Latest news with #WeillCornellMedicine-Qatar
Qatar Tribune
18-05-2025
- Health
- Qatar Tribune
WCM-Q probes link between insulin resistance and colorectal cancer
Tribune News Network Doha Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) have explored the possible links between insulin resistance and early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) in a new article published in Cancer Cell (Cell Press), a leading scientific journal. Cancer, regardless of type, is generally considered a disease that occurs later in life, typically after 50-60 years of age. Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Programme of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), USA, indicates that the median age of a cancer diagnosis is 66. However, more recently, younger individuals under the age of 45-50 have been diagnosed with cancers (early-onset cancers; EOCs). Although this shifting trend in cancer epidemiology has been reported previously, this occurrence gained significant attention in early 2024, with many major news outlets and research/medical institutions reporting a rise in EOCs. Among the various EOCs, gastrointestinal cancers, particularly colorectal cancer (CRC), seem to be rapidly increasing among the younger population. This trend appears similar for countries in the MENA region, including Qatar. 'As cancer researchers, we were captivated by the question of 'why this is happening?'' said Prof. Dietrich Büsselberg, professor of physiology and biophysics, one of the co-corresponding authors of the article. 'It is well known that genetic mutations that cause CRC and hereditary CRC-associated syndromes are highly penetrant and increase the risk of CRC. However, it is unlikely that this risk factor alone has changed so dramatically in successive generations of the population to account for the significant increase in EOCRC in recent years.' Dr. Samson Mathews Samuel, research associate in physiology and biophysics and co-corresponding author of the article, said: 'Our in-depth review of existing literature led us to identify a possible culprit behind this occurrence, namely insulin resistance.' A growing body of evidence points to insulin resistance, a hallmark of common metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, as a possible key risk factor contributing to the incidence and progression of EOCRC. Insulin resistance, defined as the inability of cells to respond to normal insulin, results in hyperinsulinemia (an increase in circulating insulin levels in the blood) much earlier in life than is typically recognized. Surprisingly, insulin resistance can drive metabolic changes very early in life and depends on several early-life external factors to which the individual is exposed. Elizabeth Varghese, a senior research specialist, is the other author of the paper, titled 'Complexity of insulin resistance in early-onset colorectal cancer'. The paper also infers that managing insulin resistance through dietary and/or lifestyle changes and therapeutic interventions is likely to be effective in reducing the incidence of colorectal cancer among young individuals.
Al Bawaba
06-05-2025
- Health
- Al Bawaba
WCM-Q Student Research Forum showcases student innovation
Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) recently hosted its second annual Student Research Forum, showcasing 66 impressive scientific posters that demonstrate student innovation and scientific discovery. The forum serves as a platform for WCM-Q students to showcase their research efforts, exchange insights, and engage in meaningful discussions with their peers and faculty members. Attended by students, faculty, staff, and visitors, the one-day event was organized by the Student Research Forum Committee, which includes representatives from the divisions of Research and Medical Education at WCM-Q. The forum began with welcoming remarks from Dr. Ziyad Mahfoud, professor of research in population health sciences, and Dr. Nayef Mazloum, associate professor of microbiology & immunology/associate dean for student research. Both faculty members at WCM-Q. The keynote address was delivered by Professor Hanadi Sleiman, Canada Research Chair in DNA nanoscience at McGill University's Department of Chemistry. A fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) and the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), Prof. Sleiman is a pioneer in DNA nanotechnology. Her groundbreaking work involves designing DNA-based structures for applications in medicine, materials science, and nanotechnology. In her presentation, she explored how DNA nanostructures can be utilized as precision therapies. Following the keynote, WCM-Q alumnus Dr. Tariq Chukir, assistant professor of medicine at WCM-Q, discussed the disparities between obesity management medications in clinical trials and their real-world applications. Dr. Chukir also serves as a consultant at the National Obesity Treatment Centre at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). Six oral research presentations were then delivered by students Latifa AlMahmoud, Pradipta Paul, Kevin Zhai, Hasan Alsetri, Nour Jaouni, and Fatima Almusleh. Their topics covered the impact of cyberbullying on adolescents, the effectiveness of mRNA vaccines against pre-Omicron era SARS-CoV-2 infection, and corneal transplant risk factors, among others. The event concluded with the announcement of the winning students in the research contest. Dr. Mahfoud said: 'Research is one of the key pillars for advancing science and improving patient care. We were delighted to once again provide our students with a platform to showcase their research, exchange ideas, and take their research capabilities to the next level.' Dr. Mazloum said: 'This year, we were extremely proud to witness another impressive display of student innovation fueled by inspiring levels of determination and enthusiasm. I would like to sincerely thank our mentors for sharing their valuable expertise, as well as the divisions of Research and Medical Education for their ongoing support.' The winners of the oral presentation awards in the Area of Concentration (AOC) category were Kevin Zhai in first place (mentored by Dr. Evan Noch, UT Southwestern Medical Center), Latifa AlMahmoud in second (mentored by Dr. Ziyad Mahfoud, WCM-Q), and Pradipta Paul in third (mentored by Dr. Laith Abu Raddad, WCM-Q). The winners of the oral presentation awards in the Medical Students Research Award (MSRA) category were Fatima Almusleh in first place (mentored by Dr. Vidya Mohammed Ali, University College London), Hasan Alsetri in second (mentored by Dr. Zeba Syed, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia), and Nour Jaouni in third (mentored by Dr. Teresa Milner, WCM). The winners of the poster presentations awards in the AOC category were Aisha serpedin in first place (mentored by Dr. Anna Halama, WCM-Q), Shadi Mahmoud in second (mentored by Dr. Charbel Abi Khalil, WCM-Q), and Sara Mohamed in third (mentored by Dr. Ahmed Serag, WCM-Q). The poster presentation winners in the MSRA/Advanced Biomedical Sciences Research (ABSR) elective category were Fatima Al Mohammed in first place (mentored by Dr. David Kelsell, Queen Mary University of London), Zoya Salahuddin in second (mentored by Dr. Xiaojing Ma, WCM), and Maryam Al-Musleh in third (mentored by Dr. Nayef Mazloum, WCM-Q).
