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Laid Derabou with Kamel Baddari.
The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Kamel Baddari, presented this Sunday, at the ministry’s headquarters, the medal of merit for scientific research to Algerian researcher Laïd Derdabou, winner of the 17th edition of the “Stars of science” competition for his innovative project of a smart watch capable of measuring and monitoring the level of vitamin D in the body.
Baddari affirmed that this symbolic gesture aspires to “honor the merit and scientific excellence” of Algerian researchers who distinguish themselves on the international scene. He added that through this prize, he wished to congratulate a career “which honors the Algerian University” and illustrates “the remarkable potential of young researchers trained in our establishments”.
For his part, Laïd Derdabou expressed his deep gratitude for this recognition, affirming that it “crowns years of work and perseverance”. He explained that “this project began as a personal initiative before today becoming a source of national pride”, adding that this distinction “gives him even greater responsibility in the pursuit of his research and his innovation efforts”. The researcher explained that his invention consists of transforming smart watches into instruments capable of measuring vitamin D levels without the need for blood sampling, maintaining that it is an “entirely new” technology, and “the first of its kind on the global market”.
A unique technology in the world
Already at the functional prototype stage, the device is currently entering an improvement phase thanks to the integration of artificial intelligence. The latter will make it possible to “collect and analyze biomedical data to increase the precision of the results and reduce the margin of error”, he specified, before adding that “the objective is to achieve a model ready for industrialization and international marketing”.
Holder of a doctorate in animal nutrition and physiology from the University of Vienna, Laïd Derdabou now teaches at the same institution. He continues his work in the field of health and applied biotechnologies, where he is particularly interested in the relationship between technological innovation and human well-being. The researcher also revealed that he is simultaneously developing other projects in his field of specialty, notably a prototype of an “artificial pancreas”, currently in the experimental phase.
The ceremony was also marked by the presence of two other Algerian researchers who participated in recent editions of “Stars of science”. Minister Baddari thus received pharmacy researcher Riyad Hadj Habib, author of a project on therapeutic nanoparticles. Its innovation consists of allowing targeted administration of the drug to diseased cells, without interference from the immune system, in order to improve its effectiveness.
Researcher Khadidja Fellah Arbi, finalist of a previous edition, was also praised for its artificial pancreas project based on a non-invasive method of measuring glucose levels through the analysis of electrocardiographic signals. She says her team is working on expanding the database and integrating artificial intelligence to increase the precision of the device and make it a globally competitive product.
Baddari was keen, during this ceremony, to reaffirm to all the winners and scientists present “the government’s total confidence in the potential of Algerian researchers”. He also recalled that “the university is not only a training space, but also an engine of creativity and technological transformation”, part of the sector’s overall vision aimed at encouraging applied research, the valorization of scientific results and the integration of young talents into the innovation ecosystem.