President of the institute of systems biology, Dr. Leroy Hood, discusses the future of systems biology

The thirteenth lecture of the Distinguished Lecture Series, showcased by the Research Division at Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF),  took place yesterday.

The lecture was hosted by Dr. Leroy Hood, MD, PhD, who discussed the future of Systems Biology in the 21^st century.   In his lecture, Dr. Hood outlined his vision for the future of medical treatment - the so-called “P4” mode - where medicine can be modified from its current reactive state to become more predictive, personalized, preventive, and participatory. The presentation also focused on the Institute for Systems Biology’s research in neurodegenerative (prion) disease and glioblastoma, a particularly aggressive form of brain tumor.

Dr. Hood’s work is renowned the world over, yet he was clearly impressed by what he saw at Qatar Foundation.  He said, “It’s interesting to look at Qatar Foundation and its remarkable progress in just a few years.  Qatar, for a small nation, I think is going to make a very big impact in the world of science.”

Scores of students, local researchers, professors, and members of the public attended the event and contributed to a lively Q&A session with Dr. Hood.

Dr. Dirar S. Khoury, Director of Institutional Research at QF, said, “We are privileged to have Dr. Leroy Hood share with us his experiences in the fields of molecular immunology, biotechnology, and genomics. Dr. Hood’s accomplishments and biotechnological advances significantly impact today’s biomedical research, especially core platforms, many of which are at the heart of the Qatar Biomedical Research Institute.”

Through its strong commitment to spreading awareness about the latest developments in the medical industry,  the Distinguished Lecture Series is furthering QF’s plan to create a knowledge-based economy. It is committed to providing a forum for the transfer of knowledge from some of the world’s most eminent scientists to the local research community, in line with Qatar’s National Vision 2030.

Dr. Khoury commented, “We believe that a knowledge-based society is the only way to confront the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities of tomorrow. The Distinguished Lecture Series is a platform to showcase role models in research, to provide opportunities for scientific exchanges between international leaders in research and local Qatari research stakeholders and to help inspire the young generation to be the future leaders of research in Qatar and around the world.”