A programme to support women scientists in the Arab world has selected two female researchers in the UAE for grants.
The L’Oreal-Unesco For Women in Science Middle East Programme has awarded Dr Marieh Al Handawi, of New York University Abu Dhabi, and Jawaher Al Hammadi, of Khalifa University, for its 2026 iteration.
They are among half a dozen female researchers in the Arab world, working in fields including pandemic preparedness, water security and personalised medicine, recognised in this round of the scheme.
Ms Al Hammadi, an Emirati PhD student from Sharjah who grew up in Abu Dhabi, works on lab-based models of cell membranes.
She told The National that recognition from the programme provided “a valuable opportunity to increase the visibility of my research”, forge connections with researchers internationally and potentially create collaborations.
“I think these opportunities are incredibly important especially for young researchers, because science thrives when we exchange knowledge and learn from one another,” she said.
Her research focuses on developing customisable cell membrane models that could lead to ways to test personalised treatments for patients.
“The cell membrane surrounds every cell in our body and plays an essential role in how cells communicate, recognise signals, and respond to their surroundings,” she said.
“By recreating these membranes in the laboratory, we can study these interactions in a more controlled environment.”
Complex achievements
Conventional cell membrane models are often made from synthetic materials, which, Ms Al Hammadi said, meant that they could not fully replicate the complexity of real cell membranes.
“To address this, I combine synthetic components with tiny particles derived from cells, known as extracellular vesicles, which carry characteristics of the cells they originate from,” she said.
“I then integrate these membranes with electronic sensors that allow us to detect and monitor changes in the membrane through electrical signals.
“Ultimately, my goal is to develop a technology that can help researchers better understand diseases and evaluate how cells respond to different treatments.”
She said that, with her method, it may be possible to recreate cell membranes that represent specific cell types, diseases or even particular patients.
It is, Ms Al Hammadi said, “a very exciting time” to be a woman working in her field in the UAE, adding that the country “places great importance on science, innovation and empowering women”.
“Over the years we have seen more women entering Stem [Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics] fields, taking on leadership positions, and making important contributions to scientific research, and that is something I am very proud to witness,” she said.
Growing in numbers
In total, 69 female scientists, including 25 in the UAE, have been supported by the L’Oreal-Unesco For Women in Science Middle East Programme, which was launched in 2014. In total the programme has In total, the programme has awarded Dh4 million to support research in the region.
Six women in the Arabian Peninsula have been recognised in the programme’s latest edition.
According to Unesco, 41 per cent of scientists in the Arab world are female, behind only Central Asia, where the figure is 50 per cent, and Latin America and the Caribbean, where it is 44 per cent.
In East Asia and the Pacific, for example, only 27 per cent of scientists are female, while in sub-Saharan Africa the figure is 32 per cent and in western Europe, 34 per cent.
Dr Al Handawi, a Syrian born and raised in the UAE, has been working at NYU Abu Dhabi after completing master’s and doctoral degrees at NYU in New York.
She looks at how plants adapt to salty and dry conditions, in the hope this may highlight ways in which people can extract water from their environment. Among the plants she has analysed is the native tree Tamarix aphylla, which lives in salty sabkha habitats. The plant excretes a salt solution that evaporates, forming salt crystals.
“These crystals act as magnets, capturing moisture directly from the air, even at relatively low humidity and condensing it on the plant,” she said.
“This showed me that desert plants can provide us with natural solutions to the same problems we are trying to solve: how to access and manage water under extremely dry and challenging conditions.
“My research explores whether we can use the significant amount of water already present in the UAE’s atmosphere as humidity and extract it with much lower energy requirements.”
She said there were many more plants in the region waiting to be studied that “may offer completely different strategies for water harvesting”.
Ultimately she would like to establish an independent research programme focused on “bioinspiration” and learning from natural systems, especially those adapted to the Middle East’s harsh environments, and on translating those mechanisms into practical solutions.
“I want my research to go beyond discovery and ultimately lead to materials and technologies that can be tested and used to support communities,” she said.
Women in science
Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of Education, said in a statement that in the UAE women were “playing an increasingly prominent role in research” and in fields including advanced technology, health care, sustainability and aerospace.
“Our focus is on strengthening the journey from education to research, and from research to real-world impact, so that young people have the skills, confidence, mentorship and opportunities to shape the future,” she said.
“The L’Oreal-Unesco For Women in Science Middle East Programme advances this ambition by recognising women researchers, supporting their careers and giving the next generation visible examples of what scientific leadership can achieve.”
Other programme recipients are Alaa Al Mushaikeh, a Saudi physicist at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Kaust), and Qatar University’s Hadeel Zedan, who researches antiviral medications against, for example, coronaviruses.
Also awarded were Dr Aljawharah Al Rubayyi, a Syrian scientist at Kaust who works on vaccines and immunotherapies, and Dr Sara Al Araimi, who researches ways to turn waste into water and useful materials at Oman’s University of Technology and Applied Sciences.
Laurent Duffier, managing director of L’Oreal Middle East, said the scientific talent emerging across the region was “remarkable”.
“Women are increasingly at the heart of that progress,” he said. “Our responsibility is not only to recognise that talent, but to help create the visibility, networks and opportunities that allow it to thrive."