King Faisal Foundation is participating as a golden sponsor in Alfaisal University’s 12th Annual Career Day which brings together a large group of participants from the public, private and non-profit sectors.
This year’s Career Day is being held on Alfaisal University campus under the patronage of HRH Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States of America. It was launched today January 23 and will continue until January 25, 2024.
His Highness Prince Bandar bin Saud bin Khalid Al Saud, Secretary General of King Faisal Foundation commented, “The participation of King Faisal Foundation in the 12th Career Day held by Alfaisal University is an effort to deepen communication and cooperation with various participants in this event. It further aims to gain insight into the visions of visitors to this exhibition in their professional journey, which can be used for providing more non-profit and development work within our dear country.”
Speaking about His Highness’s opinion on Alfaisal University, which was established by the Foundation 16 years ago, Prince Bandar added “The launch of Alfaisal University came in fulfillment of the Foundation’s vision of serving Islam and peace for humanity, which is derived from the vision of the late King Faisal; may God have mercy on him, and we feel proud of the University’s achievements. In a very short period compared to the age of time, Alfaisal University has become one of the most prominent universities in the Kingdom and the region”.
King Faisal Foundation’s booth in the exhibition showcases the entities operating under its umbrella – King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, King Faisal Prize, King Faisal School, Alfaisal University, and Effat University. A representative from each entity is there to communicate with the visitors and explore career and internship opportunities.
The Foundation’s participation in this exhibition provides an opportunity for its visitors to learn more about its achievements, projects, and goals; being one of the first and most established philanthropic institutions in the Kingdom and the region, and about all its affiliated entities that have excelled with key achievements in their various educational, scientific and research fields.
Alfaisal University was established in 2008 through the initiative of King Faisal Foundation to become the first non-profit private research university in Saudi Arabia. Throughout its short history, Alfaisal University has achieved numerous accomplishments, including being ranked the 51st globally among “universities under the age of fifty”, according to the Times Higher Education 2023-2024 ranking, and the 11th globally in the ranking of the “best small universities with fewer than 5000 students”. Currently, Alfaisal has six colleges in the fields of Business, Engineering, Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences & General Studies, and Law & International Relations.
The university’s launch was overseen by the “Co-Founders Council of the University,” formed by King Faisal Foundation in 2002, in partnership with 10 founders to initiate its establishment and commencement.
King Faisal’s sons and daughters established after his passing the “King Faisal Foundation” in 1976, making it a pioneer philanthropic entity that has gone beyond the concept of traditional charitable work with big strides to fulfill its vision “To Serve Islam and The People of Peace”. It was the first non-profit organization to adopt a business model that achieves independence and sustainability in charitable projects, by relying on investment as a primary source of income and financing non-profit projects and programs that realize its goals.
The Foundation’s work has diversified over the past five decades, comprising scholarship programs to support learners, and philanthropic projects to build schools, universities, health centers, and research centers, with a focus on advancing the educational process in the Kingdom, while enriching scientific research and honoring science and scholars locally, regionally, and internationally.
Professor Jerry Mendell and Professor Howard Chang, among other eminent figures, were selected to win the 46th session of the Prize
January 10, 2024
Professor Jerry Mendell was announced this year’s laureate in King Faisal Prize for Medicine for his groundbreaking contributions to screening, early diagnosis, and treatment of neuromuscular disorders, and Professor Howard Chang was announced this year’s laureate in King Faisal Prize for Science in the field of Biology for his pioneering work in uncovering the significance of long non-coding RNAs in gene regulation and function and his collaborative efforts in advancing genome-wide methodologies to identify DNA regulatory regions. Other laureates’ names were announced to win King Faisal Prize in 2024 for enriching humanity with invaluable achievements and discoveries, and excelling in the fields of Islamic Studies and Serving Islam.
Professor Jerry Mendell’s work lies in the screening, early diagnosis, and treatment of patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and limb girdle muscular dystrophies. The Prize’s Medicine topic for 2024 was “Management of Peripheral Disabilities”.
