Dr. Syed Salman Ashraf
Dr. syed salman ashraf Professor Department Chair Biology

Contact Information
syed.ashraf@ku.ac.ae +971 2 312 4118

Biography

Professor Ashraf got his BS in Biochemistry from Iowa State University in 1988 and then an MS from the same university in 1991, and finally a doctorate from North Carolina State University in 1999. He has worked in biotech companies in North America for over 6 years in the areas of drug discovery and applied biotechnology. Additionally, he has over 19 years of experience in academia as a faculty member teaching Chemistry and Biochemistry courses, as well as establishing a vibrant and independent research program. His current research interests are in the areas of environmental remediation, applied biotechnology, enzyme engineering, and protein structure and function. He has strong research interests in exploiting novel bacterial isolates as well as peroxidase enzymes for environmental remediation. His lab has developed sensitive LC-MSMS-based assays to detect and identify various organic pollutants and their transformation products. Additionally, his group works on creating novel biocomposites by immobilizing various peroxidases on various porous supports. He has also spearheaded the creation of two different undergraduate programs (Biochemistry and Cell & Molecular Biology) as well as MSc and PhD programs in Molecular Life Sciences. Dr. Ashraf has over 120 publications and holds 4 US patents. He is currently a professor and Chair of Biology at Khalifa University, having previously served as an Associate Dean for Postgraduate Studies for 2 years.


Education
  • BSc in Biochemistry (Iowa State University)
  • MSc in Biochemistry and Biophysics (Iowa State University)
  • PhD in Biochemistry (North Carolina State University)

Teaching
  • Biochemistry
  • General Chemistry

Affiliated Research Institutes/Centers
  • Advanced Materials Chemistry Center
  • Center for Biotechnology

Research
Research Interests
  • Wastewater remediation using biological approaches
  • Enzyme engineering and protein structure and function
  • Applied biotechnology


Research Staff and Graduate Students:

Staff
Dr. Khadije Ahmed Amin Postdoctoral Fellow
Ashfaq Ahmed Postdoctoral Fellow
Students
Nada Alhaati MSc (Applied Chemistry)
Aya Ayman Nasser PhD student