The Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) at Qatar University (QU) recently organised and hosted a training course, aimed at engaging scientists and researchers to share their knowledge and experience on basic and applied biomedical research.
Themed ‘Principles of Mammalian Cell Culture Training Course’, the event drew 12 faculty, students and researchers from QU, Hamad Medical Corporation and Qatar Biomedical Research Institute.  
The programme agenda included presentations delivered by BRC assistant professors of infectious diseases, Dr Hadi Yassine and of metabolic diseases Dr Huseyin Cagatay Yalcin, research professor and project manager, Dr Hany Elsayed Mady, and research assistants Layla al-Mansoori and Maria Khalid Smatti as well as by QU College of Medicine professor, Dr Ala-Eddin al-Moustafa.
 They addressed topics on ‘Introduction to the animal mammalian cell culture lab’, ‘Demonstration on aseptic techniques’, ‘Preparation of media and other reagents’, ‘Principles of cell culture techniques’, ‘Types of cell cultures and applications’, and ‘Demonstration on chicken embryo and chicken embryo fibroblast culture’.
Also on the programme were theoretical classes and hands-on sessions covering a wide range of topics such as types, principles and applications of cell cultures, cell growth and growth curve analysis, primary cell culture and cells transformation techniques, and stem cell culture and applications.  
BRC director and QU College of Health Sciences dean Dr Asmaa al-Thani noted that it brought focus on the Centre’s commitment to raising the local health system standard and to increasing community awareness on specific medical issues relevant to Qatar.“It also highlights QU’s mission to align research with the needs of the society and the national aspiration towards fulfilling the goals of the National Health Strategy,” she added.