Majid and Lynn Jafar honoured by top US university
The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School has honoured Majid Jafar, CEO of Crescent Petroleum, and his wife Lynn Barghout Jafar, co-founders of the Loulou Foundation, for their work in advancing medical research and innovation and for supporting children with special needs through the High Hopes Therapy Center in the UAE.
The honorary doctorate degrees, presented at the university's 2025 Commencement ceremony by Chancellor Michael Collins, highlight their role in accelerating scientific and therapeutic progress in the field of rare diseases — an area that remains significantly underdiagnosed and underserved, with the vast majority of conditions still lacking approved treatments. More than 350 million people are affected by rare diseases worldwide, with 70% of them children. While over 7,000 rare diseases have been identified, 95% still lack approved treatments.
Majid Jafar commented: 'We are deeply honoured by this recognition from UMass Chan Medical School. It affirms what can be achieved when purpose-driven collaboration meets urgency — especially in the field of rare diseases, where so many families are still waiting for new treatments. The UAE has long recognised the importance of medical innovation, and we remain committed to contributing to this global effort to improve children's lives and accelerate meaningful change.'
Umass Chan Medical School is among the leading medical schools in the United States and last year entered into a strategic partnership agreement with Mohammed bin Rashid University (MBRU) of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dubai. The commencement ceremony also conferred honorary doctorate degrees on Dr Marcia McNutt, President of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and Dr Carolyn Clancy, Assistant Under Secretary for Health at the U.S. Veterans Health Administration.
Lynn Barghout Jafar, co-founder of the Loulou Foundation and Founder of the High Hopes Therapy Center in Dubai, added: 'When our own daughter was diagnosed with a rare disease, what began as a personal journey quickly became a global mission to connect families and scientists in the pursuit of answers. We are grateful to be part of a growing community that is transforming the future of rare disease research through science, collaboration, and hope'.
In March this year Majid and Lynn Jafar personally hosted a Charity Suhoor in support of Al Jalila Foundation's Child Fund in the UAE, raising Dh50 million — the largest donor-led fundraiser since the Foundation's inception in 2013. Held under the theme 'An Evening of Hope', the gathering brought together business leaders and philanthropists to support life-saving medical treatment and research for children in need.
In addition to his work with Loulou Foundation which as supported more than 100 research projects in labs around the world since its founding in 2015, Majid Jafar co-chairs the international campaign for Cambridge Children's Hospital, serves on the advisory board of the Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre — chaired by former UK Prime Minister David Cameron — and is a member of the Board of Fellows and co-chairs the Discovery Council at Harvard Medical School.
In his professional capacity, in addition to serving as CEO of Crescent Petroleum, the Middle East's oldest private oil and gas company, Majid Jafar is the Board Managing Director of Dana Gas and Vice Chairman of the Crescent Group, headquartered in Sharjah in the UAE.
Lynn Barghout Jafar established High Hopes Pediatric Therapy Center in 2017 as an early intervention facility in the UAE that caters to over 300 children with moderate to complex special needs - a place where they can develop, progress, and also have fun under the supervision of the most experienced and specialized therapists.
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