3 Egyptian female researchers win L’Oreal–UNESCO science award

Three Egyptian women have earned L’Oréal-UNESCO Fellowship For Women In Science National Awards for their scientific achievements, joining other notable women from all around the world.

The award ceremony took place on Tuesday at Abdeen Palace, eastern downtown Cairo, in the presence of Vice President of the Academy of Scientific Research & Technology (ASRT) Amr Farouk.

Mai Taha, a post-doctoral pharmacy student at Cairo University, has won the fellowship award for her research on using nanotechnology to help in effectively eliminating antibiotic resistant bacteria and treating diabetic foot.

Meanwhile, Aya Atef, another post-doctoral pharmacy student at Tanta University, won the fellowship award for finding natural polymers with a molecular footprint that help patients of phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare genetic disease in children.

For her part, Mai Gamal, a doctoral student and research assistant at the German University in Cairo (GUC) Computer Science and Engineering Program, won the fellowship award for her research on using computer modelling for developing neuroimaging biomarkers to understand and diagnose depression as a mental disorder.

Head of the Scientific Research Committee at the National Council for Women and former minister of scientific research Nadia Zakhary, UNESCO office representative in Egypt, and the director-general of L’Oreal Egypt have attended the ceremony, along with a host of senior officials from research centers and institutes.