Dr. Fahad Ali is an Associate Professor of Molecular Biology at the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, where he leads a Cancer Biology Research Group. He received his PhD in Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology from the University of Liverpool, where his research investigated how genetic polymorphisms and epigenetic alterations regulate the expression of the serotonin transporter gene and influence susceptibility to certain neurological disorders, as well as response to treatment. 

Dr. Ali subsequently undertook extensive postdoctoral training at the University of Cambridge. Within the Department of Oncology, his work focused on the regulation of neuronal cell fate decisions and molecular mechanisms underlying neuroblastoma pathobiology, with particular emphasis on how disruptions in differentiation programs contribute to tumour initiation and progression. At the Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair, he conducted research on cellular reprogramming, lineage transdifferentiation, and cellular plasticity in the context of disease modelling. 

Since joining MBRU, Dr. Ali has supported the advancement of precision oncology–driven and translational cancer research through the training of graduate students and collaborative initiatives with internationally recognised institutions. His research focuses on molecular and epigenetic mechanisms underlying cancer progression, tumour heterogeneity, and therapeutic resistance in solid tumours, with an emphasis on the regulation of cell identity, chromatin organisation, and transcriptional networks. His work integrates functional genomics approaches to facilitate the identification of clinically relevant biomarkers and actionable targets for precision oncology.