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) used to be considered the primary genetic contributor to infant mortality. Around 95% of infants that were diagnosed with SMA, did not survive beyond the age of two. Babies with SMA type 1 are missing a gene called survival motor neuron gene 1 (SMN1) which is vital for their development and its absence prevents them from moving, talking, swallowing, and eventually breathing. Professor Mendell, the Director of Gene Therapy Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Curran Peters Chair in Pediatric Research, used gene-therapy to deliver a healthy gene (SMN1) to patients’ cells. He was the first to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of high doses of AAV-mediated gene transfer therapy for individuals diagnosed with SMA type 1. Adeno-associated viral vectors (AAV) are engineered viruses specifically designed to deliver DNA, and in the context of SMA treatment, they carry the genetic encoding of the healthy SMN gene. His therapeutic approach has garnered worldwide approval, and in 2019 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted approval for the first-ever gene therapy treatment for pediatric patients under 2 years of age diagnosed with SMA.
Gene-therapy has also been used by Professor Mendell to correct the genetic mutations for patients suffering from the most common form of muscular dystrophy; Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a progressive neuromuscular disease. In patients with DMD, genetic mutations prevent cells from making dystrophin; a protein responsible for developing and maintaining healthy muscle tissue. While initial symptoms in DMD patients manifest in skeletal muscles, the condition progresses to impact the heart and respiratory functions. Gene therapy serves to rectify this genetic abnormality, enabling the body to generate dystrophin and impede the ongoing degeneration of muscle tissue. In June 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first treatment for pediatric patients 4-5 years old with DMD using the novel gene-therapy co-invented by Professor Mendell and Professor Louise Rodino-Klapac; a post-doctoral fellow in Mendell’s lab at the time. A single injection treatment involves administering a micro-dystrophin gene into an adeno-associated virus serotype (AAVrh74), facilitating the delivery of missing or corrected genes to cells.
Professor Mendell has been involved in clinical trials for gene therapy for limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) including types 2E, 2B, and 2D. LGMD is an umbrella term that represents several rare types of muscular dystrophy that cause muscle weakness in shoulders, upper arms, hips, and upper legs. It is a chronic condition that affects people of all ages. In one of his studies, Prof. Mendell and his team used a single injection of a low dose of a gene therapy vector to address the primary cellular deficit associated with LGMD2B. The approach repaired the injured muscle fibers, reducing degeneration, and enhancing muscle function.
As author of over 400 papers, Prof. Mendell was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2021. He was also recognized by the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT) with a Translational Science Award in his Name. Science Magazine awarded him the Breakthrough Achievement Award in 2017 for SMA Gene Therapy.
As for this year’s Science Prize in the field of Biology, Professor Howard Chang was announced the laureate, for unveiling the intrinsic role of long non-coding RNAs in gene regulation and function, and for his collaborative endeavors in advancing genome-wide methodologies identifying DNA regulatory regions. Such findings are significantly influencing the realms of molecular biology and genetics, contributing to a deeper understanding of intricate human diseases. His research addresses how large sets of genes are turned on or off together, a key point that helps understand normal development, cancer, and aging.
Professor Howard Chang, a physician-scientist, Professor of Dermatology and Genetics, and Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professor of Cancer Research at Stanford University, has made significant contributions to the field of RNA medicines. His lab’s work has focused on understanding the roles of long noncoding RNAs (a genetic material found in cells) in biological regulation and their potential therapeutic applications. He discovered long sequences of RNA that, in contrast to the better-known messenger (mRNAs) responsible for protein synthesis, do not encode proteins. Prof. Chang discovered that these sequences play a role in influencing DNA accessibility. They act like a magnet for other RNA molecules and alter mRNA splicing, to affect gene expression, among other duties. Despite not encoding proteins, lncRNAs are crucial for controlling the timing and amount of protein production, impacting the overall function and behavior of cells.