Al Bawaba
05-05-2025
- Health
- Al Bawaba
Pre-university students flock to WCM-Q Doctors of the Future Conference
More than 200 pre-university students with ambitions to pursue careers in medicine participated in Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar's (WCM-Q) two-day Doctors of the Future Conference. Held annually, the conference gives pre-university students the chance to explore WCM-Q's state-of-the-art campus, learn about the college's world-class educational programs, and discover the wide range of opportunities that can be accessed by studying for a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. During the conference, students engaged with a range of activities, including meetings with faculty, current students and WCM-Q alumni, the grand finale of a research contest, and panel discussions on applying to medical school, the life of a medical student, and careers in medicine. There were also talks on pre-college programs and the fundamental principles of research, presentations of research posters by current WCM-Q pre-medical students, and a quiz session, among other activities. The event, which is organized by WCM-Q's Office of Student Outreach and Development, also serves to develop partnerships between WCM-Q and local secondary and high schools, stimulate interest in careers in science and medicine among pre-university students, and help enhance college readiness skills. The conference is open to students, teachers and school counselors from all over Qatar, across the wider region and beyond. Noha Saleh, director of pre-medical administration, student outreach and educational development, said: 'The Doctors of the Future Conference provides an annual interactive platform where high school students engage with peers from other high schools, current medical students as well as faculty members at WCM-Q, in order to enhance their research skills and understanding of college expectations. We were delighted to welcome so many enthusiastic and highly accomplished students to the conference once again this year.' The second day of the conference featured the final round of the research contest, with first prize going to the team from GEMS Wellington International School Qatar for their poster, titled The Effect of Gaming on Promoting Knowledge, Attitude and Awareness of Diabetes. The competition began with a preliminary round in January 2025 with an initial field of 54 teams. Second place was shared by teams from Doha College and Swiss International School Qatar. Mohamed Siddig Mohyeldin, a student at GEMS Wellington School Qatar and a member of the winning team in the research competition, said: 'The conference was an amazing learning experience. Getting to meet both doctors and medical students helped me to understand what it is really like to study and practice medicine, which has helped me feel more confident about choosing this career path.' Heidi Elkassas, a student at Doha College and a member of one of the second-placed teams in the research competition, said: 'We did a lot of preparation so it was great to go so far in the contest. The best thing about the conference for me was the panel discussions, which were really informative but also very inspiring—there was so much useful advice from different perspectives. One of the big messages I received was to believe in yourself, because if you work hard you can achieve your ambition to become a doctor and make a real difference.' Dr. Rachid Bendriss, associate dean for foundation, student outreach and educational development programs, said: 'Our Doctors of the Future Conference continues to offer pre-university students a highly effective way to engage with the worlds of science, medicine, and higher education, while simultaneously helping them to develop skills that will enhance their readiness to apply to college. We were extremely impressed by the maturity, drive, and aptitude of the students who attended this year.'
