Research Interest: Environmental Toxicology, Basic and Clinical Toxicology, Immunotoxicology.

Dr. Mudasir Dar is one of the young scientists in the field of Insect Science and Microbial-technology. His major research interest includes a wide range of resource recovery, microbial-technology, and bioengineering fields. He has more than 15 years of research experience related to gut-microbiome analysis in Insects, snails and termites with an expertise in the area of Metagenomics, Transcriptomics, and Metatranscriptomics where he harnesses the high-throughput sequencing technologies to better understand the host-microbial interactions towards lignocellulolytic systems. He is working as an Associate professor, at the Jiangsu University, P.R. China. As a Principal Investigator he has received several grants such as Foreign Outstanding Young Scientist Fund (¥400000.00) and Postdoctoral Fund (¥350000.00) from National Natural Science of Foundation (NSFC), and China Postdoctoral Organization, China, respectively. He is also recognized as Foreign Scientific Experts by Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) of the People’s Republic of China and received a foundation grant of ¥300000.00. In addition, he is also a CoPI of the research project (2.2 million CNY) funded by Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China under the National Key R&D Program of China. Previously he has worked as post-doctoral researcher at School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China. He is currently working on the biofuel production from lignocellulosic wastes by using gut bacteria of Lignocellulose-feeding pest insects, such as Termites, Beetles, Caterpillars, etc. He received his Ph.D. from the Savitribai Phule Pune University, Maharashtra, India. During his doctoral degree he got an opportunity to work on Bioprospection of symbiotic gut-bacteria from the snails for agro-waste disposal management. He is also having more than 80 papers published in peer reviewed international journals of high repute. He is serving as an editorial board member of BMC Microbiology (Springer Nature), Discover Applied Science (Springer Nature), Engineering Microbiology (Elsevier), Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery (2021-2022), and Research in Ecology (2019-2021), to name a few. He is also an active regular reviewer of many esteemed international journals published by Nature, Elsevier, Wiley, Springer, RSC and Taylor & Francis publishers such as Communication Biology, Journal od Cleaner Production, Bioresource technology, Insect science, to name a few. He has professional membership with the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI), International Consortium of Research Staff Associations (ICoRSA), Protistology (UK), and Microbiology Society. He has qualified the prestigious exams like, CSIR-UGC-NET multiple times with AIR 41 and 101 conducted by the CSIR-HRDG Govt. of India. He is a recipient of many national awards like Maulana Azad national fellow, DST PURSE fellow, UGC-UPE phase II fellow, etc.

Research Interest: Environmental biotechnology; Waste Management; Lignocellulose valorization; Plastic mitigation; Gut-microbiome.

Dorina Simedru is a distinguished Romanian professional with a diverse academic and professional background, specializing in both physics and psychology. Born on July 20, 1980, she has built an impressive career blending scientific research with academic instruction and laboratory leadership.

Academically, Dorina holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Babes-Bolyai University, completed between 2003 and 2008, where she also earned a Master's Degree in Oxide Materials Physics (2002-2003) and a Bachelor of Science in Medical Physics (1998-2002). Demonstrating her interdisciplinary interests, she concurrently pursued and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Babes-Bolyai University between 2007 and 2010. Her academic pursuits also included an Erasmus program as a student at the University of Aveiro, Faculty of Physics, in Portugal (2003).

Professionally, Dorina Simedru has held significant roles within research and academia:

• Head of the Environmental Analysis Laboratory at INCDO-INOE 2000, ICIA Cluj-Napoca Subsidiary (Since May 2014)Associate Professor at University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca (October 2011 to March 2012)
• Scientific Researcher at INCDO-INOE 2000, ICIA Cluj-Napoca Subsidiary (Since February 2008)

Her long-standing commitment to research is evident in these roles.

Her expertise is reflected in an extensive body of work, including over 57 papers in ISI journals, 15 in national journals, and numerous presentations at national and international conferences. She has also managed and contributed to over 20 national and international projects, including "Multi-element analysis of apples, pears and corresponding leaves and blossom leaves..." and "Innovative Technologies For Advanced Materials Recovery from IT and Telecommunication Waste...".

Beyond her research and academic duties, Dorina is recognized for her strong communication and interpersonal skills, her ability to adapt to diverse environments, and excellent organizational skills, including effective time management and research capabilities.

Dorina Simedru has also been honored with two invited lectures at international conferences. She holds several certifications, including "Trainer" certification, various ISO accreditations related to testing and calibration laboratories, quality management systems, and as an environmental auditor, showcasing her commitment to high standards and continuous professional development.

She actively engages in social activities, partnering in educational programs and participating in European Researcher Night events.

Research Interest(s):

• Environmental Analytical Chemistry & Sustainable Technologies: Focus on multi-element analysis, environmental monitoring, waste valorization, and the development of sustainable processes and materials from various waste streams.
• Advanced Materials & Biomaterials Science: Research into the synthesis, characterization, and application of novel materials, including oxide materials, bioglasses, and polymer composites, particularly for biomedical and engineering purposes.
• Sustainable Construction Materials: Investigation into the development and properties of eco-friendly building materials, with an emphasis on utilizing industrial by-products (e.g., blast furnace slags) and agricultural waste to enhance performance and reduce environmental impact.
• Food Science, Quality Assessment, and Nutrition: Study of food product quality, composition, storage impact, nutrient bioavailability, and profiling using advanced analytical techniques.
• Material Characterization and Advanced Analytical Methods: Expertise in employing various instrumental techniques for the structural, chemical, and physical characterization of diverse materials across environmental, medical, and industrial applications.