In every human cell, 2 meters of DNA are packed in a 10-micron nucleus, so most of the DNA is highly compacted making most of it inaccessible except for the active DNA elements that the cell is using and reading. Discovering the location of these accessible elements provides insights into the cell’s “software”. Prof. Chang’s lab has pioneered techniques to map the landscape of chromatin; the substance that forms chromosomes and consists of DNA and proteins that structure the genome and control gene expression. One groundbreaking technique innovated by Chang’s lab was the Assay of Transposase Accessible Chromatin, which used an enzyme called Tn5 transposase which copies and pastes DNA. This technique led to a million-fold improvement in the sensitivity and hundred-fold improvement in the speed of mapping regulatory DNA – the epigenome- in human cells.
His work unraveled mechanisms and targets in various human diseases, notably cancer, immunity, and development. His recent investigations into extrachromosomal DNA in cancer revealed key findings. Prof. Chang also established the RNA Medicine Program at Stanford, which works to accelerate the discovery and translation of RNA science into human therapeutics.
Prof. Chang’s honors include the NAS Award for Molecular Biology, Outstanding Investigator Award of the National Cancer Institute, Paul Marks Prize for Cancer Research, Judson Daland Prize of the American Philosophical Society, and the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise. His work was honored by the journal Cell as a Landmark paper over the last 40 years and by Science as “Insight of the decade”.
In addition to Medicine and Science, King Faisal Prize recognized this year the achievements of an outstanding thinker and scholar in the field of Islamic Studies and exemplary leaders who played a pivotal role in serving Islam, Muslims, and humanity at large.
Professor Wael Hallaq, the Avalon Foundation Professor in the Humanities at Columbia University, was selected to receive the “Islamic Studies” prize in “Islamic Legislations and their Contemporary Applications” for 2024. He has provided an academic reference, parallel to the traditional Orientalist writings, that influenced universities around the world. This was evident in his numerous works that were translated into many languages, and his success in establishing a guideline for the development of Islamic legislation.
As for the Service to Islam Prize, the Japan Muslim Association and Dr. Mohammad Sammak, were announced as co-laureates for this year’s 2024 prize.
King Faisal Prize for Arabic Language & Literature for 2024 on the topic of “Non-Arab Institutions and their Endeavors to Promote Arabic” was withheld due to nominated works not elevating to the criteria of the prize.
King Faisal Prize laureates’ names for 2024 were announced today in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, by HRH Prince Turki Alfaisal and the Prize’s Secretary General Dr. Abdulaziz Alsebail. Since 1979, King Faisal Prize in its 5 different categories has awarded 295 laureates who have made distinguished contributions to different sciences and causes. Each prize laureate is endowed with USD 200 thousand; a 24-carat gold medal weighing 200 grams, and a Certificate inscribed with the Laureate’s name and a summary of their work which qualified them for the prize.
Professor Jerry Mendell King Faisal Prize for Medicine laureateProfessor Howard Chang King Faisal Prize for Science laureateDr. Mohammad Sammak King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam laureateJapan Muslim Association King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam laureateProfessor Wael Hallaq King Faisal Prize for Islamic Studies laureate
A prize selection committee for King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam, headed by His Royal Highness Prince Turki Al-Faisal, met today to select the 2024 King Faisal Prize laureate in the Service to Islam category: one of the Prize’s five categories.
The Service to Islam prize reflects the primary objectives of the King Faisal Prize to ingrain Islamic values and ideas in the society and highlight their key role in enriching knowledge and human development. It aims to benefit Muslims in their present and future through awarding and acknowledging the distinguished efforts of individuals and institutions that have excelled in serving Islam and Muslims. To qualify for the prize, an individual or an institution should have rendered exceptional services to Islam and Muslims through knowledge and deeds or provided other outstanding services that offer far-reaching benefits to Islam and Muslims.
Later this evening, HRH Prince Turki Al-Faisal will announce the names of the 2024 King Faisal prize laureates that were selected over the past 3 days in all five categories, during a ceremony held in Riyadh for guests and media. The event will be streamed live at 8:00 pm (KSA time) through King Faisal Prize’s website and social media platforms.
53 laureates have previously received the Service to Islam prize during the past 45 years. The list of Service to Islam Laureates has comprised rulers, heads of states, thought leaders and social scientists as well as distinguished institutions.
