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.
Dr. Ali received his PhD in Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology from the University of Liverpool, where he investigated how genetic polymorphisms and alterations in the epigenetic landscape contribute to the risk of neuropsychiatric conditions such as bipolar disorder and influence treatment response.
He subsequently undertook extensive postdoctoral training at the University of Cambridge. Within the Department of Oncology, his research focused on the regulation of neuronal cell fate decisions and the molecular mechanisms relevant to neuroblastoma pathobiology, including how disruptions in differentiation programs contribute to tumour development. At the Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair, Dr. Ali worked on cellular reprogramming and disease modelling of neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Parkinson’s disease, examining how lineage specification can be manipulated to understand and model disease phenotypes.
Since joining MBRU, Dr. Ali has continued to advance research in cancer biology, supervising graduate students and establishing collaborative projects with internationally recognized institutions. His scientific contributions have enhanced the understanding of transcriptional regulation, tumour heterogeneity, and the mechanisms underlying therapeutic resistance in solid tumours, particularly in relation to alterations in chromatin architecture and transcriptional networks that drive tumour behaviour.
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor
Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE
Assistant Professor
Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE
Director
Biomedical Sciences Master’s Program, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
Professional Education
PhD Cellular and Molecular Biology
The University of Liverpool, United Kingdom
MRes Cellular and Molecular Physiology
The University of Liverpool, United Kingdom
M.Sc. Industrial Biotechnology
Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom
Postgraduate Diploma Biological and Medical Analysis
University of Jordan, Jordan
B.Sc. Biological Sciences
University of Jordan, Jordan
Teaching
- Genetics and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, MBRU
- Mentor for graduate and undergraduate students, University of Cambridge
Honors and Awards
Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme (ORSAS)
United Kingdom
Wellcome-Trust Ph.D Programme Award
Wellcome Trust / University of Liverpool, United Kingdom
Publications
Research Interests
- Molecular, epigenetic, and transcriptional mechanisms driving cancer progression and therapeutic resistance.
- Regulation of cell identity, lineage plasticity, and differentiation states in solid tumours.
- Chromatin remodeling and transcriptional network alterations underlying tumour heterogeneity.
- Mechanisms enabling tumour immune evasion and their impact on immunotherapy response.
- Identification of biomarkers to improve patient stratification and guide precision oncology.
- Discovery and characterization of potentially druggable targets involved in tumour progression.
- Application of CRISPR-based functional genomics, transcriptomics, and chromatin accessibility profiling to map regulatory pathways in cancer.
- Integration of artificial intelligence with functional genomics to model resistance trajectories and personalise therapeutic strategies.