As a microbiologist and academic lecturer, I have been working on microorganisms that are related to human and health issues. Relatively, I have been interested in the development of bacteria  resistance against chemotherapeutic  agents  which  is  becoming  an  increasing  problem  specially  the  Multi  Drugs  Resistant Bacteria (MDR), and this had the potential to facilitate more rational thinking about the implementation of Bacteriophages as integrated therapeutically framework. I have been working on the environmental impacts of microorganisms that are related to new industrial issues. Also I have been interested on the microorganisms that inhabit, create, or contaminate food, food-safety and their products which can be used to combat pathogenic microbes. In recent years, much interest has been shown in the use of bacteria as probiotic organisms and their potential for disease prevention in humans and animals.

  Research Interest: Microbiology

Research Interest: Tumor Biology - Progression Factors

Research Interest: Environmental Biotechnology including: Assessment of Genetic Diversities; Phytosanitary, Uses of Rhizobacteria in Phytoremediation

Research Interest:  Molecular biology and bio-medicine research, Tumor biology

Grant:

2019    Grant:Exploration of the interaction between Skp2 and Ku70 proteins and its function in cervical tumor proliferation, grant NO.81802622.

Awarded by Chinese National Natural Science Foundation for Young Scientists (2019/01-2021/12)

2018      Grant: Exploration of the interaction between Skp2 and Ku70 proteins and its function in cervical tumor pathology, grant NO. LY18H160067.
Awarded by Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (2018/01-2020/12)

2016      Grant: Exploration of the interaction between Skp2 and Ku70 proteins and its function in tumor pathology, grant NO. 2015KYB09.
Awarded by grants for Medical and health science and technology plan of Zhejiang province (2016/01-2018/12)

2012      Grant: Screening of peptide targeting skp2 for tumor therapy, grant NO. LQ12H16013.
Awarded by Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (2012/01-2014/12)

2011      Grant: Identification of the peptide targeting for Skp2, grant NO. 2011KYB005.
Awarded by grants for Medical and health science and technology plan of Zhejiang province (2011/01-2013/12)

2011      Grant: Establishment of a pancreatic β cell proliferation model in vitro and a platform for diabetes drug screening, grant NO. 2011R10070.
Awarded by Qianjiang Talent project of Zhejiang province (2011/01-2013/12)

List of Publications:

1. Zhenyu Jia#, Jing Jia, Shuzhi Zhang &Jiang Cao*. CMV enhancer may not be suitable for tissue-specific enhancement of promoters in cancer gene therapy. Cancer Gene Therapy, 2019; doi: 10.1038/s41417-019-0106-x. [Epub ahead of print]

2.  Jing Jia#, Juan Ren, Yihui He, Zhenyu Jia, Shenglin Ma, Xiaoju Wang, Xiaoming Sun. The prognostic value of Skp2 expression level in cancer: a meta-analysis. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 2018; 11(2):431-444.

3.  Xiaoming Sun, Hongxing Cai, Zhouru Li, Shanshan Li, Wenjiang Yin, Guokai Dong, Jinxia Kuai, Yihui He, Jing Jia*. Association between IL-1b polymorphisms and gastritis risk: A meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore), 2017; 96(5): e6001.

4.  XinMin Pan, X. Xiao, Haojie Qin, Zhen Zhang, Zhaohui Li, Linbo Gao and Jing Jia*. MicroRNA variants and colorectal cancer risk: a meta-analysis. Genetics and Molecular Research, 2016; 15 (3): gmr.15038478.

5.  Jing Jia#, Juan Ren, Dongmei Yan, Long Xiao, Ruifen Sun*. Association between the XRCC6 Polymorphisms and Cancer Risk: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore), 2015; 94(1):e283.

6.  Jing Jia#, Wenzhe Wang#, Wen Meng, Mingjian Ding, Shenglin Ma*, Xiaoju Wang*. Development of a multiplex autoantibody test for detection of lung cancer. PLoS One, 2014; 9(4):e95444.

7.  Xinmin Pan#, Jing Jia#, Xiaomin Guo, Zhaohui Li, Zhen Zhang, Haojie Qin, Guohui Xu, Linbo Gao*. Lack of association between let-7 binding site polymorphism rs712 and risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Familial Cancer, 2014; 13(1):93-97.