###
About King Faisal Prize:
The King Faisal Prize (KFP) was established by the King Faisal Foundation in 1977 and was granted for the first time in 1979. The Prize recognizes the outstanding works of individuals and institutions in five categories: Service to Islam, Islamic Studies, Arabic Language and Literature, Medicine, and Science.
Its aim is to benefit Muslims in their present and future, inspire them to participate in all aspects of civilization, and enrich human knowledge and development.
Selection Committees started their meetings at King Faisal Prize headquarters to select laureates in Islamic Studies,
Arabic Language & Literature, Medicine, and Science
HRH Prince Turki Al-Faisal to chair committee meeting to select the laureate in Service to Islam
Laureates Names to Be Announced on January 10
Riyadh, KSA, January 8, 2024:
King Faisal Prize will be announcing the names of its 2024 laureates on the 10th of January in Riyadh. In preparation for the announcement, specialized selection committees of the prize’s 4 categories – Islamic Studies, Arabic Language & Literature, Medicine, and Science started their meetings at the Prize’s headquarters today, 8 January 2024 and will continue until the 10th. On the 10th of January, His Royal Highness Prince Turki Al-Faisal Bin Abd Al-Aziz will chair the committee meeting to select the laureate of the Service to Islam prize.
The General Secretariat had announced in 2022 the topics of the 46th session of King Faisal Prize for 2024, as follows: Islamic Studies “Islamic Legislations and their Contemporary Applications”; Arabic Language & Literature “Non-Arab Institutions and their Endeavors to the Promotion of Arabic”; Medicine “Management of Peripheral Disabilities”; and Science “Biology”.
The General Secretariat also pointed out that nominations are made by scientific institutions, universities, research centres as well as scientific and language councils, provided the nominated individual is alive and their nominated work is already published. The work should also be informative and contribute to the enrichment of knowledge for the development of humanity. Nominations are not accepted from individuals or political parties.
The Prize selection committees this year include experts, specialists, and scholars, coming from 22 different countries to meet in Riyadh and examine the nominated works to select the laureates in an objective and transparent manner, in accordance with the rules and regulations developed by the General Secretariat of the Prize.
King Faisal Foundation announced the awarding of 104 academic excellence scholarships for the year 2023-2024 to empower outstanding students from King Faisal School, Alfaisal University, and Effat University. The scholarship program is one of the Foundation’s ongoing programs aiming to support and motivate distinguished male and female students.
Notably, 18 students from King Faisal School have attained academic excellence scholarships this year. His Highness Prince Mansour bin Saad Al Saud, the Assistant Secretary-General at King Faisal Foundation, graciously hosted the scholarship recipients and their parents at the Foundation’s headquarters for the signing of the scholarship agreements.
The Merit-based Scholarship Programme reinforces the aims and pursuits of King Faisal Foundation to contribute to the advancement and development of education in the Kingdom. The programme seeks to attract academically distinguished and gifted students, and to provide them with top-notch teaching methods and practices. Its primary objective is to enhance their educational achievements by imparting a range of academic and practical skills and experiences.
King Faisal Foundation had announced last May this year’s merit-based scholarships, outlining the main requirements which include that the applicant should be Saudi Arabian or a resident in Saudi Arabia, with a cumulative GPA of 98% or more, among others. The scholarship is provided partially (50%) or fully (100%) and covers tuition fees and books, depending on the percentage of the scholarship awarded.
Reflecting on the significance of these scholarships, the recipients emphasized the role they play in fostering perseverance, excellence, and motivation towards achieving their goals. They also commended King Faisal School for its commitment to students’ academic development and for providing opportunities that enable them to pursue their future aspirations.
King Faisal School is one of the sustainable projects of King Faisal Foundation, which was launched in 1991 to keep pace with international excellence as a Saudi national private school. The school is the first non-profit school in the Kingdom to receive international academic recognition, offer educational programmes with high academic standards, and introduce the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum into Saudi schools. It has also set a model for providing quality education through IB programmes for students from kindergarten to grade 12. A Girls’ School was opened to elevate the social impact of the school. It should be noted that King Faisal School was the first to introduce civic education prior to its adoption by the Ministry of Education and its formal introduction into the general education curriculum.
