The four-day workshop was led by CHLS scientists Dr Mustapha Aouida and Dr Mohamed Aittaleb.
The College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) recently hosted a Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory Skills workshop for university students in Qatar. The workshop is the latest in a series of initiatives undertaken by the college to advance students’ knowledge in the biomedical field.
CHLS scientists Dr Mustapha Aouida and Dr Mohamed Aittaleb led the Molecular Biology and Cellular Biology sections, respectively. During the four-day workshop, students gained hands-on experience on a broad range of technical skills, and learned about advanced molecular and cell biology approaches by conducting experiments using state of the art equipment at HBKU’s laboratories.
Dr Aouida said,“The workshop introduced graduate students to practical applications which will form the baseline for any work they conduct in their capacity as researchers, scientists, or technicians. Students were able to benefit from a wealth of expertise at CHLS and conduct their own experiments, which helped them gain greater confidence and insights into the world of science.”
The workshop offered students a unique opportunity to conduct scientific experiments touching on a range of topics that included confocal microscopy imaging and other cell-based assays. Other aspects including Primer Design, Polymerase Chain Reaction; Gene Cloning in Bacterial Expression Systems; Cell Culture Techniques; Cell Transfection; Western Blotting and Confocal Microscopy.
Dr Aittaleb said, “I found the students’ capabilities very impressive. I truly appreciated the interaction with the students, their exceptional ability to carefully perform the experiments, and to remain aligned with the pace and topics of the workshop.”