Al Bawaba
27-03-2025
- Health
- Al Bawaba
WCM-Q researchers leverage AI to boost student wellness and academic success
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) have published a study that utilized large language models and data from wearable smart devices to generate personalized recommendations to enhance the wellbeing and academic performance for a group of school students. The research, led by Dr. Arfan Ahmed, assistant professor of research in population health sciences, collected data from 12 students from academic reports (grades and teachers' observations), sleep quality surveys, and wearable Fitbit devices which recorded activity levels (step counts), sleep minutes and stress scores. A large language model (LLM) called Llama 3, by Meta, was then used to analyze the data and create personalized recommendations for each student. The data from the students, who were monitored for a six-week period, was interpreted using Llama 3, which was programmed with detailed prompts constructed by the research team to guide the analysis of the data and the automatic generation of personalized recommendations for each student. The advice generated by the LLM was then scored and validated by three independent human raters (including healthcare workers and academics) who evaluated all recommendations based on the criteria of clarity, actionability, and alignment with student data. Analysis of the scores showed that the LLM had the ability to analyze and integrate diverse data sources and to then generate personalized recommendations that were not only contextually relevant but also sensitive to the emotional state of the student. However, some recommendations received low or average scores for clarity, actionability and relevance. All student data and recommendations were collected anonymously to protect the participants' privacy. The researchers noted that care must be taken to avoid overwhelming students with excessive feedback, and highlighted the risk of 'model hallucinations,' which is when the LLM generates plausible but incorrect information. They also stated that future iterations of this type of research will need to incorporate safeguards against harmful recommendations and ensure that outputs are critically evaluated for accuracy and appropriateness. Dr. Ahmed said: 'The research gave us clear indications that large language models have the capacity to interpret different types of data from multiple sources and generate personalized recommendations that could help improve students' wellbeing and academic performance. While there is a great deal of room for improvement, this proof-of-concept study shows there is potential for developing very useful tools that could not only help students reach their full potential but also relieve pressure on teachers, school administrators and student counselors.' Other researchers who worked on the paper, which has been published in Scientific Reports, a leading journal, were Dr. Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCM-Q, professor of psychiatry and professor of population health sciences; Dr. Alaa Abd-Alrazaq, assistant professor of research in population health sciences; Dr. Rawan Al Saad, postdoctoral associate, and Ms. Sarah Aziz, research specialist. Dr. Sheikh said: 'This research demonstrates the great potential of AI and large language models in particular to boost academic performance and wellbeing for students. The study also highlights the need for AI approaches to be deployed extremely carefully to protect the safety and wellbeing of users.' The study, titled 'Leveraging LLMs and wearables to provide personalized recommendations for enhancing student wellbeing and academic performance through a proof of concept,' can be read in full here.
Zawya
26-03-2025
- Health
- Zawya
WCM-Q researchers leverage AI to boost student wellness and academic success
Doha: Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) have published a study that utilized large language models and data from wearable smart devices to generate personalized recommendations to enhance the wellbeing and academic performance for a group of school students. The research, led by Dr. Arfan Ahmed, assistant professor of research in population health sciences, collected data from 12 students from academic reports (grades and teachers' observations), sleep quality surveys, and wearable Fitbit devices which recorded activity levels (step counts), sleep minutes and stress scores. A large language model (LLM) called Llama 3, by Meta, was then used to analyze the data and create personalized recommendations for each student. The data from the students, who were monitored for a six-week period, was interpreted using Llama 3, which was programmed with detailed prompts constructed by the research team to guide the analysis of the data and the automatic generation of personalized recommendations for each student. The advice generated by the LLM was then scored and validated by three independent human raters (including healthcare workers and academics) who evaluated all recommendations based on the criteria of clarity, actionability, and alignment with student data. Analysis of the scores showed that the LLM had the ability to analyze and integrate diverse data sources and to then generate personalized recommendations that were not only contextually relevant but also sensitive to the emotional state of the student. However, some recommendations received low or average scores for clarity, actionability and relevance. All student data and recommendations were collected anonymously to protect the participants' privacy. The researchers noted that care must be taken to avoid overwhelming students with excessive feedback, and highlighted the risk of 'model hallucinations,' which is when the LLM generates plausible but incorrect information. They also stated that future iterations of this type of research will need to incorporate safeguards against harmful recommendations and ensure that outputs are critically evaluated for accuracy and appropriateness. Dr. Ahmed said: 'The research gave us clear indications that large language models have the capacity to interpret different types of data from multiple sources and generate personalized recommendations that could help improve students' wellbeing and academic performance. While there is a great deal of room for improvement, this proof-of-concept study shows there is potential for developing very useful tools that could not only help students reach their full potential but also relieve pressure on teachers, school administrators and student counselors.' Other researchers who worked on the paper, which has been published in Scientific Reports, a leading journal, were Dr. Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCM-Q, professor of psychiatry and professor of population health sciences; Dr. Alaa Abd-Alrazaq, assistant professor of research in population health sciences; Dr. Rawan Al Saad, postdoctoral associate, and Ms. Sarah Aziz, research specialist. Dr. Sheikh said: 'This research demonstrates the great potential of AI and large language models in particular to boost academic performance and wellbeing for students. The study also highlights the need for AI approaches to be deployed extremely carefully to protect the safety and wellbeing of users.' The study, titled 'Leveraging LLMs and wearables to provide personalized recommendations for enhancing student wellbeing and academic performance through a proof of concept,'
