Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research Specialization​

The following themes are part of the Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research specialization of the PhD program, though the list is not exhaustive:

1. Molecular and Cellular Biology: Studies cellular processes and molecular interactions relevant to health and disease.
2. Cardiovascular Diseases: Focuses on the heart and vascular systems, studying diseases and potential treatments.
3. Oncology and Cancer Biology: Researches the mechanisms of cancer development and novel treatments.
4. Pathophysiology of Metabolic Disorders: Investigating the underlying mechanisms and biological pathways that contribute to metabolic disorders. This includes exploring how conditions like obesity, insulin resistance, and lipid imbalances develop and progress.
5. Diabetes Research: Diving deep into the two primary types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2, to understand their distinct pathologies. This includes studying pancreatic beta-cell function, insulin resistance, and the impact of genetic and environmental factors.
6. Genetic Disorders: Focuses on genetic contributions to disease and potential therapies.
7. Neuroscience: Explores the biology of the nervous system, from molecular to behavioral levels.
8. Immunology and Vaccine Research: Investigates the immune system and the development of vaccines.
9. Bioinformatics and Systems Biology: Utilizes computational tools to understand complex biological systems.
10. Infectious Diseases: Understanding how various pathogens (bacteria, viruses, fungi) cause disease, including their mechanisms of infection and evasion of the host immune response.
11. Drug Discovery and Development: Focusing on the identification and synthesis of new therapeutic compounds.
12. Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics: Studying how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted in the body, as well as their mechanisms of action.
13. Biotechnology and Bioinformatics: Utilizing advanced technologies for drug discovery, including computational modeling and genetic engineering.
14. Pharmaceutical Chemistry: Investigating pharmaceuticals' chemical properties and synthesis, including novel drug design.
15. Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery: Developing nanoscale drug delivery systems to improve efficacy and reduce side effects.​

Clinical and Population Health Research Specialization

​The themes for the clinical and Population Health Research specialization of the PhD program include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Epidemiological studies on chronic diseases
2. Health promotion and healthy lifestyle as applied to general and targeted populations
3. Healthcare delivery systems in terms of exploration of structures, processes, and outcomes in general and targeted settings
4. Evidence-based healthcare spanning development, implementation, evaluation  
5. Health informatics in a range of professional settings
6. Education studies relating to individuals and populations spanning general public, patients, students and health professionals

Study populations are varied depending on the specific research questions but are largely aligned to national strategic plans and visions for Qatar’s healthcare systems and include, but are not limited to, the following conditions:

1. cancer
2. diabetes
3. cardiovascular
4. mental health
5. neurology
6. infectious diseases

Study populations may also include

1. health professionals
2. students
3. patients
4. general public

​Methodologies are non-laboratory based and span all quantitative, qualitative and mixed approaches, and will be selected depending on the specific research questions.