Mounim Lebrini is a Professor at the University of the Antilles. He holds a Habilitation to Direct Research (HDR) from the University of the Antilles France, obtained in 2017, as well as a Ph.D. from the University of Sciences and Technologies of Lille France, obtained in 2005.

As a physicochemist, his research focuses on surface treatment, utilizing a multidisciplinary approach that combines electrochemistry and physico-chemical surface analysis. His specific expertise lies in inhibiting metal corrosion using natural organic inhibitors and green extraction methods.

Within the University of the Antilles, Professor Lebrini holds several important roles. He is the head of the internal team "Interaction Materials/Molecules of Interest" at the Laboratory of Materials and Molecules in Aggressive Environments. Additionally, he supervises a post-doctoral researcher and nine doctoral candidates, and leads four research projects.

In addition to his research activities, Professor Lebrini plays an active role in university governance. He is a member of several commissions and councils, including the Research Commission, the administrative council of the doctoral school, and the administrative council of the Faculty of Sciences, Technologies, and Environments. He is also responsible for the Physics-Chemistry license and chairs the diploma jury for this discipline at the University of the Antilles.

His impressive scientific output includes 54 publications, 11 conference proceedings, and 38 communications. His work has been widely cited in the academic community, with 4871 citations across 6014 documents and an h-index of 28.

Research Interest: Corrosion under Acidic and Alkaline Conditions, Extraction, Natural and Synthetic Organic Corrosion Inhibitors

Ons Bouchami holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia. Her research primarily focuses on antimicrobial resistance in bacterial pathogens, particularly Staphylococcal species. She has made significant contributions to understanding the molecular epidemiology, genetic diversity, and evolution of antibiotic resistance determinants in healthcare-associated pathogens. During her postdoctoral studies (2012-2022) at the Microbiology of Human Pathogens Unit, ITQB-NOVA, she focused on molecular epidemiology and evolutionary pathways of antibiotic resistance in staphylococci, utilizing advanced bioinformatic and molecular tools. Collaborating with healthcare professionals and veterinarians, Ons Bouchami investigated animals and the meat-processing chain as potential reservoirs for multidrug-resistant bacteria in hospitals. She also partnered with chemists to discover new antibiotics for combating infections from these bacteria. Her discoveries empowered her to question the traditional clinical perspective on coagulase-negative staphylococci, challenging the notion that these infections are uniform across various species and strains. Since 2022, she has been with the Human Microbiota – Xenobiotics Interactions Lab at ITQB NOVA, investigating the impact of xenobiotics on the gut microbiome. Ons Bouchami has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and has actively engaged in various academic activities, including teaching, mentoring, and serving as an editorial board member for scientific journals organizing scientific events. Her work has greatly advanced our understanding of antibiotic resistance dynamics and infection control strategies.

Research Interest: Antimicrobial resistance; Bacterial Evolution; Human gut Microbiome; Metals; Xenobiotics Interactions; Pathogenicity; Bioinformatics; Metagenomics

Publications List:

