Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—Oct. 18, 2023—Solidifying its role as a trailblazing global non-profit in the realm of healthspan science, the Hevolution Foundation today unveiled a landmark grant program aimed at cultivating the first wave of aging biology researchers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

High-Impact Funding for Exemplary KSA Researchers

In its inaugural year, the grant program received an impressive 120 applications. Following a meticulous evaluation process, Hevolution has selected 11 outstanding Saudi researchers to benefit from a two-year grant with a total budget of 10 million SAR. Each grantee will receive up to 500,000 SAR over two years, making it one of the most impactful initiatives in the field.

"As the Hevolution Foundation continues working tirelessly to catalyze the healthspan field, this strategic initiative serves as both a nurturing ground and a launchpad for Saudi Arabia's burgeoning intellectual prowess in aging biology,“ said Dr. Mehmood Khan, Hevolution Foundation CEO. “More than mere research funding, it's another defining moment that continues to establish Saudi Arabia as a rising global epicenter in this vital field by investing in its talent today for a better tomorrow."

King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center Grantees

1. Anas Abdel Rahman, Ph.D.,  King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, ‘Identification and Validation of Metabolomic and Lipidomic Signatures of Aging in Human Disease Models: A Biomarker Discovery Study’

2. Ayodele Aliya, MBBS, MPH, Ph.D., FRCPath, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, ‘Developing model system to identify new tissue-selective biomarkers of senescence’

3. Ahmed Ali Al-Qahtani, Ph.D, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, ‘Immunoageing: Determinants of Age-Related Defects in Response to Infection’

King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC)

4. Dr. Manal Alaamery, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), ‘Unraveling Genetic Components of Healthy Ageing and Longevity in Saudi Arabia’

5. Dr. Abdulaziz Mohammed Aldayel, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), ‘Aging and Nanotechnology: For A Better Understanding of Nanoparticles Interaction With Aged Cells’

“Today we celebrated four of our researchers for winning Hevolution's grant for health span research! We are proud of their achievement, as it reflects the university and KAIMRC's commitment to excellence in research. This recognition from Hevolution Foundation highlights the importance of investing in untapped research areas, particularly in aging biology. It is a significant accomplishment for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to have the first batch of researchers investigating the biology of aging.” - His Excellency, Prof. Bandar Alknawy, President and CEO of National Guard Health Affairs

King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Services (KSAU-HS)

6. Marwh Gassim M. Aldriwesh, Ph.D, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences,‘ Towards Sustainable Research on Gut Microbiome and Ageing in Saudi Arabia’

7. Dr. Tlili Barhoumi, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, ‘Role of Treg Cells in Cell And Organ Senescence, Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS) And Lifespan In Elderly Mice’

“Health span research is an emerging scientific field that has the potential to greatly improve people's quality of life and promote healthier aging. With the generous support of Hevolution, we will be able to conduct comprehensive multi-omics analyses to investigate the gut microbiome signatures linked to individuals who have a longer healthy lifespan. These findings could potentially lead to the identification of therapeutic targets for promoting healthy aging in Saudi Arabia and the world.” - Dr. Marwh Gassim Aldriwesh

Taif University

8. Majid Alhomrani, PhD,  Taif University,’ Leveraging Spatial Transcriptomics to Study Liver Aging’

AlMareefa University

9. Dr. Hany Ahmed Elkattawy, AlMaarefa University, ‘Sleep Deprivation-Induced Brain Deficits in Naturally Aged Rats And Role Of Oxytocin: Behavioral, Cognitive, And Molecular Evidence’

Jazan University

10. Dr. Ali Ahmed Hanbashi, Jazan University, ‘ Applying Machine Learning to Develop Biomarkers for an Ageing Clock for Local Populations’

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)

11. Professor Valerio Orlando, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), ‘Role Of Chromatin- Associated Repetitive Element RNAs In Aging Onset And Progression’

Hevolution Foundation: A Track Record of Impact

In addition to these initiatives, Hevolution has been on an impressive trajectory since coming out of stealth mode. Hevolution has allocated over 750,000,000.00 SAR in global funding to help reshape and accelerate discoveries and tangible contributions to healthy aging research and development. It has also established a fast-moving Investment team based in Boston, Massachusetts, extending Hevolution's operational footprint globally and amplifying its engagement with the broader life sciences ecosystem that now includes a "short list" of companies that are potential investment candidates this year.