Dubai: Scientist Nabil Seidah, of the Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM) in Canada, has won the Great Arab Minds Award, a prestigious UAE initiative launched by Vice President and Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid. Seidah, originally from Egypt, is the director of the Biochemical Neuroendocrinology Research Unit at IRCM.

According to State Information Service Egypt, Seidah won the 2025 award in medicine in recognition of his pioneering contributions to improving heart health and understanding how the body regulates cholesterol. His research has focused on key biological processes that determine how the body handles fats, work that has helped reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, according to the award announcement.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid congratulated Seidah on winning the award. In a post on X, he noted that the Egyptian scientist’s efforts contributed to the development of a new generation of medicines widely used to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.

The award announcement also highlighted Seidah’s milestone in discovering PCSK9, a protein that controls the number of LDL receptors on liver cells; overactivity of the protein leads to elevated LDL cholesterol and increased risk of heart disease. ‘This discovery enabled the development of PCSK9 inhibitors, medications that lower cholesterol and reduce heart disease risk,’ the announcement said.

With more than 820 publications, Seidah’s work has also advanced understanding of fatty-liver disease, obesity, cancer, and viral entry into cells, paving the way for new medical treatments.