Universitą degli studi di Pavia
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Bitar's cv
Curriculum
Personal Information: Nationality: Lebanese
Marital status: Married
Address: Italy, Pavia, Via Ceva 18
Ibrahim Bitar E-mail Address: Ibrahimbitar5@gmail.com
Education:
2012
Utrecht Medical Center-Utrecht
Utrecht Summer School Utrecht-Netherlands
2009- 2013 Lebanese American University (LAU) Byblos-Lebanon
M.S. in Molecular Biology
2006 - 2009 American University of beirut (AUB) Beirut -Lebanon
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in medical lab
Work experience:
2009 – 2013 - Teaching assistant at the Lebanese American University, teaching introductory biology courses.
2009- 2013 - Research assistant for Dr. Roy Khalaf, supervising undergraduate students working on their senior
studies, research studies on yeast and fungi at the molecular and proteomics level.
2008-2009 - Laboratory technologist at AUB-MC medical laboratory.
2009 - Blood drive in coordination between the AUB-MC and Lebanese red cross.
Masters Research:
- C. albicans cell wall has been the subject of intense investigation. In my current studies, I am
attempting to characterize CCW14, a putative cell wall mannoprotein, and AHP1, a putative alkyl
hydroperoxide reductase. The work is performed by generating a ccw14 and ahp1 homozygote null
strains in which the two alleles of the CCW14 and AHP1 are deleted via gene knockout techniques.
Comparison of the mutant to the wildtype is being carried out on different levels including growth on
various filamentation inducing and non-inducing liquid and solid media, susceptibility to cell surface
disrupting agents such as Congo red, calcofluor white, caspofungin and SDS and resistance to
oxidative stress. Adhesion of the mutant strain to human epithelial cells, biofilm formation on plastic
surfaces, and the ability to cause fatal disseminated infection in mice will also be determined.
-Furthermore, clinical isolates of C. albicans was identified using several Biochemicals and typing techniques: starting with API, germ tube, chrom agar, sequencing the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), multilocus sequence typing (MLST) targeting a sequence that consists of seven housekeeping genes, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Isolates are further tested for their ability to form biofilm on plastic surfaces and for their susceptibility to 4 different antifungal agents.
Technical skills:
- DNA/protein extraction, PCR, Q-PCR, RT-PCR, Sequencing, Western blots, Gel electrophoresis, MALDI-TOF, cell culture techniques, cytotoxicity assays, flow cytometry analysis.
Certifications and Awards:
- Dean’s list.
- Elected as a member of the SRC (student representative committee) 2007-2008 in AUB. -Elected as the undergraduate representative in the same year.
Languages:
- Fluent in speaking, reading and writing English, and Arabic.
Hobbies and interests:
- Team sports, soccer and basketball.
- Hiking and Biking
- Music.
Computer Literacy:
- Knowledge of the internet and Microsoft office tools in addition to bioinformatics online databases and minor experience in “R”.
References:
- Roy Khalaf, Ph.D in Yeast Genetics. Associate Professor, L.A.U. roy.khalaf@lau.edu.lb
- Costantine Daher, associate professor of biology, Chair, Department of Natural Sciences at LAU. cdaher@lau.edu.lb
- Sami Ramia, PhD, FRC Path. Ph.D in Microbiology and Immunology. Professor and coordinator of the Medical Laboratory Sciences Program at AUB sramia@aub.edu.lb
Research Project
Antimicrobial susceptibilities, drug resistance gene arrays and epidemic potential of Enterobacteriaceae and other Gram negative clinical isolates: novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Publications
Ibrahim Bitar, Roy A. Khalaf, Houda Harastani, and Sima Tokajian, “Identification, Typing, Antifungal Resistance Profile, and Biofilm Formation of Candida albicans Isolates from Lebanese Hospital Patients” BioMed Research International, vol. 2014, Article ID 931372, 10 pages, 2014. doi:10.1155/2014/931372
Personal Information: Nationality: Lebanese
Marital status: Married
Address: Italy, Pavia, Via Ceva 18
Ibrahim Bitar E-mail Address: Ibrahimbitar5@gmail.com
Education:
2012
Utrecht Medical Center-Utrecht
Utrecht Summer School Utrecht-Netherlands
2009- 2013 Lebanese American University (LAU) Byblos-Lebanon
M.S. in Molecular Biology
2006 - 2009 American University of beirut (AUB) Beirut -Lebanon
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in medical lab
Work experience:
2009 – 2013 - Teaching assistant at the Lebanese American University, teaching introductory biology courses.
