Alfaisal University fifth-year medical student and emerging researcher Ghaith Adi participated in the prestigious Immune Niches in Cancer and Inflammation 2025 (INCI25) conference, held from May 7–9, 2025, in Bruges, Belgium. Organized by the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology (VIB), a global leader in life sciences research, the conference convened international experts to discuss recent breakthroughs in immunology, cancer biology, and inflammatory disease mechanisms.
Supported by major publishers such as Springer Nature and Cell Press, along with global biotech sponsors including 10x Genomics, Moleculent, and Thermo Fisher Scientific, INCI25 offered a highly competitive and intellectually rich environment for scientific exchange. Presenters and attendees included researchers from leading institutions such as Stanford University, Heidelberg University, University of Paris Cité, and King’s College London.
Representing Alfaisal University and the Arab region, Ghaith stood out as the only Arab presenter and the only medical student among a cohort of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers. His research titled “Transcriptome Deconvolution of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortices in Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder” was conducted as part of Alfaisal’s BioX initiative, exemplifying the university’s commitment to high-impact, student-driven inquiry in translational biomedical science.
The study focused on identifying immune cell populations in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)—a brain region important in autism research. By applying transcriptomic deconvolution techniques, the project aimed to fill critical gaps in the immune characterization of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and provided new perspectives on neuroimmune interaction in neurodevelopmental conditions.
In addition to presenting his work, Ghaith attended advanced sessions on immune niches, tumor microenvironments, and single-cell transcriptomics, engaging with scientists from around the world and exchanging ideas across research cultures.
He reported the experience to be both humbling and inspiring, representing Alfaisal University and the Arab world in a competitive, global research environment, quoting connecting with like-minded scientists as the most rewarding aspects of the conference.
Dr. Ayman Mohamed, faculty mentor and research advisor shared his thoughts on the engagement, “We are proud to see our students contribute to global scientific conversations and present original work that addresses important gaps in neuroimmunology” This participation at INCI25 supports Alfaisal University’s mission to develop globally engaged student researchers, reflecting the university’s broader commitment to supporting undergraduate research, international exposure, and academic excellence.
