Research Achievements 2022
Research
DDI’s research aims to translate fundamental/novel research findings into clinical practice and community-based health outcomes.
Learn more about our research achievements of 2022.
Overview
2022 Research Sector Publications
9
Reviews, editorials, etc.
14
Collaborative publications
42
Original research publications
65
Total number of publications
2022 Ongoing Research Projects by Sector
38
Research Sector Projects
14
Medical Sector Projects
2
Operations Sector Projects
1
DG Directorate Project
Translational Research
DDI’s research is focused on Kuwait’s needs in the context of diabetes and aligned to improve the health outcomes for the Kuwaiti population through translational research. DDI applies an integrative research approach that brings together different disciplines that can decipher the complex events of the development of diabetes. These projects have translational and clinical components to drive bench to bedside and bedside to community-based research flow to ultimately improve health and community outcomes.
Bench to Bedside, Bedside to Community and back
Publications
The total number of DDI publications for 2022 was 93, a 21% increase from 77 in 2019.
Per the recommendations of the International Scientific Advisory Board (ISAB), DDI researchers have focused on producing more original research-based publications with 51 in 2022. Overall, 55% of DDI’s 2022 total publication output was original research. Additionally, DDI published 19 collaborative (other) and 23 reviews, editorials, etc.
The DDI publications by original research and total publications from 2019 till date is illustrated below:
To view our research publications, click on the button below:
Quality of Publications: Impact Factor (IF)
From 2019 till 2022, the total DDI publications Median Impact Factor increased from 3.519 to 5.331 (51% increase) with the original research Median IF increasing from 3.519 to 6.022 (71%).
When compared to 2021, the Median IF for total publications increased from 4.401 to 5.331(21%) and the original research Median IF increased from 4.379 to 6.022 (37%).
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
| % Publications with IF ≥ 5 | 19% | 16% | 36% | 53% |
| % Publications with IF ≥10 | 4% | 9% | 9% | 11% |
Proposals
All research proposals follow a standardized ISAB approved project governance process. In line with the approved research strategy, DDI proposals are continuously focus on supporting DDI’s Mission and Vision. Additionally, per the ISAB recommendations to maintain a focused approach in research, DDI had a total of 19 new submitted proposals in 2022 and 10 project extension requests.
*Decrease in number of proposals from 2019 are per ISAB recommendations as part of a continued focused research approach.
Projects
There was a total of 76 projects in 2022 with 55 active projects (44 ongoing & 11 new) and 21 completed (7 completed & 14 closed). Project approvals follow a standardized process for approval, as outlined in the previous section, with all new projects aligned and directly contributing to the approved DDI Strategic Plan.
*All figures valid as end December 2022
Research Participation
In 2022, DDI collected 2,051 samples from research participants via the special services facility.
In 2022, the total number of patients participated in research was 1,422 patients (compared to 504 in 2020 and 1,439 in 2021). Consequently, in 2022, DDI managed to engage 40% of patients to participate in Research.
National Dasman Diabetes Biobank
The National Dasman Diabetes Biobank is the first and only Biobank (biosample repository) in Kuwait. The National Dasman Diabetes Biobank (NDDB) offers DDI and collaborators repository services to conduct short and long-term research projects related to diabetes and its complications. The NDDB’s wide range of services include sample processing and fractionation, storage, testing and nucleic acid isolation, among others. The NDDB is a member of the European, Middle Eastern and African Society for Biopreservation and Biobanking. It is a Biosafety Level 2 laboratory which specializes in the processing of blood and other body fluids, tissue samples (for histology and immunohistochemistry purposes) and cell culture. The NDDB facilities include secure sample storage rooms with −80°C freezers and liquid nitrogen tanks. Cumulatively, NDDB houses over 41,500 research participants’ samples and tracks more than 372,860 biological specimens for freezer inventory using a sample management system.
Patents
The Patent & Research Translation Office (PRTO) supports the development and protects the rights of DDI’s research to transfer to industry, organize multinational collaborative relationships to conduct research while developing technologies of local, regional, and global value.