1. Bouchami, O., Machado, M., Carriço, J. A., Melo-Cristino, J., de Lencastre, H., &  Miragaia, M. (2023). Spontaneous Genomic Variation as a Survival Strategy of  Nosocomial Staphylococcus haemolyticus. Microbiology Spectrum. Advance online  publication. https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02552-22.
2. Raddaoui, A., Chebbi, Y., Bouchami, O., Frigui, S., Messadi, A. A., Achour, W., & Thabet, L. (2022). Dissemination of epidemic ST239/ST241-t037-agrI-SCCmecIII methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus in a Tunisian trauma burn intensive care unit. Acta Microbiologica et Immunologica Hungarica. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1556/030.2022.01884.
3. Dhaouadi, S., Bouchami, O., Soufi, L., Dhaouadi, F., Chaari, S., Bouglita, W., Cherif, A., et al. (2022). Frequent dissemination and carriage of an SCCmec-mecC hybrid in methicillin-resistant Mammaliicoccus sciuri in farm animals from Tunisia. Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance, 22, 00222-00223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgar.2022.09.007
4. Lawal, O. U., Fraqueza, M. J., Worning, P., Bouchami, O., Bartels, M. D., Goncalves, L., ... de Lencastre, H. (2021). Staphylococcus saprophyticus causing infections in humans is associated with high resistance to heavy metals. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 65(7), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1128/aac.02685-20
5. Lawal, O. U., Fraqueza, M. J., Bouchami, O., Worning, P., Bartels, M. D., Gonçalves, M. L., ... Miragaia, M. (2021). Foodborne origin and local and global spread of Staphylococcus saprophyticus causing human urinary tract infections. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 27(3). https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2703.200852
6. Bouchami, O., Fraqueza, M. J., Faria, N. A., Alves, V., Lawal, O. U., de Lencastre, H., & Miragaia, M. (2020). Evidence for the dissemination to humans of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ST398 through the pork production chain: A study in a Portuguese slaughterhouse. Microorganisms, 8(12), 1892-1908.  https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8121892
7. Alves, M. M., Bouchami, O., Tavares, A., Córdoba, L., Santos, C. F., Miragaia, M., & De Fátima Montemor, M. (2017). New insights into antibiofilm effect of a nanosized ZnO coating against the pathogenic methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 9(34), 28157-28167. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.7b02320
8. Rolo, J., Worning, P., Nielsen, J. B., Sobral, R., Bowden, R., Bouchami, O., ... Westh, H. (2017). Evidence for the evolutionary steps leading to mecA-mediated β-lactam resistance in staphylococci. PLoS Genetics, 13(4). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1006674
9. Rolo, J., Worning, P., Nielsen, J. B., Bowden, R., Bouchami, O., Damborg, P., ... Westh, H. (2017). Evolutionary origin of the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec(SCCmec). Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 61(6). https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.02302-16
10. Bouchami, O., de Lencastre, H., & Miragaia, M. (2016). Impact of insertion sequences and recombination on the population structure of Staphylococcus haemolyticus. PLoS ONE, 11(6). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0156653
11. Zhang, L., Thomas, J. C., Miragaia, M., Bouchami, O., Chaves, F., d'Azevedo, P. A., ... Tomasz, A. (2013). Multilocus sequence typing and further genetic characterization of the enigmatic pathogen, Staphylococcus hominis. PLoS ONE, 8(6). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0066496
12. Gouveia, C., Gavino, A., Bouchami, O., Miragaia, M., Varandas, L., de Lencastre, H., & Brito, M. J. (2013). Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus lacking PVL, as a cause of severe invasive infection treated with linezolid. Case Reports in Pediatrics, 2013, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/727824
13. Rolo, J., Miragaia, M., Turlej-Rogacka, A., Empel, J., Bouchami, O., Faria, N. A., ... Westh, H. (2012). High genetic diversity among community-associated Staphylococcus aureus in Europe: Results from a multicenter study. PLoS ONE, 7(4). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0034768
14. Rolo, J., Miragaia, M., Turlej-Rogacka, A., Empel, J., Bouchami, O., Faria, N. A., Tavares, A., et al. (2012). High genetic diversity among community-associated Staphylococcus aureus in Europe. PLoS ONE. http://hdl.handle.net/10362/117124
15. Mekni, M. A., Bouchami, O., Achour, W., & Ben Hassen, A. (2012). Strong biofilm production but not adhesion virulence factors can discriminate between invasive and commensal Staphylococcus epidermidis strains. APMIS, 120(8), 605-611. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0463.2012.02877.x
16. Soufi, L., Sáenz, Y., De Toro, M., Abbassi, M. S., Rojo-Bezares, B., Vinué, L., ... Ben Hassen, A. (2012). Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of Salmonella entericarecovered from poultry meat in Tunisia and identification of new genetic traits. VectorBorne and Zoonotic Diseases, 12(1), 10-16. https://doi.org/10.1089/vbz.2011.0678
17. Bouchami, O., Ben Hassen, A., de Lencastre, H., & Miragaia, M. (2011). High prevalence of mec complex C and ccrC is independent of SCCmec type V in Staphylococcus haemolyticus. European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, 31(4), 605-614. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-011-1354-3
18. Bouchami, O., Achour, W., & Ben Hassen, A. (2011). Prevalence of resistance phenotypes and genotypes to macrolide, lincosamide, and streptogramin antibiotics in Gram-positive cocci isolated in Tunisian bone marrow transplant center. Pathologie Biologie, 59(4), 199-206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.patbio.2009.03.010
19. Bouchami, O., Hassen, A. B., de Lencastre, H., & Miragaia, M. (2011). Molecular epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus hominis (MRSHo): Low clonality and reservoirs of SCCmec structural elements. PLoS ONE, 6(7). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0021940
20. Bouchami, O., Achou, W., & Ben Hassen, A. (2011). Species distribution and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of coagulase-negative staphylococci other than Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from various clinical specimens. African Journal of Microbiology Research, 5(11), 1298-1305. https://doi.org/10.
21. Khadraoui, N., Kallel, K., Bouchami, O., Bouchakoua, M., Kaouech, A., Belhadj, S., ... Chaker, E. (2011). Pulsed field gel electrophoresis types of Candida albicans isolates from an intensive care unit in a Tunisian hospital. Annales de Biologie Clinique, 69(3), 289-294. https://doi.org/10.1684/abc.2011.0532
22. Sghaier, H., Bouchami, O., Desler, C., Lazim, H., Saidi, M., Rasmussen, L. J., & Ben Hassen, A. (2011). Analysis of the antimicrobial susceptibility of the ionizing radiationresistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans: Implications for bioremediation of radioactive waste. Annals of Microbiology, 62(2), 493-500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13213-011-0281-y
23. Bouchami, O., Achour, W., Mekni, M. A., Rolo, J., & Hassen, A. B. (2011). Antibiotic resistance and molecular characterization of clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from bacteremic patients in oncohematology.
24. Folia Microbiologica, 56(2), 122-130. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-011-0017-1
25. Bouchakoua, M., Kallel, K., Khadraoui, N., Bouchami, O., Kaouech, A., Belhadj, S., ... Chaker, E. (2011). Les infections candidosiques en milieu de réanimation: Intérêt de l'index de Pittet dans la surveillance des malades et apport de l'analyse en champ pulsé d'isolats de Candida. Revue Tunisienne d'Infectiologie, 2011.
26. Khadraoui, N., Kallel, K., Bouchami, O., Bouchakoua, M., Kaouech, A., Anane, S., ... Chaker, E. (2010). PFGE types of Candida tropicalis isolates from an intensive care unit in a Tunisian hospital. Journal de Mycologie Médicale, 20(3), 169-173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mycmed.2010.05.003
27. Bouchami, O., Achour, W., & Ben Hassen, A. (2009). Typing of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec encoding methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated at the bone marrow transplant centre of Tunisia. Current Microbiology, 59(4), 380-385. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-009-9448-1
28. Abbassi, M. S., Bouchami, O., Touati, A., Achour, W., & Ben Hassen, A. (2008). Clonality and occurrence of genes encoding antibiotic resistance and biofilm in methicillinresistant Staphylococcus epidermidis strains isolated from catheters and bacteremia in neutropenic patients. Current Microbiology, 57(5), 442-448. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-008-9227-4
29. Belhaj, M., Boutiba-Ben Boubaker, I., Ben Redjeb, S., & Bouchami, O. (2008). Molecular characterisation of high-level ampicillin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolates from hospitalised patients in Tunis. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 32(3), 284-286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2008.04.017
30. Abbassi, M. S., Torres, C., Achour, W., Vinué, L., Sáenz, Y., Costa, D., ... Ben Hassen, A. (2008). Genetic characterisation of CTX-M-15-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli strains isolated from stem cell transplant patients in Tunisia. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 32(4), 308-314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2008.04.009
31. Achour, W., Bouchami, O., Galopin, S., Leclercq, R., & Ben Hassen, A. (2008). Analysis of pristinamycin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates in the Tunisian Bone Marrow Transplant Center. Letters in Applied Microbiology, 46(3), 358-363. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1472-765X.2007.02318.x
32. Majouri, D., Touati, A., Achour, W., Bouchami, O., & Ben Hassen, A. (2007). Comparison of phenotypic methods with PCR to screening methicillin resistance in coagulasenegative staphylococci. Pathologie Biologie, 55(8-9), 361-365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.patbio.2007.06.010
33. Chaieb, K., Zmantar, T., Chehab, O., Bouchami, O., Ben Hassen, A., Mahdouani, K., & Bakhrouf, A. (2007). Antibiotic resistance genes detected by Multiplex PCR assays in Staphylococcus epidermidis strains isolated from dialysis fluid needles in a dialysis service. Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy, 13(4), 183-187. https://doi.org/10.7883/yoken.JJID.2007.183
34. Bouchami, O., Achour, W., & Ben Hassen, A. (2007). Prevalence and mechanisms of macrolide resistance among Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates from neutropenic patients in Tunisia. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 13(1), 103-106. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-0691.2006.01567.
35.  

