challenges. 

 

Dr. Ali Almansoori, Associate Provost for Education, and Professor, Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, Khalifa University, said: “We are delighted to witness the creativity and innovation demonstrated by our undergraduate students during this year’s Social Responsibility E-Gaming Competition. By integrating sustainability education with digital technologies, we empower Khalifa University students to become proactive agents of change, addressing critical global issues through interactive platforms. Initiatives like these not only enhance their technical skills but cultivate a deeper sense of global responsibility aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.” 

 

Alisha Roy 
Science Writer 

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Khalifa University Adjunct Faculty, First Arab to Win Prestigious 2025 Clinical Excellence Award from European Hematology Association 


Award Recognizes Professor Khaled Musallam’s Valuable Contributions and Pioneering Work on Thalassemia Treatment 

 

 

Khalifa University Adjunct Professor Khaled Musallam has won the 2025 Clinical Excellence Award from the European Hematology Association (EHA) for his achievements and commitment to clinical research​, with valuable contributions and pioneering work. 

 

 

The award was presented to him during the Opening Ceremony of the Association’s annual congress held in Milan, Italy. EHA is one of the largest hematology organizations in the world, promoting excellence in patient care, research, and education. 

 

 

Professor Musallam is also Group Chief Research Officer, Burjeel Holdings, and is based in Burjeel Medical City in Abu Dhabi. He is also the Founding Director of the Center for Research on Rare Blood Disorders (CR-RBD), Director of the Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Center, and Head of the Innovative Trials Unit at the Genetics and Rare Disease Center. In addition, Professor Musallam is Global Research Lead at Burjeel Institute for Global Health in New York and Adjunct Professor at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York. 

 

 

As a student, Professor Musallam focused his scientific inquiry on thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder characterized by chronic severe anemia. He has worked in both academia and industry across multiple organizations in Europe and the Middle East.  

 

 

Professor Musallam has fostered extensive collaborations both regionally and globally towards novel drug development. His work was mainly focused on setting up and leading large global datasets of individuals with thalassemia to identify the relationship between modifiable risk factors and long-term morbidity and mortality outcomes, which can be targeted by treatment optimization or novel therapies. 

 

 

Professor Musallam’s work helped characterize the various forms of thalassemia with respect to transfusion dependence, leading to a shift in patient categorization globally. His work enabled the medical community to notice the detrimental effects of untreated anemia in non-transfusion-dependent patients (NTDT), including serious complications and early death. This was the basis for the development of two novel disease-modifying therapies – luspatercept and mitapivat, the first-ever to target the underlying disease in these patients. The therapies have been evaluated in global clinical trials with extensive involvement from Professor Musallam as principal investigator. He is also a member of the steering committee, and key advisor for regulatory filing with the US Food and Drug Administration, and the European Medicines Agency. 

 

 

Professor Musallam’s studies were the first to provide clinical proof of principle on the correlation between iron overload and serious clinical complications of NTDT, affecting almost all organ systems. He identified thresholds which were later used on the design of oral iron chelation therapy (drugs that remove excess iron from the body) trials in NTDT and to define prescribing information and international management guideline recommendations for these agents. Collectively, his work provided a new treatment landscape for NTDT patients by uncovering these detrimental risk factors for poor patient outcomes and supporting the development of novel agents to address them. 

 

 

Professor Musallam has made various practice-changing contributions to advance knowledge in transfusion-dependent individuals (TDT) that has helped quantify the risk of suboptimal treatment and its impact. His studies linking natural increases in fetal hemoglobin level and favorable patient outcomes supported clinical proof of principle for advances in gene editing, which has recently become a reality.  

 

 

A highly respected author with over 230 publications in leading peer-reviewed international medical journals, Professor Musallam’s expert contributions remain amongst the most recognized and cited in the field. He is also the Editor of the first-ever NTDT management guidelines by the Thalassemia International Federation and the latest TDT management guidelines, which are the prime resources used by treating physicians worldwide for patient care.  

 

 

Professor Musallam said: “This award is a celebration of all the successful collaborations I have had throughout my career, especially with mentors and mentees who eventually became close colleagues and friends from all over the world. We were all joined by a single cause of improving the lives of patients living with a devastating disease. The support and resources made available to me in the UAE over the past five years have surely helped accelerate my research programs and allowed me to put our region on the international map of research and development. With the EHA award, we are inspired to keep the momentum going for advancing knowledge and discovering new treatment options.” 

 

Clarence Michael
English Editor – Specialist

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Khalifa University Soars 25 Slots to 177th Globally in QS World University Rankings 2026 

Top in UAE for Unprecedented Eight Consecutive Years, Leading in Faculty Student Ratio, and Research Citations   

 

Khalifa University of Science and Technology today announced it has jumped 25 places to be ranked 177th globally in the QS World University Rankings 2026, firmly securing a spot among the world’s top 200 universities. 

 

For eight consecutive years, Khalifa University has remained the top institution in the UAE, reinforcing its status as a national leader in higher education and research. In the 2026 edition, the University leads across several key indicators including 11th in the world for ‘International Faculty,’ top in UAE for ‘Citations per Faculty,’ and ‘Faculty Student Ratio’, affirming its leadership in attracting global talent and producing high-impact scientific research. 

The new QS rankings evaluated more than 8,467 universities from across 106 locations, with Khalifa University leading all 12 universities from the UAE, with a ‘Graduate Employment Rate’ of an impressive 94%. 

 

His Excellency Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri, President, Khalifa University, said: “As global academic and research landscape evolve, our consistent climb to reach the top 200 in the 2026 QS World University Rankings reinforces Khalifa University’s status as a driving force in science and technology, particularly among researchers and students seeking world-class opportunities closer to home. The 177th rank remains a testament to our faculty and students whose work continues to make a positive impact, while highlighting our global growing presence. Through our diverse academic community and our expanding international and regional industry collaborations, we are consistently contributing to meeting UAE’s ambitions in knowledge economy leadership.”