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Dr. Sadeem Qdaisat
About
Since his participation in Stars of Science, Dr. Sadeem Qdaisat has embodied the spirit of a passionate innovator committed to making a real impact in the lives of patients.
He won the Season 8 grand prize for his groundbreaking invention, GenomiQ — a revolutionary device designed to address one of the biggest challenges in genetic testing: accuracy, cost, and contamination.
Following his win, the ambitious Jordanian scientist received a warm national welcome and quickly became a recognized name in academic and medical circles, launching his research career with steady progress toward international success.
About the Project
GenomiQ tackles a critical issue in genetic diagnostics by automating the complex testing process, reducing human error and contamination, improving accuracy, and lowering overall costs.
The device turns genetic testing into a fully automated procedure, enabling broader and more effective use in diagnosing genetic disorders, cancers, and chronic conditions.
GenomiQ underwent several rounds of testing and improvements, attracting interest from leading hospitals across the United States, Europe, and the MENA region.
Impact
After his win, Dr. Sadeem joined the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Florida, UFHealth Cancer Center, and the University of Florida Genetics Institute, where he pursued a PhD focused on developing immunotherapeutic vaccines for pediatric brain tumors.
His research led to a major breakthrough, earning FDA approval to launch a first-in-human clinical trial. He has secured multiple patents, with many PCT applications and a few national applications filed so far. In 2024, he was inducted into the University of Florida Hall of Fame after receiving the Innovator of the Year award, President’s service award, Outstanding service award, Kenneth and Laura Berns award for Excellence in Genetics, UF McKnight Brain Institute scholarship, and the Cancer Policy at the Congress award.
Today, Dr. Sadeem holds several prestigious medical and academic positions:
- Clinical Fellow | Harvard Medical School
- Clinical Fellow | Dana-Farber Cancer Center
- Genetics and Genomics clinical Fellow | Mass General Brigham
- Associated Scientist - Medical and population genetics | Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
- Affiliated Staff | Boston Children’s Hospital
In parallel with his academic journey, Dr. Sadeem founded AidJourney, a nonprofit organization that helps cover indirect treatment costs for families of pediatric patients and direct treatment costs for children not covered by insurance, particularly those involved in out-of-state clinical trials, as well as underserved and underdeveloped areas.
Now in its second year of incubation at the Harvard Innovation Hub (iLab), AidJourney recently won a grant for top innovation ventures across Harvard University.
Dr. Sadeem was awarded the King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein Medal of Excellence in recognition of his scientific and medical contributions to Jordan. He was also personally honored by King Abdullah II at the World Science Forum.
Sadeem’s groundbreaking research continues to gain international acclaim. In 2024, he published a pivotal study in Cell, and later in 2025 in Nature titled “Sensitization of tumours to immunotherapy by boosting early type-I interferon responses enables epitope spreading”. Together, these high-impact studies explore novel strategies to enhance cancer immunotherapy and have drawn strong attention in the scientific community, earning Dr. Sadeem multiple innovation awards.
The Nature paper was highlighted by the journal itself on the day of publication, underscoring its scientific importance. Dr. Sadeem is now working to bring this innovation closer to clinical application, planning a follow-up trial and aiming to include cancer centers and patients from the Gulf and broader MENA region—driven by his vision to ensure the benefits of this research are global.