UAEU’s Dr. Alya Arabi secures four patents in drug design and medical devices, blending AI, computational science, and engineering. Her innovations include new drug discovery methods and medical solutions for shoulder paralysis, infertility, and incontinence—bringing real change to healthcare.
Dr. Alya A. Arabi, a leading researcher at United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), has received four new patents that could significantly improve the fields of drug discovery and medical devices. Her work combines advanced computer science, artificial intelligence, engineering, and quantum principles to solve major healthcare challenges.
Two of Dr. Arabi’s patents aim to improve how new medicines are developed. The first patent introduces a new method to study how different shapes of molecules (called conformers) behave when they interact with proteins in the human body. This helps scientists understand how effective a potential drug might be before they even test it in a lab.
The second patent builds on this idea. It presents a system to compare molecules from different sources and find those that behave similarly inside the body. This technique could speed up the process of finding new drug candidates by using existing data in smarter ways.
“These innovations support drug discovery by using smart computer models, often called ‘in-silico’ methods,” said Dr. Arabi. “They reduce the need for expensive lab tests and help researchers find useful drug compounds faster and more efficiently.”
Dr. Arabi’s third patent is focused on a medical device in the field of orthopedics. It was developed in partnership with Professor Bassem T. ElHassan from Massachusetts General Hospital (a Harvard Medical School hospital) and engineer Ali O. Arabi. This new device helps patients who have full shoulder paralysis to regain movement in their shoulder. Before this invention, patients with complete paralysis had very few treatment options. Now, there is hope for improved mobility and quality of life.
The fourth patent solves two common and difficult health issues. In collaboration with engineer Ali O. Arabi, Dr. Arabi has designed a device that can help with both male infertility caused by retrograde ejaculation and urinary incontinence. This dual-purpose medical solution brings new possibilities to people suffering from these conditions and could lead to better health outcomes in urology and reproductive medicine.
“These patents are the result of mixing curiosity with technology and a strong desire to solve real-world problems,” Dr. Arabi explained. “It’s exciting to see these ideas come to life, and my goal now is to turn them into products that can be used by doctors and patients around the world.”
Dr. Arabi’s work was fully supported by UAEU throughout the patent process. The university is proud to foster innovation that can improve lives. Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Chancellor of UAEU, praised her achievements, saying:
“These patents are a great example of the scientific excellence we promote at UAEU. Dr. Arabi’s ability to work across different fields—from computer science to medicine and engineering—proves our commitment to research that matters. Her success brings pride to our university and real benefits to global healthcare.”
As Dr. Arabi continues to move from patents to real-world applications, her inventions may soon become tools that make a lasting difference in people’s lives.
