(MENAFN- Gulf Times) The fifth session of the Science Café 2025 series on Tuesday (November 4) brought together clinicians, researchers, students, and community members to examine how patient care, population data, and laboratory research converge to drive medical discoveries and enhance healthcare outcomes.

A collaborative initiative between Msheireb Museums and Sidra Medicine, the event was held at Bin Jelmood House, where participants explored "The Journey of Translational Medicine: From Bedside to Bench and Beyond."

The talk provided a comprehensive platform to understand the multi-faceted process through which observations made at a patient's bedside inspire rigorous laboratory research, which in turn leads to innovative treatments and therapies that ultimately benefit community health. Attendees gained valuable insights into how science transforms patient care and empowers healthier futures for all.

The expert panel featured Dr Taskeen Khan, director of Research and Content at the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), who moderated the session, alongside distinguished clinicians and researchers from Sidra Medicine: Prof Ibrahim Janahi, chief medical officer and chair of Medical Education; Prof Khalid Fakhro, chief research officer and director of the Precision Medicine Programme; Dr Tawfeg Ben-Omran, division chief of Genetic and Genomic Medicine; Dr Aboubakr Imam, division chief of Paediatric Nephrology and Hypertension; and Dr Ruba Benini, paediatric neurologist, epileptologist, and medical director of the Neurodiagnostic Laboratory.

Experts outlined how clinicians and researchers examine diseases at the fundamental molecular and genetic level, demystifying the complex journey from initial patient observation to groundbreaking scientific discovery.

Particular attention was given to how genetic information and insights from populations help in identifying distinct disease patterns and unlock new avenues for treatment.

The session also explored how laboratory discoveries are subsequently translated into personalised treatment plans for patients, highlighting a continuous cycle of innovation that offers new hope for complex medical conditions.

The programme was enriched by thought-provoking narratives on how patient experiences directly guide scientific inquiry, ensuring research addresses the most pressing health challenges facing communities today.

Abdulla al-Naama, general manager of Msheireb Museums, emphasised the significance of this collaboration, saying: "Translational medicine represents the very essence of how knowledge transforms into tangible impact on people's lives. This session embodies our commitment to creating spaces where complex scientific concepts become accessible conversations that inspire and educate our community”.

Dr Sahar Da'as, a research manager at Sidra Medicine and lead of the Science Café initiative, represents this translational journey in her own work. She leads a unique research programme that uses zebrafish models, which are transparent and allow scientists to see internal processes as they happen, to understand how genetic changes cause disease.

By introducing a patient's specific genetic makeup into these fish, her team can watch how a disease develops from its earliest stages and test potential treatments.

"What makes translational medicine so compelling is its circular nature, it begins and ends with the patient," said Dr Da'as. "Every discovery in our laboratories has its roots in a real person's experience, and every breakthrough ultimately returns to benefit individuals, families and the Qatari population.

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