Student Research

- Development of Natural Peptide Antimicrobial Agent against MRSA

The use of antibiotics in contemporary medicine has been pivotal for treating bacterial diseases; however, the slowing development of novel antibiotics has led to limited treatment options. Misuse and overuse have given rise to multidrug-resistant bacteria, or superbugs, posing a global health threat. Antibiotic resistance has profound consequences, making once easily treatable infections harder to cure and resulting in extended hospital stays, increased medical costs, and higher death rates, particularly among vulnerable populations.

Natural anti-microbial peptides (AMPs) are increasingly becoming important agents in combating antibiotics resistance bacteria because of their effecient mechanisms and wide-ranging efficacy. AMPs often inhibit microbial cells growth by disrupting their membranes, which causes fast death of bacteria therefore reducing the development of resistance, unlike regular antibiotics. AMPs could act synergistically with classical antibiotics, making them much more effective and likely decreasing the dosages needed to achieve an antibacterial effect. AMPs also display immunomodulatory properties boosting the host immune response to infections. AMPs can be derived from diverse sources, like microbes and plants, presenting the opportunity to use such diversity in designing peptides with better stability and potency.

Currently run by: Marah Daoud (M.Sc. student)

- Development of Natural Anticancer Peptide for Breast Cancer Therapy

Breast cancer is one of the most common and deadly forms of cancer, affecting millions of people worldwide. While significant progress has been made in the development of various treatment options, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted therapies, there and less toxic alternatives. Natural anticancer is still a pressing need for more effective peptides have emerged as a promising approach to address this challenge.

In this study, we aim to develop a novel anticancer peptide (ACP) from a natural source to selectively induce programmed cell death in the cancer cells. Natural ACPs can trigger the activation of key apoptotic signaling pathways, leading to the elimination of cancer cells while minimizing the impact on healthy cells. This aims to provide a more targeted and less toxic treatment option compared to conventional chemotherapies.

Currently run by: Jumana Khaleel (M.Sc. student)

- Enzymatic Activity Profiling of Bacterial Strains Isolated from the Dead Sea Region

In this project enzymatic profiling of selected novel bacterial isolates will be carried out. These species potentially hold novel enzymes and metabolic pathways that could be utilized in the field of biotechnology. Enzymes isolated form halotolerant bacteria tend to be active at higher salt concentrations, a condition often found in industries. The enzymatic assays are essential to unravel the role of these rhizospheric and endophytic bacteria.

Currently run by: Mais Al Majali (M.Sc. student)

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Student Research