President of the Institute of Systems Biology, Dr. Leroy Hood, discusses the future of Systems Biology

Recipient of the 2011 Fritz J. And Dolores H. Russ Prize from the U.S. National Academy of Engineering

Co-founder and President of the Institute of Systems Biology

Doha, Qatar 25 January 2012: 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."

For more information about QF's Distinguished Lecture Series, please visit http://www.qf-research-division.org/distinguished/.

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Qatar Foundation - Unlocking Human Potential
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development is a private, non-profit organization that is supporting Qatar on its journey from carbon economy to knowledge economy by

unlocking human potential for the benefit of not only Qatar, but the world. Founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Amir of Qatar, QF is chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser.

QF carries out its mission through three strategic pillars: education, science and research, and community development. QF's education pillar brings world-class universities to Qatar to help create an education sector in which young people can develop the attitudes and skills required for a knowledge economy. Meanwhile, its science and research pillar builds Qatar's innovation and technology capacity by developing and commercializing solutions through key sciences. Finally, its community development pillar helps foster a progressive society while also enhancing cultural life, protecting Qatar's heritage and addressing immediate social needs in the community.

For a complete list of QF's initiatives and projects, visit http://www.qf.org.qa

For further information about this release please contact:
Basil Mahfouz
Tel: +974 44541730
Email: bmahfouz@qf.org.qa
Grace Wittenberg
Tel: +974 44541727
Email: gwittenberg@qf.org.qa
For more information about Qatar Foundation please contact:

Tariq Al Sada
Press Office Unit Head
Qatar Foundation
Tel: +974 4454 0991
Email: talsada@qf.org.qa

Anwar El-Shamy
Press Office Coordinator
Qatar Foundation
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Email: aelshamy@qf.org.qa