8.  Jing Jia#, Xiaoli Liu#, Yongxia Chen, Xiaoliang Zheng, Linlan Tu, Xiaoming Huang, Xiaoju Wang*. Establishment of a pancreatic β cell proliferation model in vitro and a platform for diabetes drug screening. Cytotechnology, 2014; 66(4):687-697.

9.  Lin Cui#, Jing Jia#, Chunfen Ma, Suyun Li, Youping Wang, Xiaomin Guo, Qiang Li, Haibin Yu, Weihong Liu, Linbo Gao*. IL‐13 polymorphisms contribute to the risk of asthma: A meta-analysis. Clinical Biochemistry, 2013; 45(4-5): 285-288.

10. Zhaohui Li, Xinmin Pan, BaoWei Han, Xiaomin Guo, Zhen Zhang, Jing Jia*, Linbo Gao*. A let-7 binding site polymorphism rs712 in the KRAS 3' UTR is associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer. Tumour Biology, 2013; 34(5):3159-3163.

11. Song Zheng; Keer Huang; Jing Jia; Xin Li; Deyou Tao. Rhabdomyosarcomatous differentiation in gastrointestinal stromal tumors after imatinib resistance: a potential diagnostic pitfall.  Experimental Biology and Medicine (Maywood), 2013; 238(1):120-124.

12. Song Zheng, Jing Jia, Yuelong Pan, Deyou Tao, Hongsheng Lu. Molecular and histologic characteristics of secondary imatinib-resistant gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Zhonghua Bing Li Xue Za Zhi, 2013; 42(1):42-43.

13. Song Zheng, Xiaoju Wang, Jing Jia, Yuelong Pan, Deyou Tao, Hongsheng Lu, Heer Huang. Establishment and pathologic analysis of imatinib-resistant gastrointestinal stromal tumor xenografts. Zhonghua Bing Li Xue Za Zhi, 2012; 41(3):176-180.

14. Linbo Gao; Peng Bai; Xinmin Pan; Jing Jia; Lijuan Li; Weibo Liang; Ming Tang; Lushun Zhang; Yonggang Wei; Lin Zhang.The association between two polymorphisms in pre-miRNAs and breast cancer risk: a meta-analysis. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 2011; 125(2):571-574.

15. LinBo Gao# , XinMin Pan# , Jing Jia# , WeiBo Liang , Li Rao, Hui Xue, Yi Zhu, ShiLiu Li, MeiLi Lv, Wei Deng, Tian-Yi Chen, YongGang Wei, Lin Zhang*. IL-8 -251A/T polymorphism is associated with decreased cancer risk among population-based studies: Evidence from a meta-analysis. European Journal of Cancer, 2010; 46 (8):1333–1343.

16. Jing Jia #, Hong Li, Shuhong Tai, Meili Lv, Miao Liao, Zhihui Yang, Beilei Zhang, Bin Zhou, Gengqian Zhang, Lin Zhang*. Construction and Preliminary Investigation of a Plasmid Containing a Novel Immunotoxin DT390-IL-18 Gene for the Prevention of Murine Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis. DNA and Cell Biology, 2008; 27(5): 279-285.

Kevin O. Ochwedo is a molecular biologist with a passion for improving people's health and well-being by participating in programs aimed at malaria transmission reduction and eradication. He is actively involved in genetic epidemiology and entomological studies of parasites and vectors. His most recent publication on Plasmodium falciparum passive surveillance aims to persuade public health policymakers to supplement microscopic examination of blood samples with ultrasensitive diagnostic tools in order to support WHO's strategy of early detection and treatment of malaria patients. This, he believes, will help reduce the large number of untreated patients with false-negative malaria diagnoses who may be acting as a reservoir for P. falciparum transmission to vectors within malaria endemic zones in Sub-Saharan Africa.

List of Publications:

1.    Kevin O. Ochwedo., Collince J.  Omondi., Edwin O. Magomere., Julius O. Olumeh., Isaiah Debrah., Shirley A. Onyango., Pauline W. Orondo., Benyl M. Ondeto., Harrysone E. Atieli., Sidney O. Ogolla., John Githure., Antony C. A. Otieno., Andrew K. Githeko., James W. Kazura., Wolfgang R. Mukabana & Guiyun Yan. (2021). Hyper-prevalence of submicroscopic Plasmodium falciparum infections in a rural area of western Kenya with declining malaria cases. (Under review at Malaria Journal).

