Two UAE scientists recognised in programme to support female researchers

Two UAE scientists have been recognized by the L'Oréal-Unesco For Women in Science Middle East Programme for their exceptional work. Dr. Marieh Al Handawi, a researcher at New York University Abu Dhabi, and Jawaher Al Hammadi, a PhD student at Khalifa University, are among six women from the Arab world being supported in this round.

Al Hammadi, who grew up in Abu Dhabi and is an Emirati PhD student, is investigating lab-based models of cell membranes. Her research aims to develop customisable cell membrane models that could lead to personalised treatments. By combining synthetic components with extracellular vesicles, particles originating from cells, and integrating them with electronic sensors, Al Hammadi aims to monitor and study changes in the membrane through electrical signals.

This technology could help researchers understand diseases and evaluate cell responses to treatments.

Al Handawi, born in Syria and raised in the UAE, focuses on how plants adapt to salty and dry conditions. By studying the native tree Tamarix aphylla, which excretes a salt solution that evaporates and condenses moisture from the air, she hopes to discover ways to extract water from the environment, potentially providing solutions for water scarcity in the UAE.

She aspires to establish an independent research programme dedicated to "bioinspiration," learning from natural systems adapted to the region's harsh environments and translating these mechanisms into practical solutions.