Stars of Science announces finalists competing in grand finale

Doha, Qatar: After weeks of thrilling competition, Stars of Science has unveiled its top three finalists, each vying for the coveted title of Top Arab...

Doha, Qatar: After weeks of thrilling competition, Stars of Science has unveiled its top three finalists, each vying for the coveted title of Top Arab Innovator. Nada Elkharashi, Haytham Yahaoui and Yaman Tayyar, who have navigated multiple elimination rounds, are now one step away from claiming a share of the Grand Prize. 

With the finish line in sight, one winner and one runner-up will be chosen through a combination of public voting and jury deliberation.

Among the finalists is Nada Elkharashi, from Egypt, whose groundbreaking project, ‘BioVolt’, has captured attention with its ability to generate electricity from air humidity using bacterial nanowires. This self-powering biomaterial holds the promise of providing sustainable energy to underserved communities. “I’m proud to be pushing the boundaries of renewable energy,” said Elkharashi. “This innovation isn’t just about science—it’s about creating a lasting impact.”

Joining her is Tunisian, Haytham Yahyaoui, whose Alzheimer’s Early Detection App called ‘NeuroVox’ offers a cutting-edge approach to diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease at its earliest stages through voice analysis and artificial intelligence. “This app could be a game changer for early intervention in Alzheimer’s. Reaching the finale of Stars of Science is the first step in turning this dream into reality,” said Yahyaoui.

Rounding out the top three is Syrian candidate, Yaman Tayyar, who impressed the jury with his ‘Geno’ microfluidic mixer—a device designed to produce lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for gene therapy. Tayyar’s invention has the potential to reduce costs and make gene therapy, which fixes or replaces faulty genes for those fighting disease, more widely available. “Thanks to Stars of Science, I’m excited about what’s next—this is just the beginning for making gene therapy accessible to all,” said Tayyar.