WASHINGTON: The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) announced on Monday the successful conclusion of the “Precision Medicine: Enhancing Knowledge Exchange and Collaboration between Kuwait and the United States” program, held in partnership with the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). The two-day program brought together leading scientists and physicians from Kuwait and the United States and was attended by Kuwait’s Ambassador to the US, Sheikha Al-Zain Al-Sabah.
KFAS said the program featured intensive sessions and advanced scientific discussions on integrating genomics with environmental factors, governance and policy frameworks in precision medicine, building technical infrastructure, and enabling cross-border data exchange to support research and clinical applications. The event’s scientific committee was chaired by Dr Sheikh Salman Al-Sabah, Chair of the Medical Liability Authority and recipient of the Jabir Al-Ahmad Young Researcher Award, who oversaw the program’s themes and outcomes aimed at strengthening bilateral research collaboration in precision medicine and advanced medical technologies.
Dr Sheikh Salman Al-Sabah
Officials and experts take a group photo. – KUNA photos
The program included contributions from leading Kuwaiti physicians. Dr Waddah Al-Refaie, Arnold W Lempka Endowed Chair of Surgery at Creighton University, delivered a lecture titled “Translating Surgical Research into Clinical Excellence,” outlining pathways to transform surgical innovations into practical therapeutic applications, emphasizing technology transfer and clinical evidence for adoption.
Dr Zaid Al-Marzouk, interventional cardiologist and Director of Structural Heart at a Boston medical center, also a Jabir Al-Ahmad Young Researcher Award recipient, led a session on “Implementing Precision Medicine Technologies within Clinical Workflows.” He discussed integrating AI tools, cloud platforms, and genomic analytics into everyday medical practice, highlighting team training requirements and sustainable applications in hospitals.
KFAS highlighted contributions from Kuwaiti specialists engaged through the KFAS-NASEM collaboration, including Dr Sulaiman Al-Muzaidi, Chair of Surgery at Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital, and Senior Consultant General Surgeon Dr Hamoud Al-Rashidi, who presented Kuwait’s pioneering experience in remote robotic surgery. The procedure, recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s longest remote surgery, reflects the qualitative advancement of Kuwait’s healthcare system, supported by KFAS. — KUNA
Program activities also included keynote presentations on cross-border data sharing, regulatory frameworks, and human capacity development in precision medicine. Discussions concluded with practical recommendations to enhance international partnerships and accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into clinical impact. Kuwaiti contributions underscored KFAS’s role in promoting science diplomacy and supporting Kuwait’s strategic investment in precision medicine.- KUNA