Muscat – Dr Faris bin Abdullah al Farsi, from Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, has won the award for the most innovative research project at the Science Marathon held during the 72nd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Germany.

The marathon saw participation of 27 teams from around the world. 

The winning project, Farsi informed, revolves around the application of smart biochips. These devices play a pivotal role in identifying and combating bacteria that cause infection in chronic wounds. These biochips are equipped with lab-made microscopic antibodies, linked to enzymes and sensors, helping to detect and eliminate bacteria as they approach the wound site.

The project was a collaboration of young scientists from multiple disciplines, with backing from Germany’s Max Planck Foundation. Evaluation of participating research projects was conducted by a committee comprising Nobel laureates and international investors specialising in scientific research development, Farsi told ONA. 

His involvement in the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting was made possible by the support of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. He was chosen to represent the sultanate among the world’s top 600 young medical scientists. The event witnessed the participation of over 40 Nobel laureates.

The Science Marathon’s objective was to propose scientific solutions to an array of medical challenges. This was achieved by uniting diverse scientific disciplines, including medicine, physiology, physics, chemistry, biology, pharmacology, enzymology, immunology, software engineering and astrophysics.