Khalifa University Faculty And Students Named In Forbes Middle East 30 Under 30 Class Of 2025 In Science And Technology

Khalifa University of Science and Technology reports that six of its researchers and students feature in Forbes Middle East’s 30 Under 30 Class of 2025 for Science and Technology, highlighting work in public health, advanced materials, water treatment and plastics recycling, and underlining the institution’s growing research role across the wider region and beyond.

The Forbes Middle East list includes Assistant Professor Dr. Mira Mousa from the College of Medicine and Health Sciences (CMHS), CMHS PhD student Fatima Alshamsi, chemistry specialists Dr. Zeinab Saeed and current PhD student Nada El Merhi, postdoctoral fellow Mariam Ouda from the Research and Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC2D), and PhD candidate Aya Ghazal.

Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri, President, Khalifa University, said, "The names of a faculty, four PhD students, and a Postdoctoral Fellow, in the prestigious Forbes Middle East’s 30 Under 30 illustrate Khalifa University’s commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders and innovators. Our graduates continue to demonstrate excellence and impact on a global scale and these outstanding achievements showcase the depth of talent that is nurtured here at Khalifa University. Their work not only advances fundamental science but also directly addresses pressing global challenges. We are immensely proud of their accomplishments and eager to support the next chapters of their innovation journeys."

Dr. Mousa and Alshamsi work in the Biomedical Science and Discovery (BISDI) Program, a joint initiative between Khalifa University and VIB–KU Leuven in Belgium. Their research targets new immunotherapies for diabetes using in-house AI tools to identify unknown genes linked to endothelial cell dysfunction and vascular complications, including heart attacks, strokes and vision loss.

The BISDI pair have co-authored research studies in major scientific journals such as Nature and ScienceDirect. Their projects explore how gene activity in blood vessel cells changes disease risk. Their goal is to support more precise therapies that could prevent serious complications in diabetes, a condition affecting many communities in the Middle East and worldwide.

Forbes Middle East 30 Under 30 showcases Khalifa University water and materials work

RIC2D postdoctoral fellow Ouda has created an electro-membrane filtration system that applies 2D materials to remove nano-plastics from water. During Ouda’s PhD, a U.S. patent application was filed for this technology, reflecting a move towards real-world deployment and future industrial testing of the process.

Ouda sits on the Early Career Editorial Board of the Journal of Water Process Engineering and co-chairs the Young Leaders Program at the International Desalination Association. Ouda has also contributed to scaling up 2D-enabled membrane production with the University of Manchester, with these membranes now moving into testing phases for performance and durability.

Recent Chemistry PhD graduate Saeed, co-founder of Solid Form Innovations, is recognised on the Forbes Middle East 30 Under 30 list for developing sustainable photomechanical techniques that convert plastic waste into marketable products. The work aims to support circular approaches to plastics, reducing environmental load while creating new materials that industry can adopt at scale.

Ghazal, a PhD candidate, is acknowledged for co-developing solar-powered titanium nitride membranes designed to treat and recycle domestic wastewater. These systems harness solar energy to drive treatment, offering potential value for arid countries, including the UAE, where efficient water reuse remains an essential priority for long-term resource security.

Current Chemistry PhD student El Merhi is cited for research on covalent organic frameworks, a class of porous materials aimed at advanced water purification, green catalytic degradation of pollutants and highly sensitive electrochemical sensors for medical diagnostics. Together, the six honourees show how Khalifa University-linked research addresses health, water and waste challenges that affect both regional communities and global systems.

With inputs from WAM