(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Developing a device that can screen for certain cancers in a fraction of the time and less invasively than other technologies or procedures is among the eight late-stage research projects which have won the support of Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP).
The projects span the ICT, healthcare, energy and environmental technology sectors, in line with the Qatar National Research Strategy within the Qatar National Vision 2030 and QSTP's overall approach to technology development.
"This announcement ushers in a new era for QSTP as we continue to build a competitive technology innovation ecosystem in Qatar where larger multinational enterprise champions work alongside innovators to develop home-grown technology-based businesses that will thrive in the market," managing director Hamad al-Kuwari said yesterday.
QSTP, part of Qatar Foundation Research and Development, supports Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development's cycle of education, research and commercialisation, helping deliver economic diversification and innovative home-grown technology that will benefit the country and the rest of the world.
As recipients of the Qatar Innovation Promotional Award, each project will benefit from a rigorous three-month programme at QSTP, offering researchers and entrepreneurs access to the park's world-class resources and commercialisation expertise.
The teams will emerge from the programme with a carefully crafted, competitive business strategy and the option of creating a venture as a small medium enterprise tenant on QSTP's campus, pursuing funding, or developing the business independently.
In the healthcare sector, two projects have been awarded QSTP support: Biomolecular Genetic Markers and Biomedical Engineering Innovation. Biomolecular Genetic Markers is developing a diagnostic kit that can identify gene mutations associated with Essential Thrombocythemia € a blood disorder, and Primary Myelofibrosis - a serious bone marrow disorder. The technology enhances the accuracy with which the two mutations can be spotted. The technology's creators indicated that those two mutations have been identified in 60-70% of Essential Thrombocythemia and Primary Myelofibrosis cases in Qatar, enhancing the potential impact and commercial viability of the product locally.
The Biomedical Engineering Innovation project, developing a device that can quickly differentiate between healthy and cancer cells, is expected to enhance early detection specifically for breast cancer, colon cancer, brain tumours and childhood cancers. It is estimated that the technology has the potential to increase the effectiveness of certain treatments by a factor of five and the potential to reduce costs by fifteen-fold.
In the energy sector, Alyal Power aims to deliver a Hydraulic Energy Storage System or battery that can efficiently store energy, from a variety of sources, for use later on.
Engine Games is creating an instructional video game to help undergraduate engineering students understand the fundamentals of a combustion engine in an engaging and educational way.
TurboAero is working to refine and redesign a turboprop engine used by light aircraft. Trackers, which also benefits from QSTP's expertise, is a software solution to help crime fighters rapidly identify and analyse shoe prints at a live crime scene.
The iFacility project, which holds promise for Qatar's and the region's booming facilities manage sector, is investigating how Radio Frequency Identification technology can improve building construction management, asset management and emergency management.
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