KAUST is proud to announce that Professor Niveen Khashab, Associate Dean of Students, Physical Sciences and Engineering, was named the first Great Arab Mind in the natural sciences. The Great Arab Minds recognize brilliant Arabs annually for their achievements in one of six categories: natural sciences, architecture and design, engineering and technology, economics, literature and arts, and medicine. They were conceived by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. 

Khashab, an organic chemist, was selected for her "outstanding contributions to the development, synthesis and application of nanomaterials" in the medical, industrial and agricultural sectors.  

Upon earning her doctorate at the University of Florida, Khashab moved to UCLA and Northwestern University before joining KAUST as a founder (2009), when she helped set up the chemistry program. For her research, she has mimicked biological self-organization to synthesize supramolecular assemblies at the nanoscale. She has demonstrated the potential of her nanoparticles to deliver drugs, proteins and genetic materials for new medical treatments as well as bioactive molecules for more nutritious fruits. More recently, her lab has reported the potential of these nanoparticles for personalized immunotherapies and anti-aging treatments.  

"This is a true honor. One of the reasons I joined KAUST was because I believed that Arab nations could once again lead in science and technology. This award doesn’t only recognize me, it recognizes the great environment KAUST and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia provide for scientists to thrive," she said.