Hamdan Award for an outstanding clinical department in the public sector in the UAE
	Sharjah Blood Transfusion and Research Center Sharjah, United Arab Emirates The Department of Blood Transfusion services in the UAE began in 1986 with a small blood bank, located in Abu Dhabi and a smaller one in Sharjah and a few much simpler hospitals based blood banks. The Centre in Sharjah, under the leadership of its Director, Dr. Amin Al Amiri became the largest Central Blood Transfusion and Research centre and is a reference centre in the region. There are, in addition, 13 other blood banks countrywide. The 14 blood transfusion centers are now working with the same Rules and Regulations adopted internationally. The Centre has established a strong reputation in the region for the provision of exemplary clinical services which has been recognized by the award of international (ISO) accreditation. The centre caters to all age groups from the newborn to the very elderly and was the only such centre in the country when first established. A very high standard with regard to the collection, testing and transfusion of blood and its products to patients with diverse needs has been achieved with the provision of a national service.
	Co - Winner - 1: Thalassemia Centre Co - Winner - 2: Genetics Centre Al Wasl Hospital, Dubai Thalassemia Center, at Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai is considered to be a unique centre in the United Arab Emirates and in Gulf countries for the services it offers. The increase in the number of Thalassemia patients in UAE led to the idea of establishing a Center. The rulers of Dubai were having the plan in establishing such a centre for the treatment of Thalassemia and to prevent it from spreading. The center started its services in the beginning of the year 1989, and it was the only center at that time in the Middle East and the Gulf Region. The Thalassemia center can accept in its present capacity of about 28 cases in a day and the centre is fully equipped. Genetic Center at Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai was established in 1995 and the only center in the middle east and the Gulf Region that offer the best methods of treatment and diagnosis in the field of Genetic disorders. It attracted many patients from outside United Arab Emirates as this centre gives best methods of treatment and diagnosis for Genetic problems in both known and rare diseases. More over this centre has a very sophisticated laboratory providing the international standard of treatment.
Hamdan Award for Original Research Paper Published in the Emirates Medical Journal
	Dr. Maha Abdel Hadi Consultant Surgeon and Associate Professor Department of Surgery King Fahd Hospital of the University Kingdom of Saudi Arabia From Outside UAE - Winning paper - 1 "A positive margin in breast biopsy remains a surgical challenge." - Finding microscopically positive margins after breast lumpectomy is generally an indication for re-excision. However, many re-excision results are inaccurate or negative, thus not contributing to disease control but may increase patient morbidity. This attempts to re-evaluate our experience if mastectomies were justified in positive or close margins, and to set standard guidelines in the management.
	Dr. Shahab Uddin King Fahd National Center for Children's Cancer & Research King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center Kindgdom of Saudi Arabia From Outside UAE - Winning paper - 2 "Molecular mechanisms of curcumin-induced apoptosis in lymphoid malignant cells." - Curcumin, a natural compound isolated from the plant Curcumin longa, has been show to possess potent anti-tumour and anti-oxidative properties. The mechanism by which curcumin initiates apoptosis remains poorly understood. In this study, the effect of curcumin on the activation of apoptotic pathway in human lymphoma cells was investigated.
	Dr. Hussein Saadi Associate Professor Department of internal medicine Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences UAE University, Al Ain From Inside UAE - Winning paper - 3 "Bone mineral density of the spine and femur in United Arab Emirates women: Relation to anthropometric, reproductive, and lifestyle factors" - aims and objectives of this study is to establish normative data for bone mineral density (BMD) at the spine and femur in healthy UAE women, compare BMD of UAE women to other populations and examine the relationship of BMD to anthropometric, reproductive, and lifestyle factors.
	Prof. Adekunle Hakim Dawodu Department of Pediatrics FMHS, UAE University Al Ain From Inside UAE - Winning paper - 4 "Contribution of sunshine deprivation and maternal vitamin D deficiency to rickets in the United Arab Emirates" - Dawodu et al are highlighting an important health issue, namely rickets in Emirati Children. In this study, the authors had 40 children with rickets who also had significant skeletal deformities, growth and motor development delay; and all had vitamin D deficiency.