The Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), aiming to be a global hub for innovative and integrated healthcare education and research, has begun its grant application process for the 2020 MBRU–AlMahmeed Collaborative Research Award – which support distinct proposals to further research in health, medical, and biomedical sciences.

The Award’s grant, which totals AED300,000 for laboratory-based projects and AED150,000 for non-laboratory projects, will be assigned to proposals that contribute to basic, translational, clinical and public health research. Projects contributing to cancer, biologic, mental health, and cardio-metabolic disease (including diabetes and obesity) research have been marked as a priority for the funding.

Dr. Wael Al Mahmeed said, “I am happy to hear about the announcement of the third cycle of this award. I am pleased with the progress of the winners of the previous 2 cycles. COVID-19 has pushed medical research to the forefront of our lives, so I hope we get some excellent proposals this year.”

Professor Alawi Alsheikh-Ali, Provost and Dean of the College of Medicine, MBRU, said that the AlMahmeed Collaborative Research Award is a key driver of realizing the University’s mission to advance health in the UAE and the region.

“We are very grateful to Dr. Wael Al Mahmeed for his continued support of biomedical research at MBRU. This award remains a powerful example of how the community can partner with academic institutions to foster a research culture. After two successful funding cycles that attracted collaborative research studies from around the globe, we are excited to announce the third cycle. We look forward to receiving proposals that would further strengthen the position of MBRU and Dubai as a growing hub for research that is nationally responsive and globally connected.”

Submitted proposals will undergo a competitive peer-evaluation process – conducted by a panel of external expert and reviewers – assessing the project’s ability to produce new research findings, support the development of new technology and have a long-term positive impact on social, economic or environmental issues important to the UAE.

While the grant must have an MBRU faculty member to be considered for submission, the University has encouraged members to collaborate with national and international experts to further the eligibility and findings of the projects.

In 2019, the MBRU – AlMahmeed Collaborative Research Award received 45 applications and issued grants worth AED 1,250,000 to 5 projects conducting research in cancer, diabetes, and orthodontics.

The grant whose duration may last up to two years is open to full-time MBRU faculty members who can collaborate with national or international researchers.

The applications for the 2020 cycle will be evaluated, with weightage given to scientific merit and significance of a proposal, clarity of the rationale suggested and contemporariness of the objectives, a well-defined research plan, and the presence of an adequate sample size. The deadline to apply is September 15, 2020, to apply please click here.