As of 2022, 4 patents were approved and have been granted to DDI and 4 patents are still ongoing. A total of 8 patents are in various stages, per below.
| Patent Overall Status | Total |
| Previous Granted Patents 2020-2021 | 4 |
| Ongoing Patents | 4 |
| Total End 2022 | 8 |
Details of Approved Patents at the United States Patent and Trademark Office:
| Docket No. | Year Granted | Title of Invention(s) | Inventors | Co-Inventor(s) |
| 33024.00 | 2020 | Method for preventing progression to metabolic syndrome | Prof. Fahd Al Mulla | Raseeba Nizam, Dr. Ashref Madhoun |
| 33024.01 | 2020 | Use of MicroRNA-103 as Inhibitor for dyslipidemia by repressing ANGPTL8 gene (2020) | Dr. Mohamed Abufarha | Dr. Jehad Abubaker Prof. Fahd Al Mulla Preethi Cherian Irina Alkhairi |
| 33024.02 | 2021 | Use of MicroRNA-181d as Inhibitor for dyslipidemia by repressing ANGPTL3 gene (2021) | Dr. Jehad Abubaker | Dr. Mohamed Abufarha, Prof. Fahd Al Mulla Irina Alkhairi Preethi Cherian |
| 33024.10 | 2021 | Targeting Signaling Crosstalk Between IL-6 and TNF-α for Preventing MMP-9 Induced tumor growth (2021) | Dr. Rasheed Ahmad | Prof. Fahd Al Mulla |
Collaborations
Overview
2022 DDI Collaborations
1
New Collaboration
12
Reviewed Collaborations
1
Collaborative Consortium
3
Regional Research Collaborations
35
National Collaborative Projects
9
Ongoing Collaborative Consortiums
International Collaborations
In 2022, DDI continued to expand its national, regional, and international network via enhancement of its national and international collaborations. Of the major existing collaborations 12 were reviewed and re-assessed with 1 new collaboration and 1 new consortium concluded.
| International Research Collaborations |
|---|
| Montreal Diabetes Research Centre |
| McGill University |
| University of Glasgow |
| Sunnybrook Research Institute |
| Onze Lieve Vrede Hospital |
| University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio |
| Ulster University |
| University of Canberra |
| BIDMC-Harvard |
| World Health Organization |
| Emory University |
| Yale University |
| Oxford University* |
*New Collaboration
Regional Collaborations
DDI continued to collaborate on multiple research projects with 3 major regional collaborators in 2022.
| Regional Institutions |
|---|
| Weill Cornell University, Qatar |
| Hamad Medical Corporation – Qatar |
| King Abdullah University of Science and Technology |
National Collaborations
DDI continues to collaborate nationally to exchange knowledge to strengthen and contribute to the country’s scientific research community and to enhance knowledge transfer.
In 2022, DDI continued to collaborate with the Kuwait Ministry of Health (MOH) and Kuwait University (KU) on multiple projects covering various scientific disciplines. A breakdown of the number of projects is illustrated below with a total number of national projects with KU and MOH reaching 35 for 2022.
Consortiums
Consortiums provide multiorganizational groups the opportunity to coordinate, network and pull resources together for common well-defined scientific goals. To enhance joint alliances, DDI participated in 9 ongoing consortiums and signed 1 new consortium during 2022.
| International Consortiums |
|---|
| Genetic Investigation of Anthropometric Traits (GIANT) |
| Global Lipids Genetics (GLGC) at Broad Institute (USA) |
| Weill-Cornell Medicine (Qatar and New York) on genome data sharing & integration |
| COVIDiaB Registry |
| Personalised Medicine Coalition |
| NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC) |
| COVID Human Genetic Efforts (MISC) – Rockefeller University |
| International SWEET Network |
| COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative |
| DAFNE Consortium |
In addition to the above, DDI researchers are associated and work on multiple research projects with over 11 international institutions worldwide on a project level basis, over and above the ones listed above.
Public Awareness Activities
DDI has expanded the public’s awareness of Diabetes through educational events, outreaches, events, seminars, lectures, and by ensuring public engagement and participation. As the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions lifted, more physical activities/events were able to be held with an increase from 36 in 2020 to 63 in 2022.
Additionally, other social media platforms continued to be utilized and optimized to ensure awareness is maintained at a community and population-level.
Overview
2022 DDI Activities
63
Activities
54
Awareness Information
54
Press Releases
92
Health awareness videos
259
Public awareness posts
260
Awareness tweets
DDI Videos
DDI continues to provide awareness through the website’s media page which includes educational interviews, scientific updates, and newsworthy highlights on DDI activities. A total of 92 were conducted in 2022.
To view our Media page, click on the button below.
Research Newsletter
DDI electronically distributes quarterly Research newsletters to share and promote research in DDI while increasing the public awareness of research activities and achievements within.
To read our Newsletter articles, click on the button below:
