Qatar University Researcher Among Six Arab Women Honoured by L'Oréal-UNESCO

Qatar University PhD researcher Hadeel Tarik Zedan has been recognised among six Arab women honoured at the 13th edition of the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Middle East Programme. The awards ceremony took place in Dubai on Thursday, 22 October 2026, recognising projects addressing healthcare, infectious diseases, water security and environmental sustainability.

The ceremony was held at the SEE Institute in The Sustainable City in partnership with Khalifa University of Science and Technology, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM). Zedan was recognised for research exploring new antiviral approaches against coronavirus variants.

Qatar University Researcher Exploring Antiviral Treatments

Zedan's project investigates an antiviral treatment delivered through the nose, using RNA interference and lipid nanoparticles. In an interview published by Arab News on 24 October, she described research aimed at targeting coronaviruses and other emerging respiratory viruses, potentially complementing existing vaccines.

RNA interference is a technique used to reduce the activity of specific genes, while lipid nanoparticles can be investigated as carriers for delivering biological material. The proposed treatment is a research-stage approach. The available reports do not establish that it has been proven effective in patients, completed clinical trials or received regulatory approval.

Zedan's association with Qatar University is independently supported by published academic work. Studies indexed in PubMed, including research on tests for SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies and human herpesvirus-8 among blood donors in Qatar, list the university's Biomedical Research Center and College of Health Sciences among her affiliations. Those publications document her wider research background and should not be mistaken for clinical validation of the award-recognised project.

Six Researchers Honoured Across the Region

The other researchers recognised in 2026 were Alaa Mansour Almushaikeh and Dr Aljawharah Alrubayyi, both affiliated with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia; Jawaher Alhammadi of Khalifa University and Dr Marieh Bassam Al Handawi of New York University Abu Dhabi in the UAE; and Dr Sara Al Araimi of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences in Oman.

Their research explores advanced materials that could improve X-ray imaging, immune responses to viral infections, cell-membrane models for personalised medicine, techniques inspired by desert plants to collect moisture from the air, and biological approaches to wastewater treatment and resource recovery. These remain research areas with potential future applications, rather than established medical or environmental solutions.

The six recipients were selected by an 11-member scientific jury chaired by Professor Marie Abboud. According to WAM, since the regional initiative launched in 2014, it has supported 69 women researchers with grants exceeding AED 4 million. The programme's published rules support early-career doctoral and postdoctoral researchers across Gulf countries and Yemen.

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