Research Interest: Agricultural Water Management; Agricultural and Environmental Engineering; Irrigation of Crops with Recycled (Treated) Wastewater.

Marika Tatishvili- Dr. of Physical and Mathematical Sciences since 2006. She is Head of Weather forecasting, natural and  technogenic disaster modeling division of the Institute of Hydrometeorology of Georgian Technical University. She published 104 scientific articles including high rated journals. She is the member of Scientific and Editorial Board of Institute of Hydrometeorology and Institute of Geophysics. Also she is the Scientific Committee Member of the International Scientific Conference on Environment and Renewable Energy (ICERE 2014,15,16.17). She collaborates with High Education Institution Accreditation Expert of Ministry of Education of Georgia.

March 1th, 2023 to date: Researcher in the Competition Sector 05 / C1- (SSD-BIO 07) ECOLOGY at the Department of

Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceuticals and Environmental Sciences of the

University of Messina.

• 05/2022 - 07/2022: Visiting Researcher at Marbio-UiT Artic University of Norway:

Extraction techniques of Bioactive Compounds from aquatic organism and

biotechnological applications

• 2019-2022: PhD in " Applied Biology and Experimental Medicine" (XXXV cycle)

at the Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceuticals and Environmental

Sciences of the University of Messina.

• 2004-2014: Master Degree in CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACEUTICAL

TECHNOLOGY, awarded at the University of Messina.

SKILLS:

• Experience in screening complex mixtures (i.e. natural product extracts and

fractions) for biological activity in biochemical and cell-based assays

• Identification of known and potentially unknown bioactive compounds

(dereplication) using high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry

• Mass guided isolation of bioactive natural products from extracts and organisms,

purity determination.

• Structural elucidation of complex natural products using high resolution mass

spectrometry and spectroscopical tecniques such as NMR, IR and UV-Vis

spectroscopy.

• Isolation and cultivation of marine microorganisms (Bacteria and Fungi),

• Focus on samples of marine origin such as extracts from invertebrates, marine

fungi and bacteria,

• MOLECULAR BIOLOGY TECHNIQUES

• Use of microscopes, camera image acquisition and computer image processing,

preparation of samples and solutions in sterility, ability to work in a clean room

and under a laminar flow hood, cell cultures, determination of cell mortality by

MTT, electrophoresis on gel, western blot, nitrite and nitrate assay, comet assay,

immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, preparation and staining of

histological samples. ELISA , PCR.

Research Interest: Marine Ecology, Ecotoxicology, Marine Pharmacology

Professor- Researcher - Expert - Consultant - Head of research team of Water treatment and agriculture. Dr. Anis Elaoud is professor at the Higher Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Carthage, Tunisia. He is a researcher in Laboratory of Science and Environment Technologies at the University of Carthage, Tunisia. He has more than 15 years of professional experience in the field of higher education and scientific research. Dr. Anis Elaoud is an academic member of the Athens Institute of Research, an expert in the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, and expert consultant at SCP ‘Canal Saint Provence’. He has written more than 50 scientific articles in international journals and more than 50 papers in international conferences He conducted research, the most important of which is the study of the effects of magnetic equipment on water and agriculture. Dr. Anis runs a research topic ‘Effects of magnetic equipment on water, plants and soil’ with an integrated and diverse research team. He presided over and prepared a scientific day on the magnetization of water «Journée Magnétisation de l'Eau JME'2017 » and “International Conference on Statistical Modeling and Applications: Agricultural Field and Remote Sensing «ICSMA 2017»”. He is member in project Funded by the Ministry 18PJEC ‘Water magnetic treatment; Coordinator of project 21PEJC ‘Water treatment by magnetic and nanotechnology’; member in MAYA project ‘ERASMUS+’... Weider is the head of three research partnership agreements between Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria

Research Interest(s): water treatment; nanotechnology: soil state

Dr. Nur Nadhirah Mohamad Zain is a senior lecturer at the Department of Toxicology, USM since 2015. She obtained her Doctor of Philosophy, PhD, in the Analytical Chemistry with specialization in separation science from University of Malaya in 2015. She has been actively involved in research includes the development of new green magnetic/non-magnetic materials for the application of separation techniques in separation and adsorption. She delivers her skills and expertise through scientific publications, student supervisions, and service consultation. She also involves in reputable publisher as a reviewer such as Elsevier journal. She has acquired professional training in Safety in the Use of Chemicals (NIOSH), ICOP CLASS 2014 Implementation for Chemical Classifier (MIHA), MS ISO/IEC 17025:2017 (MMIC) and Procedure of Method Validation and Verification (MMIC). Currently, her research interests are focusing on development of green materials based deep eutectic solvents as an alternative solvent in extraction techniques for monitoring pesticide and pharmaceutical residues in food and environmental matrices. She is a member of Royal Society Chemistry (MRSC) and Malaysian Institute of Chemistry (MMIC). Recently, she has been consulting the safety data sheet and involving as an internal auditor for ISO/IEC 17025: 2017.

 Research Interest: 

Currently, her research is focused on the development of green materials based on deep eutectic solvents and supramolecular solvents which are trends in the field of the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry. She is particularly interested in their potential as alternative solvents/functional group materials, in extraction techniques for monitoring carcinogenic pollutants, pesticides, and pharmaceutical compounds in food and environmental matrice.

List of Publications: 

1. N.N.M. Zain, N.K. Abu Bakar, S. Mohamad, N.M. Saleh, Optimization of a greener method for removal phenol species by cloud point extraction and spectrophotometry, Spectrochim. Acta - Part A Mol. Biomol. Spectrosc. 118 (2014) 1121–1128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.saa.2013.09.129
   
2. N.N.M. Zain, N.K. Abu Bakar, S. Mohamad, Study of removal of phenol species by adsorption on non-ionic silicon surfactant after cloud point extraction methodology, Desalin. Water Treat. 57 (2016) 3532–3543. https://doi.org/10.1080/19443994.2014.987176.
3. N.N.M. Zain, N.K. Abu Bakar, S. Mohamad, Cloud point extraction of 2,4−dichlorophenol from aqueous samples employing β−cyclodextrin, Sep. Sci. Technol. 51 (2016) 653–663. https://doi.org/10.1080/01496395.2015.1119852.
4. N.N.M. Zain, M. Raoov, N.K. Abu Bakar, S. Mohamad, Cyclodextrin modified ionic liquid material as a modifier for cloud point extraction of phenolic compounds using spectrophotometry, J. Incl. Phenom. Macrocycl. Chem. 84 (2015) 137–152. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10847-015-0591-y.
5. N.I. Mohd, N.N.M. Zain, M. Raoov, S. Mohamad, Determination of carcinogenic herbicides in milk samples using green non-ionic silicone surfactant of cloud point extraction and spectrophotometry, R. Soc. Open Sci. 5 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.171500.
6. N.I. Mohd, M. Raoov, S. Mohamad, N.N.M. Zain, Performance evaluation of non-ionic silicone surfactants OFX 0309 and DC 193C as a new approach in cloud point extraction-spectrophotometry for determination of atrazine in water samples, RSC Adv. 8 (2018) 13556–13566. https://doi.org/10.1039/c8ra00868j.
7. N.I. Mohd, K. Gopal, M. Raoov, S. Mohamad, N. Yahaya, V. Lim, N.N.M. Zain, Evaluation of a magnetic activated charcoal modified with non-ionic silicone surfactant as a new magnetic solid phase extraction sorbent with triazine herbicides as model compounds in selected milk and rice samples, Talanta. 196 (2019) 217–225. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2018.12.043.
8. P. W. Ooi, M. Raaov, N. Yahaya, N.N.S.N.M. Kamal, K. Gopal, N.A. Husin, N.N.M. Zain, Removal of phthalates in aqueous samples using non-ionic silicone surfactant mediated cloud point extraction via spectrophotometry, Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences, (2019).
9. K. Gopal, N.I. Mohd, M. Raoov, F.B.M. Suah, N. Yahaya, N.N.M. Zain, Development of a new efficient and economical magnetic sorbent silicone surfactant-based activated carbon for the removal of chloro- and nitro-group phenolic compounds from contaminated water samples, RSC Adv. 9 (2019) 36915–36930. https://doi.org/10.1039/C9RA07151B.
10. K. Gopal, I. Al deeb, M. Raaov, F.B.M. Suah, N.A. Samad, N. Yahaya, V. Lim, N.N.M. Zain, Supramolecular solvent combined with dispersive solid phase extraction based magnetic silicone surfactant activated charcoal adsorbent for extraction of phenolic compounds from industrial wastewater, Microchem. J. 157 (2020) 105110. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2020.105110.
11. N.M. Badu Latip, K. Gopal, M. Suwaibatu, N.M. Hashim, N.Y. Rahim, M. Raoov, N. Yahaya, N.N. Mohamad Zain, Removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol from wastewater by an efficient adsorbent of magnetic activated carbon, Sep. Sci. Technol. 56 (2021) 252–265. https://doi.org/10.1080/01496395.2020.1719156.
12. N.A. Husin, N.M. Hashim, N. Yahaya, M. Miskam, M. Raoov, N.N.M. Zain, Exploring magnetic particle surface embedded with imidazole-based deep eutectic solvent for diclofenac removal from pharmaceutical wastewater samples, J. Mol. Liq. 332 (2021) 115809. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2021.115809.
13. N.A. Husin, M. Muhamad, N. Yahaya, M. Miskam, N.N. Syazni Nik Mohamed Kamal, S. Asman, M. Raoov, N.N. Mohamad Zain, Application of a new choline-imidazole based deep eutectic solvents in hybrid magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer for efficient and selective removal of naproxen from aqueous samples, Mater. Chem. Phys. 261 (2021) 124228. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchemphys.2021.124228.
14. S. Mamman, F.B.M. Suah, M. Raaov, F.S. Mehamod, S. Asman, N.N.M. Zain, Removal of bisphenol A from aqueous media using a highly selective adsorbent of hybridization cyclodextrin with magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer, R. Soc. Open Sci. 8 (2022) 201604. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.201604.
15. V. Elencovan, J. Joseph, N. Yahaya, N. Abdul Samad, M. Raoov, V. Lim, N.N.M. Zain, Exploring a novel deep eutectic solvents combined with vortex assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction and its toxicity for organophosphorus pesticides analysis from honey and fruit samples, Food Chem. 368 (2022) 130835. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.130835.
16. V. Elencovan, N. Yahaya, N.A. Samad, N.N.M. Zain, Evaluation of green silicone surfactant‐based vortex assisted dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction for sample preparation of organophosphorus pesticide residues in honey and fruit sample, J. Sep. Sci. 45 (2022) 2865–2876.
17. V. Elencovan, N. Yahaya, M. Raoov, N. Nadhirah Mohamad Zain, Exploring a novel silicone surfactant-based deep eutectic solvent functionalized magnetic iron particles for the extraction of organophosphorus pesticides in vegetable samples, Food Chem. (2022) 133670. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.133670.
18. S. Mamman, S. Yaacob, M. Raoov, F.S. Mehamod, N.N.M. Zain, F.B.M. Suah, Exploring the performance of magnetic methacrylic acid-functionalized β-cyclodextrin adsorbent toward selected phenolic compounds, J. Anal. Sci. Technol. 14 (2023) 3.
19. N.M. Hashim, M. Mohamad, N.N.S.N.M. Kamal, M.Y. Aziz, S. Mohamad, N. Yahaya, N.N.M. Zain, Revolutionizing Drug Removal: Green Magnetic Nanoparticles Functionalized with Hydrophobic Deep Eutectic Solvents for Anti-Inflammatory Drug Adsorption, J. Mol. Liq. (2023) 122082.
20. N.I.M. Husaini, N.A.I.M.Hisham, N.M. Hashim, C.S.A. Lasu, N. Yahaya, M. Raoov, N.N.M. Zain, Magnetic Nanoparticle for Removing Sunset Yellow Dye: Taguchi Optimization, Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences, (2023).
21. Green Metrics for Analytical Methodologies: Uncovering Sustainable Chromatography Approaches for Detecting Emerging Contaminants in Food and Environmental Water. 