2.    Kevin O. Ochwedo., Shirley A. Onyango., Collince J.  Omondi., Pauline W. Orondo., Benyl M. Ondeto., Ming-Chieh Lee., Harrysone E. Atieli., Sidney O. Ogolla., Andrew K. Githeko., Antony C. A. Otieno., Wolfgang R. Mukabana., Guiyun Yan., Daibin Zhong & James W. Kazura. (2022). Signatures of selection and drivers for novel mutation on transmission-blocking vaccine candidate Pfs25 gene in western Kenya. (Under review at PLOS ONE).

3.    Kevin O. Ochwedo., Fredrick O. Ariri., Sidney O. Ogolla., Wolfgang R. Mukabana., Andrew K. Githeko., Yan Guiyan., Daibin Zhong & James W. Kazura. (2022). High frequency of rare alleles and signatures of selection on immunodominant domains of Pfs230 and Pfs48/45 in western Kenya.

4.    Debrah, I., Afrane, Y. A., Amoah, L. E., Ochwedo, K. O., Mukabana, W. R., Zhong, D., ... & Yan, G. (2021). Larval ecology and bionomics of Anopheles funestus in highland and lowland sites in western Kenya.

5.    Orondo, P., Nyanjom, S., Atieli, H., Githure, J., Ondeto, B., Ochwedo, K., ... & Yan, G. (2021). Insecticide Resistance Status of Anopheles Arabiensis in Irrigated and Non-irrigated Areas in Western Kenya.

6.    Ndwiga, L., Osoti, V., Ochwedo, K. O., Wamae, K., Bejon, P., Rayner, J. C., ... & Ochola-Oyier, L. I. (2021). The Plasmodium falciparum Rh5 invasion protein complex reveals an excess of rare variant mutations. Malaria Journal, 20(1), 1-10.

7.    Shirley A. Onyango., Kevin O. Ochwedo., Maxwell G. Machani., Collince J. Omondi., Isaiah Debrah., Sidney O. Ogolla., Ming-Chieh Lee., Goufa Zhou., Elizabeth Kokwaro., Yaw A. Afrane., Andrew K. Githeko., James W. Kazura, Daibin Zhong & Guiyun Yan. (2021). Genetic diversity and population structure of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum surface protein Pfs47 in isolates from the lowlands in western Kenya.

8.    Shirley A. Onyango., Kevin O. Ochwedo., Maxwell G Machani., Collince J. Omondi., Isaiah Debrah., Sidney O. Ogolla., Ming-Chieh Lee., Goufa Zhou., Elizabeth Kokwaro., Yaw Afrane., James W. Kazura., Andrew K. Githeko., Daibin Zhong & Guiyun Yan. (2022). Molecular Characterization and Genotype Distribution of Thioester-containing protein 1 Gene, A Key Regulator of Malaria Transmission in Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes in Western Kenya.

9.    Benyl M. Ondeto., Xiaoming Wang., Daibin Zhong., Harrysone Atieli., Guofa Zhou., Ming-Chieh Lee., Pauline Orondo., Kevin Ochwedo., Collince J. Omondi., Simon M. Muriu., David Odongo., Horace Ochanda., James Kazura., Andrew Githeko & Guiyun Yan. (2022). Malaria vector bionomics and transmission in irrigated and non-irrigated sites in western Kenya. (Due for submission).

10.    Collince Jared Omondi, Otambo O Wilfred, David Odongo, Kevin O. Ochwedo, Antony Otieno, Shirley A. Onyango, Pauline Orondo, Benyl M. Ondeto, Ming-Chieh Lee, Daibin Zhong, James W. Kazura, Andrew K. Githeko, & Guiyun Yan (2022). Asymptomatic and submicroscopic Plasmodium infections in an area before and during integrated vector control in Homa Bay, western Kenya.

