Research Interest: Polymeric Biomaterials and Green Materials: -Synthesis and Characterization, Surface Modification, and Patterning (soft and dip-pen lithography) and Polymers processing, Synthesis of Polyurethanes/Polyesters and Bio-based resins. Nanomaterials and Energy Materials: Polymer-HA or Polymer-CNT Nanocomposites, Synthesis of Nanofibers and Nanoparticles for cancer drug delivery, Chemical modification of Nanodiamond particles and Metallization of CNTs, Polymeric and silica Nanorods as reinforcing fillers for dental restoration materials for flowable composites), Polymer/graphene composite materials and Polymer/polyoxometalate composites for energy applications. Tissue Engineering/ Drug Delivery: Polymeric 3D-Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Bone, Vascular, Neural and Dental, Salivary glands and multifunctional nanoparticles for lung cancer drug and growth factor delivery, Nasal/mucosal delivery of therapeutics), Electrospining and Force-spinning techniques for polymer and ceramic composite nanofabrication. Additive bio-manufacturing and We-laid Process for biomaterials/scaffolds of complex tissues and interfaces. Characterization of Materials: Microscopic and Spectroscopic characterization (SEM, AFM, FT-IR, XPS), mechanical properties characterization (Tensile, compression, dynamic mechanical (DMA) and nanoindentation), thermal properties (TGA, DSC, TMA) and Rheological characterization of polymeric biomaterials, nanomaterials and hybrid polymer/inorganic composites and in vitro Cell Studies for biocompatibility and toxicity. In Vitro Evaluation of nano-structured materials/ nanodiamond wear-debris from orthopedic joint implants: Nanoscaled wear-debris isolation from Hip and knee Simulator (AMTI) and its inflammatory effect evaluation.

Research Interest:  Drug Delivery, Pharmacokinetics, Controlled Release, Drug Targeting, Prodrug

Research Interest:  Neurogenesis. Screening the leading chemical to stimulate the neurogenesis after CNS, diseases, including: Stroke, Multiple sclerosis, Alzheimers disease et al.  Brain tumor. To study the oncogenesis mechanisms of mellablastoma and glioblastoma.At the same time, to screen the inhibitor of Sonic hedgehog pathway to treat the brain tumor.

Research Interest: Regulation of extracellular matrix genes and growth factors by potential anti-skin aging, anti-carcinogenic or wound repair agents in normal or cancer cells:Area of Expertise: Biochemistry and Cell/Molecular Biology; Biotechnology: Cell culture, Gene Regulation (protein, mRNA, promoter levels), Extracellular matrix (collagen, matrixmetalloproteinases, elastin, fibrillin), Growth factors/cytokines (tranaforming growth factor-b, interleukins), Oxidative Stress/Reactive Oxygen species, Antioxidants, Apoptosis, Toxicity, Angiogenesis/Metastasis.

Research Interest: Biological activity of blood platelets; inflammatory properties of platelets; interaction of blood platelets with the cells of the immune system; autoimmune diseases; activation and platelet reactivity in neurodegenerative diseases (multiple sclerosis); proteome, transcriptome and metabolome of platelets; molecular markers of platelets in the diagnosis of acute coronary syndromes

Research Interest: Production of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies Microbiology and Immunology Development of biomedical protein chips  Development of mmunochromatographic strip with nano-gold particle technique Immunosensing analysis technique: Surface plasmon resonance (Optical sensor) and Quartz crystal microbalance (Piezoimmunosensor)

Prof Ahmed Idris Hassen is an Applied Microbiologist (PhD) currently based in South Africa.  He received his BSc degree in Biology and MSc degree in Food Microbiology in Ethiopia, and his PhD degree in Applied Microbiology from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He has several years of teaching and lecturing experience in the fields of Biology and General Microbiology in Ethiopia. Currently he works as a research scientist and conducts research at the Agricultural Research Council, Plant Health and Protection in South Africa with a major research focus on Applied Microbiology for use in sustainable and climate smart agriculture. Priority research areas include plant-microbe interactions of the legume-rhizobium symbiosis, plant growth promoting rhizobacterial interactions in the rhizosphere of economically important crops, as well as biological control of soilborne diseases and development of insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) against common insect pests of crops. In addition, he conducts guest lecturing and supervision/co-supervision of postgraduate students in collaboration with higher education institutions as well as research and development collaboration with overseas scientists.

Research Interest(s): Plant Microbiology, Rhizobium-legume symbiotic interaction, molecular microbiology, microbial ecology, biocontrol of pests/pathogens using beneficial microbes, genomics 

URL of your official website:  https://www.arc.agric.za 

Research Interest:  Phosphate-based glass production and characterisation including Phosphate glass-fibre (PGF) production. He is also currently working on resorbable polymer composites, mainly for bone repair applications. His other interests include, calcium phosphate cements, microsphere technologies, drug delivery systems, Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine applications

Research Interest: Pharmacology/Toxicology Isolation and Identification of Natural products, Drug Discovery and Development, Cellular and Molecular Biology of Diseases 

Research Interest:  pharmacological approaches in human ex vivo / in vitro models targeted against inflammation&proliferation&migration in atherosclerosis and restenosis following angioplasty.

Research Interest: Methodology of solid phase peptide synthesis and synthetic peptides with bioactivity

Research Interest:  Green materials processing, surface coating, nanomaterials, energy materials and biomaterials

Research Interest:  Wheat genetic engineering for resistance to Fusarium pathogens and tolerance to abiotic stresses, Molecular interaction between wheat and Fusarium pathogens Recombinant antibodies and bio-agents against Fusarium pathogens and mycotoxins

Research Interest: Polymer-based inorganic nanocomposite, biomass composite materials

Research Interest:  Designing and preparing new nanobiomaterials,  Characterizing physical and chemical properties, biocompatibility and bioactivity of the nanobiomaterials