Thumbay International Research Grant 1st Cycle Concludes with Resounding Success: 192 Applications from 34 Universities, 14 Projects Awarded at Grand Ceremony in Ajman
Ajman, UAE– Gulf Medical University (GMU), Ajman, celebrated the outstanding success of the inaugural Thumbay International Research Grant (TIRG)at a grand award ceremony held on April 15, 2025, coinciding with GMU’s Annual Research Day. The groundbreaking initiative, supported by Thumbay Group UAE, attracted global attention for its mission to drive impactful healthcare research through international collaboration and innovation.
His Highness Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, was the Chief Guest and was reprasented by H.E Dr. Sheikh Majeed Bin saeed Al Nauimi, Chairman Rulers Court who personally awarded the research grants to the winners.
With an initial funding pool of AED 3 million, the grant was designed to support pioneering projects in key areas such as Precision Medicine, Drug Discovery and Cancer Immunology, Population Health related to Diabetes, Healthy Aging and Regenerative Medicine, AI, Informatics and Digital Transformation in Healthcare Management and Health Economics, and Innovation in Health Professions Education.
Dr. Thumbay Moideen, Founder of Gulf Medical University and President of Thumbay Group, reiterated the vision behind this initiative: “We launched this grant to transform Gulf Medical University into a hub for Research.” And he also announced that the total research grant will reach up to AED 10 million after three years, reinforcing the long-term commitment of fostering research excellence.
Prof. Manda Venkatramana, Acting Chancellor of Gulf Medical University, commented: “The grant has made an inspiring start, and the diversity and quality of submissions reflect GMU’s growing global reputation. We are proud to support research that has the potential to transform healthcare and elevate lives.”
The TIRG initiative continues to underscore GMU’s dedication to building international research partnerships and promoting a culture of innovation. It offers researchers across the globe a chance to collaborate with GMU’s academic community, cementing the university’s role as a regional leader in medical education and research.!
Prof. Saleem Chouib, Vice Chancellor – Research, Gulf Medical University, added that “The quality and originality of the selected research projects are truly exceptional, showcasing the innovative spirit of global academia. The Thumbay International Research Grant is a powerful catalyst for groundbreaking research and international collaboration.”
Institutes selected for the Thumbay International Research Grant 2025:
| Domain | Affiliation of the PI | Project Title |
| Health Profession | Harvard Medical School, Boston | Integrating Clinical Neurology Rx Bricks into Preclinical Neuroscience Education: Impact on Engagement, Learning Outcomes, and Neurophobia |
| Aritificial Intelligence | University of Arizona | Leveraging Global Flu View for AI-Driven Digital Transformation in Healthcare |
| Population Health | University of Waterloo, Canada | Advancing Health Assessment for Older Adults-Middle East and North Africa Utilization of Lay Assessment Systems (MENAULAS) |
| Precision Medicine | Regensburg University, Germany | Establishing novel therapeutic strategies to enhance cancer cell reactivity to targeting and immune therapies |
| Precision Medicine | Policlinico Ospedali Riuniti, Italy | Hypoxia gene signature as a promising biomarker to improve pancreatic cancer patient management |
| Health Profession | Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands | Improving the Teaching of Clinical Reasoning Using ChatGPT |
| Precision Medicine | Lebanese University, Lebanon | A Prospective Clinical Study on Minimally Invasive Implantology Techniques for Sites with Limited Bone Height and Narrow Ridges in Healthy and Diabetic Patients |
| Precision Medicine | Beirut Arab University, Lebanon | Comparative study on the effects of waterpipe and cigarette smoking: metabolomics and tumorigenic effects |
| Precision Medicine | Alexandria University, Egypt | A Precision Medicine Approach for Predicting Immunotherapy Response in HCC: Integrating Molecular PD-L1 Profiling, Clinical Data and Machine Learning. |
| Drug Discovery/Precision Medicine | RAK Medical and Health Sciences University, UAE | Precision Trojan Horse Approach for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Dual-Loaded Doxorubicin and Dapagliflozin PEGylated Nanoparticles Targeting CD44 Positive Cancer Stem Cells and Immune Evasion Pathways |
| Precision Medicine | Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE | Disrupting the TRIM28 Complex: A Potential Combination Therapy Approach with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in TNBC |
| Precision Medicine | Ajman University, UAE | The role of Vorinostat and CID1067700 in skin regeneration and wound healing |
| Precision Medicine | University of Sharjah, UAE | Alleviating Hypoxia as a Means of Improving Pancreatic Cancer’s Response to Immunotherapy |
| Precision Medicine | Al Ain University, UAE | Targeting Metabolism For Personalized Improvement Of Chemotherapeutic Efficacy In Breast Cancer |