11.    Wilfred Ouma Otambo, Julius O. Olumeh, Kevin O. Ochwedo, Edwin O. Magomere, Isaiah Debrah, Collins Ouma, Patrick Onyango, Harrysone Atieli, Chloe Wang, Ming-Chieh Lee, Andrew K. Githeko, Guofa Zhou, John Githure, James W Kazura, Guiyun Yan & Wolfgang R Mukabana (2022). Health care providers practices in diagnosis and treatment of malaria in rural communities in Kisumu County, Kenya.

Skype ID: kevinochwedo

Research Interest: Biochemistry, Neurobiology,Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Biology

Research Interest: Molecular Biology of non-coding Repetitive DNA: role of satellite DNAs and their transcripts in genome dynamic.

Research Interest: Signal Transduction, Steroid Hormones,Anti-Cancer Activities,Resveratrol and Derivatives

Doris, is a Professor in the Exact Natural Sciences and Statistics, Faculty of Basic Sciences at University of Santiago of Cali, where he has been since last August. From 2012 to 2018 she was member of Systematic Molecular Group at National University of Colombia. From 2008 to 2012 she was member of Molecular Microbiology Group at Antioquia University. Both universities are located in Colombia. She has explored entomological parameters, molecular taxonomy and infection by Plasmodium of some Anopheles’ vectors. She has also investigated the presence and implications of mosquitoes in High altitude Ecosystem Mountains in Colombia.

Research Interest: Ambient microbiology, Integrative taxonomy and Evolution.

Rosero-García D, Rúa-Uribe G, Correa M, Conn JE, Uribe-Soto S. 2018. Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) grouping by OTUs (Operational Taxonomic Units) based on larval habitats characteristics in High Mountain Ecosystems of Antioquia, Colombia. Journal of Vector Ecology 43 (1): 71-79

Rosero-García D, Suaza-Vasco JD, Barajas-Galindo J, Uribe-Soto S. 2017. Mosquito fauna (Diptera: Culicidae) of high Andean mountain ecosystems in Colombia. International Journal of Mosquito Research 4(6): 10-24

Rosero-García D, Bickersmith S, Suaza-Vasco JD, Porter C, Correa M, Conn JE, Uribe-Soto S. 2017. Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) of mosquitoes collected in high Andean mountain ecosystems from Antioquia, Colombia. Zootaxa 4277 (3): 369–385

Rosero-García D, Suaza-Vasco JD, Uribe-Soto S. 2016. Mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae) del Páramo de Santa Inés en Belmira, Antioquia: actualización de registros y fortalecimiento de colecciones entomológicas de ecosistemas de alta montaña del MEFLG. Boletín del Museo Entomológico Francisco Luís Gallego 8(2): 6-20

Rosero DA, Naranjo N, Álvarez N, Cienfuegos A, Torres C, Luckhart S, Correa M. 2013. Colombian Anopheles triannulatus (Diptera: Culicidae) naturally infected with Plasmodium spp. ISRN Parasitology, Volumen 2013, Article ID 927453

Naranjo N, Rosero D, Rua G, Luckhart S, Correa M. 2013. Abundance, behavior and entomological inoculation rates of antropophilic anopheline from the Urabá, Bajo Cauca and Alto Sinú region of Colombia. Parasites & Vectors 6:61

Cadavid I, Rosero D, Uribe S. 2013. Comparación de dos métodos de extracción de ADN a partir de plantas del género Solanum, subgénero Leptostemonum. Revista Colombiana de Biotecnología. 15(2): 186-192

Rosero DA, Jaramillo LM, Gutiérrez LA, Conn JE, Correa MM. 2012. Genetic diversity of Anopheles triannulatus s.l. (Diptera: Culicidae) from northwestern and southeastern Colombia. The American Journal Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 87(5):910-920

Cienfuegos AV, Rosero D, Naranjo N, Luckhart S, Conn JE, Correa MM. 2011. Evaluation of a PCR–RFLP–ITS2 assay for discrimination of Anopheles species in northern and western Colombia. Acta Trópica 118: 128–135

Álvarez N, Rosero D, Gómez G, Correa M. 2011. Detección de mosquitos Anopheles infectados naturalmente con Plasmodium spp. en Puerto Libertador, Córdoba, Colombia. Hechos Microbiológicos 2(2); 29-39

Sánchez J, Galeano Y, Rosero D, Naranjo N, Correa M. 2011. Confirmación molecular de especie en especímenes Anopheles recolectados en el corregimiento de Juan José, Puerto Libertador, Córdoba, Colombia. Hechos Microbiológicos 2(1):19-28