• 2023, October 1 – present:- Associate Professor;
• 2016, October 1 – 2023, September 30: Lecturer;
• 2014, April 15 – 2015, October 14: Post-PhD – Beneficiary of the project „Post-doctoral scholarships for sustainable development” POSTDOC-DD, ID59323;
• 2009, October 1 – 2011, July: Master Degree;
• 2008, October 1 - 2011, September 30: PhD Student – Beneficiary of the project „Post-doctoral studies for sustainable development” (SD-DD), POSDRU/6/1.5/S/6;
• 2003, October 1 – 2008, July 31: Bachelor degree – Forest engineer;
• 55 published articles: 11 – ISI (of which 8 in the red and yellow areas) and 4 Proceedings ISI; 28 indexed in International Data Base; 12 – other articles);
• 28 article presented at international conferences;
• 4 books (2 as co-author, one as first author, and two as single author);
• 1 laboratory guide;
• 9 research projects (at 4 I was director of the project and at fiveI was only member in the project team).
• 3 proposals in national competition of projects (one in 2016 and 2 in 2019);
• Activity as reviewer at the journals or conference proceedings: Revista Pădurilor; Proceeding of the Symposium ”Forest and Sustainable Development”, International Journal of Forestry and Wood Science, Bulletin of Transilvania University of Brasov – Series II, Energy and Environment Research,  nvironment and Ecology Research, Economics of Development ”Business Perspectives”, American Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering, Forestry Ideas, Forest Science and Technology.

Research Interest: Ergonomics, Forest roads, forest fires, machines for constructions, renewable sources of energy in forest sector.

List of Publications:

