Molecular Biotechnology & Utilization of Bioresources

The biogeographical location of Saudi Arabia and particularly Makkah region/Taif is characterized by its abundance in economically important biodiversity. In these research activities some industrial and medical important flora and fauna with their associated microorganisms and parasites will be identified using molecular biotechnology methods. Databases of phylogenetically typed selected species and their genetic sequences will be developed. Antimicrobial, anti-parasitic, anticancer phytochemicals, peptides and enzymes of the selected species will be characterized by molecular biology techniques. Molecular biology techniques will be used for cloning and over-expression of genes encoding for enzymes and peptides as first step for their industrial utilization. This research unit planned to comply with the National Biodiversity Strategy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and vision 2030.

Vision:

Molecular Biotechnology Industries for Vision 2030

Mission:

Using the molecular biotechnology approaches to produce many innovative products from diverse bioresources in KSA especially Makkah/Taif area.

The new Molecular Biotechnology industries will integrate with the country vision 2030

Objectives:

1- To study, purify and evaluate compounds of some industrially relevant species

2-To generate molecular taxonomy of some selected flora, fauna and their associated microorganisms in Makkah region

3- To conserve by biotechnology based techniques the prioritized species and test their products as Antimicrobial,  Anticancer  and  Antidiabetes.

4-To identify, purify and clone genes of industrially important bioactive compounds

5-To design and create databases for the studied species.                         

Expected Results:

  1. Publications
  2. Patents
  3. Products
  4. Techniques development
  5. Products (compounds, peptides, genes, proteins & species banks)>
  6. Workshops and training

Research team members:

  1. Prof. Dr. Abd-ElAziem Farouk Gad: Principal investigator
  2. Dr. Saqer Sultan H Alotaibi: co-investigator
  3. Dr. Fayez Alhumaidi Q Althobaiti: co-investigator
  4. Dr. Bandar SalehElgeid: co-investigator