Rosero D, Gutiérrez L, Cienfuegos V, Jaramillo L, Correa M. 2010. Optimización de un procedimiento de extracción de ADN para mosquitos anofelinos. Revista Colombiana de Entomología 36(2): 260-26

Gutiérrez LA, González JJ, Castro MI, Gómez GF, Rosero DA, Luckhart S, Conn JE, Correa MM. 2009. Species composition and natural infectivity of anthropophilic Anopheles (Diptera: Culicidae) in the states of Córdoba and Antioquia, northwestern Colombia. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, 104(8): 1117-1124

Rosero D, del Corral H. 2009. Guía sobre cómo hacer una monografía tomando elementos metodológicos utilizados en la revisión sistemática de un tema. Reimpresos Universidad de Antioquia. ISBN: 978-958-714-287-7

Rosero D, del Corral H. Contribución del Análisis RFLP del IS6110 del Mycobacterium tuberculosis al diseño y refinamiento de estrategias para el control de la tuberculosis en Colombia. Infectio 2008, 12(3):175-191

Skype ID: roserodorismb

Degree: Ph.D. in Biology / zoology

Birth: / Iraq / 6 - 10 – 1984

Research Interest: Biology , Zoology , microbiology, parasitology , parasitic diseases, infectious diseases, Biotechnology.

URL: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hiba_Riyadh_Jameel
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=dArfA_cAAAAJ&hl=ar
https://publons.com/researcher/1570960/hiba-al-abodi/

List of Publications: 33

Research Interest: Cardiovascular Diseases, Neurology, Ischemic Stroke, Oxidative Stress, Antioxidant System,Immune System, Inflammation, Synaptic Plasticity, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Two-Photon Microscop.

I have completed my PhD from National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India in 2016 in microbiology and molecular biology feild. Soon after that I have joined Weill Cornell Medical College, New York in June 2016 and working in the field of metabolomics to understand the immunological insults and adaptations happening during TB infection. I have identified various metabolic signatures and important mechanism to enhance the therapeutic potential of anti-TB drugs and therapies. I am expert in microbiology, genetic engineering, metabolomics, molecular biology, drug target identification, drug screening, drug development, in vivo drug testing and identification of metabolic bio-signature (Biomarkers).

Research Interest: Microbiology, Immunology, Metabolomics, Metabolism, Drug Development, Assay Development, and Molecular biology

URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vijay-soni-ph-d-3271a581

List of Publications:

First author papers: Total 3
1. Soni V, Upadhayay S, Suryadevara P, Samla G, Singh A, Yogeeswari P, Sriram D, Nandicoori VK. Depletion of M. tuberculosis GlmU from Infected Murine Lungs Effects the Clearance of the Pathogen. PLoS Pathog. 2015 Oct 21;11(10):e1005235.

2. Soni V, Suryadevara P, Sriram D; OSDD Consortium, Kumar S, Nandicoori VK, Yogeeswari P. Structure-based design of diverse inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase: combined molecular docking, dynamic simulation, and biological activity. J Mol Model.2015 Jul;21(7):2704.

3. Jagtap PK, Soni V*, Vithani N, Jhingan GD, Bais VS, Nandicoori VK, Prakash B. Substrate-bound crystal structures reveal features unique to Mycobacterium tuberculosis N-acetyl-glucosamine 1-phosphate uridyltransferase and a catalytic mechanism for acetyl transfer. J Biol Chem. 2012 Nov 16;287(47):39524-37. * First Co-author.

Middle author papers: Total 9
4. Suryadevara P, Yogeeswari P, Soni V, Devi PB, Nandicoori VK, Sriram D. Computational Sampling and Simulation Based Assessment of Novel Mycobacterium tuberculosis Glutamine Synthetase Inhibitors: Study involving Structure Based Drug Design and Free Energy Perturbation. Curr Top Med Chem. 2015 Aug 25.

