Thuwal: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) announced that Dr. Hanin Ahmed, a Saudi alumna and past Ibn Rushd Postdoctoral fellow, has been awarded the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowship. This fellowship is considered one of the most prestigious globally for young researchers, recognizing exceptional scientific research on ancient DNA and evolutionary genomics.
According to Saudi Press Agency, Ahmed will begin her fellowship in March 2026 to research the biological traits, ancestry, and symbolic roles of horses used in sacrificial rituals, funerals, and breeding in ancient times through linking biology with ritual behavior.
The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship is among the world's most competitive and prestigious research funding programs for early-career scientists. In 2024, it received a record-breaking 10,360 proposals from researchers around the globe, with only one in six applicants selected as fellows.
KAUST Associate Professor Simon Krattinger said: "The awarding of this Marie Curie Fellowship marks a significant achievement and a logical next step in Hanin's distinguished research journey."