KU Researchers named Forbes Middle East’s 30 Under 30

ABU DHABI / WAM

Khalifa University of Science and Technology today announced a faculty, four PhD students and a Postdoctoral Fellow have been named among the prestigious Forbes Middle East’s 30 Under 30 Class of 2025 in the Science and Technology category, reinforcing the University’s status as a leading institution fostering talent that drives innovation and addresses global challenges.
Zeinab Saeed, a recent PhD graduate in Chemistry, and co-founder of Solid Form Innovations, is recognised for her pioneering sustainable photomechanical methods to upcycle plastic waste into commercially viable products.
The list names Dr. Mira Mousa, Assistant Professor, Public Health and Epidemiology, Khalifa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences (CMHS), as well as Fatima Alshamsi, CMHS PhD Student, Zeinab Saeed, PhD student and Cofounder of Solid Form Innovations, (Operating as PolyNovate), Mariam Ouda, Postdoctoral Fellow at the Research and Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC2D), PhD candidate Aya Ghazal, and Nada El Merhi, PhD student.
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 within the Biomedical Science and Discovery (BISDI) Program —a strategic collaboration between Khalifa University and VIB–KU Leuven of Belgium — to develop novel immunotherapies for diabetes. Using in-house AI tools, they identify mystery genes that cause endothelial cell dysfunction, which drives vascular complications such as heart attacks, strokes, and vision loss. They have co-authored papers in leading scientific journals including Nature and ScienceDirect.
RIC2D postdoctoral fellow Mariam Ouda has designed an electro-membrane filtration system using 2D materials to remove nano-plastics and has filed a U.S. patent during her PhD. She serves 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. She has also helped scale up 2D-enabled membranes with the University of Manchester, now set for testing.
Current Chemistry PhD student Nada El Merhi is acknowledged for her innovative work on covalent organic frameworks (COFs) aimed at advanced water purification, green catalytic pollutant degradation, and ultra-sensitive electrochemical sensors for medical diagnostics.