Medlab Middle East nurtures laboratory industry talent through regional competitions

According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 70% of today’s medical decisions depend on laboratory test results, showing the vital role played by clinical and medical laboratories in today’s healthcare systems. Medlab Middle East, the MENA region’s largest laboratory exhibition and congress, is committed to developing current and future medical laboratory professionals, as demonstrated by a number of competitions and initiatives running at the four-day exhibition.

Mezna Al Ali from the Higher Colleges of Technology was announced as the winner of the coveted Medlab Middle East Scientific Poster Competition, receiving a research grant of a value of up to USD 3,000 from EXPRESSMED Diagnostics & Research. Al Ali was selected for her entry to the competition which explored the prevalence and correlation of Transfusion-Transmitted Infections (TTI’s).

Covering research areas including immunology, histopathology and clinical microbiology, the Scientific Poster Competition was open to submissions from all medical lab professionals and final-year students, providing a platform to showcase their research in front of leading experts.

Tom Coleman, Senior Exhibition Director, Medlab Series, Informa Markets, said: “Hosting competitions and nurturing future talent are vital aspects of our mission at Medlab Middle East. These initiatives provide a platform for showcasing the skills and expertise of aspiring medical laboratory professionals, promoting innovation and driving advancements in healthcare. By investing in the development of future talent, we ensure a sustainable workforce capable of meeting the evolving needs of the healthcare industry and improving patient outcomes.”

Aspiring scientists have also participated in the LabQ competition at Medlab Middle East, An inter-college quiz competition, focused on senior graduating students majoring in medical laboratory sciences in the UAE, the competition is centred around pathology and laboratory medicine and has seen participation from prestigious institutions, including the University of Sharjah, Liwa College, the Higher Colleges of Technology, and Gulf Medical University. The winners of LabQ will be announced on the closing day of Medlab Middle East 2024 on Thursday.

Rounding out the competitions, innovation also takes centre stage at Labpreneur, Medlab Middle East’s annual start-up competition. Labpreneur features ten shortlisted start-ups that have created revolutionary concepts for the medical laboratory field in areas including disease management, drug discovery and lab automation, to name a few. The competition winner, which will be announced on 8 February, will receive complimentary stand space for Medlab Middle East 2025, along with a prestigious award.

Now in its 23rd year, Medlab Middle East continues on 7 and 8 February 2024 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing together 900 exhibitors from 40 countries and more than 30,000 visitors from over 180 countries.

The event exhibits eight specialised product categories which include Disposables, Healthcare/General Services, Imaging, Infrastructure, IT, Laboratory, Medical Equipment and Pharma/Nutrition, and provides education and solutions at the region’s only multi-disciplinary congress.
MB Bureau