1. Musat, E.C., 2023. The agreement in accuracy between tomograms, resistograms and the actual condition of the wood from lime trees harvested from cities. In: Bioresources, vol. 18(1), pp. 1757-1779. DOI: 10.15376/biores.18.1.1757-1779.
2. Mușat, E.C.*, Bitir, I., 2022. Evaluating theforest road systems subjected to different loadings by using the Finite Element Method. In: Forests, 13, 1872, 26 p. DOI: 10.3390/f13111872.
3. Mușat, E.C., Borz, S.A.*, 2022. Learning from acceleration data to differentiate the posture, dynamic and static work of the back: am experimental setup. In: Healthcare, 10(5), 916, 22p. DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10050916.
4. Iftime, M., Mușat, E.C.*, Ciobanu, V.D., 2019. Analysis of the working accidents recordered during the harvesting of the trees, between 2013 – 2018, for workers of the National Forest Administration, Romsilva, Romania. In: Journal of Environmental Protection and Ecology, vol. 20(4), pp. 1717-1726. Factor de impact 2018 = 0,634. Dumitrașcu, A.E., Salca, E.A.*, Mihail, L.A., Ciobanu, V.D., MUȘAT, E.C., 2018. Inferential Statistics of Quercus Species in Veneer Cutting. In: BioResources, vol. 13(3), pp. 6766-6777. Factor de impact 2018 = 1,202.
5. Dumitraşcu, A.E., Muşat, E.C., Dumitraşcu, D.I., Ciobanu, V.D., Salcă, E.A.*, 2017a. Influence of sessile oak log characteristics on the efficiency in veneer cutting. In: BioResources, vol. 12(2), pp. 2579-2591. Factor de impact 2017 = 1,321.
6. Muşat, E.C., Salcă, E.A., Ciobanu, V.D., Dumitraşcu, A.E.*, 2017b. The Influence of Log Defects on the Cutting Yield of Oak Venner. In: BioResources, vol. 12(4), pp. 7917-7930. Factor de impact 2017 = 1,321. Scriba, C., Mușat, E.C.*, Salcă, E.A., Ciobanu, V.D., 2017. Influence of energy willow crops on soil features in the case of a contaminated land. In: Journal of Environmental Protection and Ecology, vol. 18(4), pp. 1403-1410. Factor de impact 2017 = 0,774.
7. Muşat, E.-C., Salcă, E.-A.*, Dinulică, F., Ciobanu, V.D., Dumitraşcu, A.-E., 2016. Evaluation of color variability of oak veneers for sorting. În: BioResources, vol. 11(1), February 2016, pp. 573-584. Accession Number: WOS:000367732700047. Factor de impact 2016 = 1,334. Scor relativ de influenţă 2014 = 1,810. Doi: 10.15376/biores.11.1.573-584.
8. Muşat, E.-C., Apăfăian, A.I., Ignea, G., Ciobanu, D.V., Iordache, E., Derczeni, R.A., Spârchez, G., Vasilescu, M.M., Borz, S.A.*, 2015. Time expenditure in computer aided time studies implemented for hightly mechanized forest equipment. In: Annals of Forest Research, vol. 59(1), pp. 129-144. Factor de influenţă 2016 = 0,741. Doi: 10.15287/afr.2015.473.
9. Ene, C., Ciobanu, V.D., Dumitraşcu, A.-E., David, E.-C., Borz, S.A.*, 2013. Resourse management of renewable energy of forest fuel in south-west forest districts of Romania. În: Journal of Environmental Protection and Ecology (JEPE), vol. 14(4), pp. 1794-1802. Factor de impact 2013 = 0,338. Factor deimpact 2016 = 0,734. Scor relative de influenţă 2014 = 0,027. Record Number: 20153052143.

Research Interest: Toxicology – Research, Teaching and Manuscript Writing, Publication, Learning New Techniques.

Dr. Chee Kong YAP is a Malaysian and is currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University Putra Malaysia (UPM). He obtained his Ph.D. degree in Ecotoxicology from University Putra Malaysia. As an academician for more than 12 years in UPM and 17 years as a researcher, he has been active in teaching and doing research since his first degree. Under his chairmanship, one PhD and six MS students have successfully graduated so far in UPM. In recognition of his expertise and research capabilities, he was awarded research grants as Principal Investigator and Researcher including from Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI, Malaysia), Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE, Malaysia) and University Putra Malaysia. He has been invited as a reviewer in various prominent Impact Factor Journals besides some non-cited journals. Until February 2015, he has reviewed [voluntarily] 190 citation-indexed and 63 non-citation –indexed journal articles, by invitation on ad hoc basis, which are submitted for consideration for publication in international journals worldwide. Dr. Yap has been active in publications as evidenced with his research outputs with more than 236 published in refereed academic journals, 2 books, 4 book chapters, 18 international conferences/ proceedings, 45 national conferences/ proceedings, 4 invited papers and 32 poster presentations. In addition, he has published 21 papers (8.60%) as single author of the paper. Until February 2015, 163 of them have now been indexed in Elsevier’s Scopus with an H-index of 18 (1185 citations) and 20 (1758 citations) based on Google Scholar. His single-authored book entitled ‘Mussel Watch in Malaysia: Past, Present and Future’ (UPM Press, 2012) is his significant output of his 17-year research endeavor. Most recently, Dr. Yap has won an international award for ‘Award for Excellence in Research 2014 (EET CRS)’, on 21 July 2014 from Bangalore, India.

Research Interest:  Plant and Soil Sciences, Environmental pollution,

Heavy Metal

Biomonitoring

Molluscs

Ecotoxicology

URL: http://livedna.org/60.9528

List of Publications: 

1.   Yap, C.K., A.R. Bakhtiari and W.H. Cheng, 2017. Impacts of marine pollution and toxicology: A mussel watch experience in peninsular Malaysia. Aquatic pollution Malaysia. J. Aquat Pollut. Toxicol., 1: 1-4.

2.    Yap, C.K., 2017. Essential minerals for good heath, but their overdose is not. EC Nur., 6: 109-112.

3.    Wong, K.W., C.K. Yap, R. Nulit, M.S. Hamzah and S.K. Chen et al., 2017. Effects of anthropogenic activities on the heavy metal levels in the clams and sediments in a tropical river. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res., 24: 116-134.

CrossRef  |  Direct Link  | 

4.    Ong, G.H., C.K. Yap, M. Mahmood, S.G. Tan and M.S. Hamzah, 2017. Magnesium in local edible ulam (Centella asiatica) and its relation to their habitat soils in peninsular Malaysia. Pertanika J. Trop. Agric. Sci., 40: 1-18.

5.    Ashraf, A., E. Saion, E. Gharibshahi, H.M. Kamari, C.K. Yap, M.S. Hamzah and M.S. Elias, 2017. Distribution of trace elements in core marine sediments of coastal east Malaysia by instrumental neutron activation analysis. Applied Radiation Isotopes, 122: 96-105.

