Bioinformatics Program Director
Prof. Sameh Hassanein
Prof. Sameh El-Sayed Hassanein is the Director of the Bioinformatics Program at the School of Biotechnology, Nile University. He obtained his Ph.D. from Ain Shams University's Faculty of Agriculture, specializing in Genetic Engineering (2008). His doctoral research focused on enhancing the tolerance of wheat plants to fungal stress through genetic engineering techniques. Prior to his Ph.D., he completed a Master of Science degree in Molecular Genetics, also from Ain Shams University (2002), where he conducted physiological genetic studies on maize.
Throughout his career, Prof. Hassanein has been actively involved in teaching and advising as he has conducted numerous training courses and served as an instructor in various institutions and Universities including Montana State University (MSU), Bozeman, Montana, USA, where he participated in a joint project on genetic transformation in wheat. And Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt, Germany, as a PI for the project entitled "Wild barley as a genetic resource for abiotic stress improvement under climate change conditions".
His dedication to education extends to both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, where he has taught courses such as Computer Programming, Principals of Bioinformatics, Genomic Analysis, Proteomic Analysis, Molecular Modeling, Drug Design and many others. And supervised numerous M.Sc. and Ph.D. students, guided their research projects and contributed to their academic and professional development.
In terms of research and professional experiences, Prof. Hassanein has led and has been engaged in diverse national and international research projects related to genetic engineering, plant-pathogen interactions, and bioinformatics. His work has the potential to enhance crop productivity and food security in the face of challenging environmental conditions, ultimately benefiting farmers and communities worldwide. Prof. Hassanein has been involved in determining and characterizing genes associated with biotic and abiotic stresses tolerance in wheat, barley, and rice.
Prof. Hassanein has held various positions throughout his career, including Senior Scientist and Team Leader (Founder) at the Plant-Pathogen Interaction Lab (PPIL) at the Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute (AGERI), that’s in addition to his position as a Head of Bioinformatics and Computer Networks Department. Also, as a Head of Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics Department at the College of Biotechnology, Misr University for Science and Technology, where he has developed bioinformatics reference guides and provided training courses to enhance the bioinformatics skills of researchers and students.
Prof. Hassanein’s expertise in information technologies and bioinformatics has led to collaborations with international organizations. For instance, he served as an expert consultant on biotechnology for sustainable agriculture, for the Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa (AARINENA). He has also been involved in projects related to the detection of genetically modified organisms, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). And as a scientific consultant for the International Dryland Development Commission (IDDC). By working closely with such international organizations, Prof. Hassanein has been able to share his knowledge, expertise, and research findings to contribute to the development and implementation of effective strategies and technologies in his field.