HBKU Researcher Among Four Finalists on Stars of Science

DOHA, Qatar, November 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Qatar-based finalist's innovative biomedical diagnostics kit impresses judges on Qatar Foundation's edutainment reality TV show 

Delighting a global audience throughout its tenth season, Qatar Foundation's (QF) Stars of Science decided its four grand finalists on Saturday, November 17, giving way for the jury and live audiences to vote for their favorite innovator with an equal 50/50 voting power. Nour Majbour, a research associate from Hamad Bin Khalifa University's (HBKU) Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), is competing as a Qatar-based finalist and is displaying her innovative strides in early Parkinson's disease (PD) diagnostics, which carry great entrepreneurial promise for the biotech industry in Qatar.

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A powerful champion for women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) worldwide, Majbour gained prominence with her innovative Parkinson's Early Detection Kit, which leverages naturally-occurring antibodies within the human immune system to identify biological signs of the onset of Parkinson's disease (PD). The kit utilizes antibodies that capture the form of protein that causes PD. PD is a neurodegenerative condition that affects about 10 million people worldwide, making it the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease.

A strategizer since early childhood, Majbour said: "Many years of chess games with my older brother have honed my patience and competitive spirit; and both became invaluable assets throughout my journey at Stars of Science. Taking my research from QBRI's laboratories to a global television audience meant that I had to adapt to a new level of visibility; however, I am honored that the jury recognized the value of my prototype and supported my ascent to the finale."

Respectively, Majbour plans to use her share to develop her kit for an up-and-coming Qatari biotech company that will seek to innovate new scientific tools to facilitate early diagnosis, treatment, and management of devastating diseases.

The show forms a microcosm of real-market conditions where an innovation is tested against certain parameters including prototype performance, industrial design and customer validation. Ultimately, her product's successful performance in each of these categories underpins the future marketability of her Parkinson's Early Detection Kit.