CrossRef  |  Direct Link  | 

6.    Yap, C.K., Y.J.E. Ng, F.B.E. Thomas, W.H. Cheng and G.H. Ong, 2016. The use of foot of the green-lipped mussel is perna viridis as an alternative method to reduce the gender effect on the bioaccumulation of Cu and Zn in the mussel. Open J. Oceanography, 1: 22-25.

7.    Yap, C.K., W.H. Cheng, A. Karami and A. Ismail, 2016. Health risk assessments of heavy metal exposure via consumption of marine mussels collected from anthropogenic sites. Sci. Total Environ., 553: 285-296.

CrossRef  |  Direct Link  | 

8.    Sharifinia, M., A. Mahmoudifard, J.I. Namin, Z. Ramezanpour and C.K. Yap, 2016. Pollution evaluation in the Shahrood River: Do physico-chemical and macroinvertebrate-based indices indicate same responses to anthropogenic activities? Chemosphere, 159: 584-594.

CrossRef  |  Direct Link  | 

9.    Ong, G.H., L.S. Wong, A.L. Tan and C.K. Yap, 2016. Effects of metal-contaminated soils on the accumulation of heavy metals in gotu kola (Centella asiatica) and the potential health risks: A study in Peninsular Malaysia. Environ. Monitoring Assess., Vol. 188. 10.1007/s10661-015-5042-0.

CrossRef  | 

10.    Karami, A., N. Romano, H. Hamzah, S.L. Simpson and C.K. Yap, 2016. Acute phenanthrene toxicity to juvenile diploid and triploid African catfish (Clarias gariepinus): Molecular, biochemical and histopathological alterations. Environ. Pollut., 212: 155-165.

CrossRef  |  Direct Link  |

11.    Karami, A., D. Omar, J.M. Lazorchak, C.K. Yap, Z. Hashim and S.C. Courtenay, 2016. A comparison of biomarker responses in juvenile diploid and triploid African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, exposed to the pesticide butachlor. Environ. Res., 151: 313-320.

CrossRef  |  Direct Link  | 

12.    Ashraf, A., E. Saion, E. Gharibshahi, H.M. Kamari, C.K. Yap, M.S. Hamzah and M.S. Elias, 2016. Rare earth elements in core marine sediments of coastal East Malaysia by instrumental neutron activation analysis. Applied Radiat. Isotopes, 107: 17-23.

CrossRef  |  Direct Link  | 

13.    Yap, C.K., A. Jusoh, W.J. Leong, A. Karami and G.H. Ong, 2015. Potential human health risk assessment of heavy metals via the consumption of tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus collected from contaminated and uncontaminated ponds. Environ. Monit. Assess., Vol. 187. 10.1007/s10661-015-4812-z.
CrossRef  |  Direct Link  | 

14.    Yap, C.K., 2015. Comment on assessment of heavy metal contamination in Hindon River sediments: A chemometric and geochemical approach published in Chemosphere 87 (2012) 945-953. Chemosphere, 119: 1465-1466.

CrossRef  |  Direct Link  | 

15.    Yap, C.K. and W.H. Cheng, 2015. Beryllium levels in the mangrove snail, Nerita lineata and surface sediments from Peninsular Malaysian Mangrove Area. Sains Malaysiana, 44: 965-971.

CrossRef  |  Direct Link  | 

16.    Cheng, W.H., C.K. Yap, M.P. Zakaria, A.Z. Aris and S.G. Tan, 2015. Lithium levels in Peninsular Malaysian coastal areas: An assessment based on mangrove snail Nerita lineata and surface sediments. Pertanika J. Trop. Agric. Sci., 38: 93-101.

Direct Link  | 

17.    Cheng, W.H. and C.K. Yap, 2015. Potential human health risks from toxic metals via mangrove snail consumption and their ecological risk assessments in the habitat sediment from Peninsular Malaysia. Chemosphere, 135: 156-165.

CrossRef  |  Direct Link  | 

18.    Yap, C.K., F.B. Edward and S.G. Tan, 2014. Concentrations of heavy metals in different tissues of the bivalve Polymesoda erosa: Its potentials as a biomonitor and food safety concern. Pertanika J. Trop. Agric. Sci., 37: 19-38.

Direct Link  | 

19.    Yap, C.K., 2014. Shells of Telescopium telescopium as biomonitoring materials of ni pollution in the tropical intertidal area. Int. J. Adv. Applied Sci., 3: 11-18.

Direct Link  | 

20.    Yap, C.K., 2014. Elemental concentrations in the surface sediments collected from the straits of Malacca: 2004 sampling cruise. Int. J. Adv. Applied Sci., Vol. 3. .

Direct Link  | 

21.    Yap, C.K., 2014. Contamination of heavy metals and other organic pollutants in Perna viridis from the coastal waters of Malaysia: A review based on 1998 data. J. Sci. Res. Rep., 3: 1-16.

Direct Link  | 

Research Interest: Outdoor Air Quality Modeling and Assessment, Indoor Air Quality, Numerical Simulation (CFD model), Atmospheric Diffusion, Air Pollution Meteorology, Modeling of micro-scale flow problems, Physical Simulation (Wind tunnel modeling), Noise Pollution, Environmental Statistics, and Wind Engineering.

Research Interest: Geology, Geochemistry, Environmental Geochemistry, Aqueous Geochemistry, Drinking Water Quality, Trace elements, Inorganic contaminants, Water and Soil Quality, Groundwater Contamination, Environmental Impact Assessment, Soil-Water Interactions, Cation Exchange Processes in Hyporheic Sediments, Geochemical Modeling