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Dr. Refaat Hamed

Assistant Professor

Area
School of Chemistry & Biosciences
Faculty of Life Sciences
E-mail
Phone
Dr. Refaat Hamed

Biography

I have always been fascinated by the way nature morphs simple building blocks to create more complex natural cures. This fascination shaped my career, which started by the isolation, structure elucidation and biological evaluation of various classes of phytochemicals, with the focus being iridoid glycosides (MSc studies). I then moved on to pursue my D.Phil. studies at University of Oxford, where I learned the modern aspects of (b-lactam antibiotics) biosynthesis, molecular biology and enzymology (structural and mechanistic). During my D.Phil. and postdoctoral studies time, I have developed myself into a rational-design protein engineer. Challenging chemical transformations and forcing enzymes, via engineering, to catalyse these reactions, with exquisite regio- and stereoselectivity, for biocatalytic purposes, is one of the main themes of my research. Extending my research from engineering enzymes to redesign of biosynthetic pathways to produce unnatural products of pharmaceutical interest is another objective for my research. As a teacher, I do strive to be well-informed, interactive and inspiring. One of my primary goals of teaching is to prepare both undergraduate and graduate students for a successful career.

Research

Natural products discovery, Biosynthesis of natural products, Biocatalysis, Enzymology, Protein Engineering and Synthetic Biology

Research projects

Date
to
Funder
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/project/19D7A33F-E0B6-432C-B924-70F8EA55B953

Teaching

Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Biochemistry

Professional activities

  • Assiut University Encouragement Award (1 January 2017)

  • University of Oxford - DPhil Organic Chemistry
  • Assiut University - BSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences (with highest honors)
  • Assiut University - MSc in Natural Products Chemistry

  • University of Bradford - Lecturer of Chemical Biology (27 February 2018)
  • Assiut University, Egypt - Associate Professor (On leave) (1 July 2016)
  • University of St Andrews - Research Fellow (16 January 2016)
  • University of Illinois Urbana Champaign - Research Fellow (30 May 2013)
  • Assiut University, Egypt - Assistant Professor (1 June 2011)
  • University of Oxford - Research Fellow (10 March 2010)
  •  Assiut University, Egypt - Assistant lecturer (1 April 2004)
  •  Assiut University, Egypt - Demonstrator (1 December 1999)

  • British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Member of British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (1 April 2019)
  • American Chemical Society, Member of American Chemical Society (1 December 2018)
  • Biochemical Society, Member of Biochemical Society (26 October 2018)
  • Royal Society of Chemistry, Member of Royal Society of Chemistry (28 January 2011)

Publications