5. Parthiban Brindha Devi, Jonnalagadda Padma Sridevi, Shruti Singh Kakan, Shalini Saxena, Variam Ullas Jeankumar, Vijay Soni, Hasitha Shilpa Anantaraju, Perumal Yogeeswari, Dharmarajan Sriram. Discovery of novel lysine ɛ-aminotransferase inhibitors: An intriguing potential target for latent tuberculosis. Tuberculosis. 2015, PII:S1472-9792 (15)20720-2

6. Petersen GO, Saxena S, Renuka J, Soni V, Yogeeswari P, Santos DS, Bizarro CV, Sriram D. Structure-based virtual screening as a tool for the identification of novel inhibitors against Mycobacterium tuberculosis 3-dehydroquinate dehydratase. J Mol Graph Model.2015 May 11.

7. Pulla VK, Sriram DS, Soni V, Viswanadha S, Sriram D, Yogeeswari P. Targeting NAMPT for Therapeutic Intervention in Cancer and Inflammation: Structure-Based Drug Design and Biological Screening. ChemBiol Drug Des.2015 Apr 7.

8. Sridevi JP, Suryadevara P, Janupally R, Sridhar J, Soni V, Anantaraju HS, Yogeeswari P, Sriram D. Identification of potential Mycobacterium tuberculosis topoisomerase I inhibitors: a study against active, dormant and resistant tuberculosis. Eur J Pharm Sci. 2015 May 25;72:81-92.

9. Janupally R, Jeankumar VU, Bobesh KA, Soni V, Devi PB, Pulla VK, Suryadevara P, Chennubhotla KS, Kulkarni P, Yogeeswari P, Sriram D. Structure-guided design and development of novel benzimidazole class of compounds targeting DNA gyraseB enzyme of Staphylococcus aureus. Bioorg Med Chem. 2014 Nov 1;22(21):5970-87..

10. Jeankumar VU, Renuka J, Pulla VK, Soni V, Sridevi JP, Suryadevara P, Shravan M, Medishetti R, Kulkarni P, Yogeeswari P, Sriram D. Development of novel N-linked aminopiperidine-based mycobacterial DNA gyrase B inhibitors: scaffold hopping from known antibacterial leads. Int J Antimicrob Agents.2014 Mar;43(3):269-78.

11. Saxena S, Devi PB, Soni V, Yogeeswari P, Sriram D. Identification of novel inhibitors against Mycobacterium tuberculosis L-alanine dehydrogenase (MTB-AlaDH) through structure-based virtual screening. J Mol Graph Model.2014 Feb;47:37-43.

12. Jeankumar VU, Renuka J, Santosh P, Soni V, Sridevi JP, Suryadevara P, Yogeeswari P, Sriram D. Thiazole-aminopiperidine hybrid analogues: design and synthesis of novel Mycobacterium tuberculosis GyrB inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem. 2013;70:143-53.

Patent:
13.  Indian patent; Status: Filed; File no: 3167/DEL/2015 Title: Depletion of M. tuberculosis GlmU from Infected Murine Lungs Effects the Clearance of the Pathogen.
Authors: Vinay K Nandicoori, Vijay Soni, Perumal Yogeeswari and Dharamarajan Sriram.

Research Interest: Biochemistry and Biotechnology (Wastewater Treatment, Biomass Growth, Kinetic Growth Study, Microalgae, Enzymatic Technology, Advanced Oxidation Processes, Adsorption, Ion Exchange, Membrane Technology).

Research Interest: Regenerative Medicine for Joint tissues degenerative diseases, Stem cells, Development and validation of serological biomarkers for Osteoarthritis, Osteoarthritis, Alzheimer’s diseases; 

Abdeslem El Idrissi is a professor of Neuroscience and a Deputy Chair of the Biology Department at the College of Staten Island. He is also a Director of the Medical Technology Program and holds an appointment at the Graduate Center of the CUNY in the Neuroscience subprogram. Dr. El idrissi’s research interest focuses on the developmental maturation of the GABAergic system and the developmental disabilities associated with the abnormal development of this system.  Thus the research interest has broadened to include physiological function where the inhibitory system plays a critical role. Professor El Idrissi’s research lab has shown that fragile x mouse model has a delayed maturation of the GABAergic system. Additionally, this mouse model shared a significant neurobiology with autism which extended the research interest to this area. Specifically, how environmental toxins play a role in the etiology of autism. Dr. El Idrissi’s lab has also a long standing interest in the study of taurine and its physiological functions on the brain and other organ system.