Nahyan Bin Mubarak opens 4th International Conference on Drug Discovery and Therapy (Expanded)

WAM Dubai, Feb 12th, 2012 (WAM) -- Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) HH Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan opened in Dubai today the 4th International Conference on Drug Discovery and Therapy (ICDDT).

Co-hosted by the Higher Colleges of Technology and Eureka Science, the highlighting the interdisciplinary fields of pre-clinical and clinical drug discovery, drug therapy and translational medicine will run until15th this month at the Dubai Men's College.

This year it will incorporate the 1st Biotechnology World Congress (BWC), from February 14-15, 2012, also at the Dubai Men's College campus.

The BWC will see biotechnologists from around the world consider the challenges involved in the fields of biotechnology and biomedical research.

In his opening speech, Sheikh Nahyan said that the conference was directly relevant to the quality of life and the state of healthcare in the United Arab Emirates.

Sheikh Nahyan has previously stated that investing in "innovative research, best practices, and collaboration are critical" for the UAE to achieve a priority goal of its citizens' health.

Sheikh Nahyan has been a strong supporter of the conference's aims and of its participants' efforts in the fields of drug discovery and therapy, previously saying the conference organizers and participants were to be congratulated for their "skill, your dedication, and commitment to the cause of human welfare".

"We clearly need new ideas and new discoveries that are supported by a determination to help our global citizens achieve more healthy lives," he has opined.

The Minister has also gone on the record as stressing the importance of the annual international gathering of some of the world's leading medical, pharmacological and research minds.

"The nature of your work and your presence at this conference are cause for great optimism. The collective interest in achieving drug discoveries and breakthroughs that will improve the health and lives of countless millions is encouraging," Sheikh Nahyan said.

"There is widespread anticipation of the products of your research and investigations. Both the medical-scientific community and the public worldwide are anxious to recognize and embrace your success," he added.

Building on from the success of the previous conferences held in Dubai, the 2012 edition was a much larger event with over 500 talks delivered and 45 thematic sessions with poster presentations and an associated commercial exhibition.

ICDDT Co-Presidents Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman and Nobel Laureate Prof. Ferid Murad also spoke at the conference's official opening, saying the range of session topics over the four-day conference, as well as the inaugural two-day Biotechnology World Congress, would offer many thought-provoking discussion points and stimulating opportunities for more than 750 conference delegates.

In addition to Sheikh Nahayan the conference's guests of honor were the six Nobel Laureates, Prof. Ferid Murad (USA), Prof. Hartmut Michel (Germany), Prof. Harald zur Hausen (Germany), Prof. Jean-Marie Lehn (France), Prof. Robert Huber (Germany) and Prof. Mario Molina (USA) who were able to present their revolutionary investigations delving deep into drug discovery and therapy findings to an enthralled audience of eminent scientists, researchers, pharmacists, academicians and biotechnologists.

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Rahman promises a musical therapy

Ramola Talwar Badam

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DUBAI // The Indian music maestro, AR Rahman, says music is therapeutic, and has promised his fans a celebration of songs at a concert scheduled for next month.

The famous music composer was at the Armani Hotel in the Burj Khalifa yesterday to promote the event, which will take place on December 9 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai Sports City.

"For me, music is therapy," Rahman said at a press conference during a day-long visit to the emirate. "People say they get a lot of peace when they listen to some of my songs. They always speak of the love songs from Roja."

The haunting melodies and score from Rahman's first movie Roja (Rose) in 1992 are still considered his all-time best by fans across the world. The Tamil-language film was a huge hit and was later dubbed in Hindi and three other Indian languages.

Rahman, 45, has composed the score for more than 100 Indian movies. He has won two Oscars, a Bafta and a Golden Globe two years ago for his soundtrack to the multi award-winning Slumdog Millionaire, directed by Danny Boyle.

He will be the youngest recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Dubai International Film Festival next month.

Despite all the hoopla surrounding him, the soft-spoken musician said he tries to stay focused on his music.

"I'm honoured but I never bother about all this," he said. "I bother about the song, what do we have to do with the music, how it's got to be done. That is my priority."

He promised fans that his Dubai concert would include hit songs from down the years.

Rahman will be joined on stage by singers Mohit Chauhan, Javed Ali, a singer from the latest Bollywood film Rockstar, and well-known musicians such as Sivamani.

"It will be a concert of a celebration, it's a concert of love and the main language is the music," he said.

The songs will draw from a range of Rahman's songs in Indian languages including Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and English.

Yesterday, Rahman also spent the afternoon selecting a singer who would croon with him on the stage in December. Ten finalists were chosen from more than 400 entries of a competition encouraging participants to "Sing Like a Star with AR Rahman". They performed the song Phir Se Ud Chala or Up Again it Flew from the movie Rockstar before their idol.

The winner of the singing competition was Jibran Raheel, 23, who works with a Dubai-based courier company. He said it was a big jump from the singing competitions in which he had participated in Pakistan.

"He is a living legend," Raheel said. "This is beyond my wildest dream because I'm basically a bathroom singer. I never ever thought I would have the opportunity to sing before him."

Another contestant was Rashmi Vijayan, 24, a freelance media professional. "This is more than a dream come true for me," Vijayan said. "I've been picturing this day from the time I was a child; to sing before him is unbelievable. I'm just so excited to meet my musical god."

Rahman's popularity also stems from the fusion in his music that blends the classical with folk, hip hop and soul music.

He worked with the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber in 2002 on the musical Bombay Dreams on London's West End.

Known for collaborations with international artists, Rahman recently released a song with Rolling Stone legend Mick Jagger called Satyameva Jayate or The Truth Triumphs. This was their second single together as part of a group called the SuperHeavy, which also features musicians such as Dave Stewart, Joss Stone and Damian Marley.

"SuperHeavy was a great experience," he recalled. "I had Mick Jagger singing Satayameva Jayate in Sanskrit, what more can I say."

He remembers a concert in Dubai in 1997-98 being one of his best.

"It was one of my first concerts," Rahman said. "People were holding up lights. It was the most memorable concert I ever had. I still have a vision of the whole thing."

rtalwar@thenational.ae

The AR Rahman - Live concert will be held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai Sports City on December 9. Tickets are available online and at Virgin Megastores in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

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