2009- 2013 - Research assistant for Dr. Roy Khalaf, supervising undergraduate students working on their senior
studies, research studies on yeast and fungi at the molecular and proteomics level.
2008-2009 - Laboratory technologist at AUB-MC medical laboratory.
2009 - Blood drive in coordination between the AUB-MC and Lebanese red cross.
Masters Research:
- C. albicans cell wall has been the subject of intense investigation. In my current studies, I am
attempting to characterize CCW14, a putative cell wall mannoprotein, and AHP1, a putative alkyl
hydroperoxide reductase. The work is performed by generating a ccw14 and ahp1 homozygote null
strains in which the two alleles of the CCW14 and AHP1 are deleted via gene knockout techniques.
Comparison of the mutant to the wildtype is being carried out on different levels including growth on
various filamentation inducing and non-inducing liquid and solid media, susceptibility to cell surface
disrupting agents such as Congo red, calcofluor white, caspofungin and SDS and resistance to
oxidative stress. Adhesion of the mutant strain to human epithelial cells, biofilm formation on plastic
surfaces, and the ability to cause fatal disseminated infection in mice will also be determined.
-Furthermore, clinical isolates of C. albicans was identified using several Biochemicals and typing techniques: starting with API, germ tube, chrom agar, sequencing the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), multilocus sequence typing (MLST) targeting a sequence that consists of seven housekeeping genes, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Isolates are further tested for their ability to form biofilm on plastic surfaces and for their susceptibility to 4 different antifungal agents.
Technical skills:
- DNA/protein extraction, PCR, Q-PCR, RT-PCR, Sequencing, Western blots, Gel electrophoresis, MALDI-TOF, cell culture techniques, cytotoxicity assays, flow cytometry analysis.
Certifications and Awards:
- Dean’s list.
- Elected as a member of the SRC (student representative committee) 2007-2008 in AUB. -Elected as the undergraduate representative in the same year.
Languages:
- Fluent in speaking, reading and writing English, and Arabic.
Hobbies and interests:
- Team sports, soccer and basketball.
- Hiking and Biking
- Music.
Computer Literacy:
- Knowledge of the internet and Microsoft office tools in addition to bioinformatics online databases and minor experience in “R”.
References:
- Roy Khalaf, Ph.D in Yeast Genetics. Associate Professor, L.A.U. roy.khalaf@lau.edu.lb
- Costantine Daher, associate professor of biology, Chair, Department of Natural Sciences at LAU. cdaher@lau.edu.lb
- Sami Ramia, PhD, FRC Path. Ph.D in Microbiology and Immunology. Professor and coordinator of the Medical Laboratory Sciences Program at AUB sramia@aub.edu.lb
Research Project
Antimicrobial susceptibilities, drug resistance gene arrays and epidemic potential of Enterobacteriaceae and other Gram negative clinical isolates: novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Publications
Ibrahim Bitar, Roy A. Khalaf, Houda Harastani, and Sima Tokajian, “Identification, Typing, Antifungal Resistance Profile, and Biofilm Formation of Candida albicans Isolates from Lebanese Hospital Patients” BioMed Research International, vol. 2014, Article ID 931372, 10 pages, 2014. doi:10.1155/2014/931372
