Staff Profile List
Prof. Prof. Dr. Nagwa Mohamed Amin Aref, Ph.D.
Biography
Nagwa M. Amin Aref, Ph.D. Professor of Virology, Molecular Virology, Nanotechnology, and Immunology Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Microbiology (Former). Ain Shams University, Egypt. Address: P.O. Box 68, Hadayek Shobra 11241, Cairo, Muhafazat al Qahirah, Egypt Former Professor of Virology, King Saud University, College of Science, Saudi Arabia. narif@ksu.edu.sa 1. Scholarship for Ph.D. in Plant Virology under Scientific Channel System at Hohenheim University –Institute of Plant Medicine -Stuttgart-Germany from 10/2/1981 until 5/2/1983-2/6/1984.for Ph.D. submission. 2. Sabbatical leave at Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA, participating in the detection of plant viral disease of stone fruit trees research program 1/9/1984-11/6/1989. 3. Attending training practical condensed courses in molecular virology at Scripps Research Institute, San Diego, USA., from 14/11/1991 -7/4/1992 4. UNDP molecular virologist Expert: Project entitled: "Engineering tomato transgenic plants Resistant to Tomato yellow Mosaic Gemini Virus" – Scrips Research Institute, San Diego, US, A, and the Ministry of Agriculture. Egypt,1990-1996. 5. Consultant (short term) as a molecular virologist co-investigator at AGERI (Agriculture Genetic Engineering Research Center), Ministry of Agriculture. Egypt from 1/1/1990-1/4/1996. 6. Sabbatical leaves as a PROFESSOR, Faculty of Science- Department of Botany& Microbiology –King Saud University –Women Students Medical Studies &Sciences Sections, started from 2 September 2000/2017 7. Exchange Visitor Professor (2007) in the USA for a short-term research scholar. In the Electron Imaging Center for Nanomachines, California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI), University of California, Los Angeles. , Molecular Sciences, UCLA, CA. The scholarship (NANOTECHNOLOGY) is sponsored by King Abdul-Aziz City for Science & Technology (KACST), December 1st _December 29th,2007 https://www.linkedin.com/in/nagwa-mohamed-amin-aref-8784a511/ https://patents.justia.com/inventor/nagwa-mohamed-mohamed-amin-aref An Egyptian virologist and molecular biologist renowned for her pioneering work at the intersection of virology, nanotechnology, and immunology. She holds a Ph.D. in Plant Virology (1984) from the University of Hohenheim, Germany, and has served as a full professor in the Department of Microbiology at Ain Shams University’s Faculty of Agriculture in Cairo, Egypt (formerly until 2016, now emeritus). She also held a professorship in the Department of Botany and Microbiology at King Saud University, Saudi Arabia (2000–2016). Her career includes international collaborations with researchers from the US, India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Germany, France, and Taiwan, as well as sabbaticals and visiting scholarships, such as a 2007 exchange visitor role at the Electron Imaging Center for Nanomachines, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Key Scientific Achievements Professor Aref’s contributions span over four decades, focusing on virus diagnosis, virus-host interactions, and innovative applications of nanotechnology for disease control. Her work has practical implications for agriculture (plant virology and phytoplasma control) and biomedicine (bacterial and viral infections). Below is a summary of her major achievements: 1. Extensive Publication Record and Impact • Authored or co-authored over 91 peer-reviewed journal articles in virology, molecular virology, nanotechnology, and immunology. • Delivered numerous conference presentations worldwide. • Google Scholar citations: 404 (as of the latest available data), reflecting influence in her fields. • Notable publications include studies on phage therapy for MRSA infections (e.g., “Biomedicine Application of Staphages (Cocktail) for MRSA Diabetic Foot Infections, Wounds, Burns and Abscess Cases,” 2010) and nanoparticle-virus interactions (e.g., “The Interaction of Silver Nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with Virus-Bacteriolytic Activity”). 2. Patents and Inventions in Nanotechnology • Inventor of three applied patents leveraging nanotechnology for therapeutic and agricultural applications: • Method of treating bacterial infections using colostrum: Focuses on antimicrobial properties for human health. • Method of using clay suspension to prevent viral and phytoplasma diseases in plants: An eco-friendly approach to crop protection. • Method of inhibiting plant viruses using gold nanoparticles: Demonstrates how nanomaterials can disrupt viral structures to induce plant resistance. • These inventions highlight her role as a pioneer in “Nanotechnology Application for Controlling Virus and Phytoplasma in Plants,” earning her recognition as an inventor in this niche. 3. Research Contributions and Innovations • Virus-Host Interactions and Diagnosis: Early work (1980s–1990s) on plant viruses, including co-investigator role in a UNDP project (1990–1996) engineering transgenic tomato plants resistant to Tomato Yellow Mosaic Gemini Virus, in collaboration with the Scripps Research Institute, USA. • Nanoparticle Applications: Investigated silver and gold nanoparticles’ bacteriolytic effects on viruses, promoting plant and microbial resistance. This includes studies on how nanoparticles interact with viral particles to inhibit replication. • Phage Therapy and Immunology: Developed “staphage cocktails” for treating methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in diabetic foot ulcers, wounds, burns, and abscesses, advancing bacteriophage-based alternatives to antibiotics. • Collaborative Projects: Contributed to GC-MS analyses of plant extracts (e.g., olive leaf extracts for antiviral compounds) and physiological markers in virus-infected plants. 4. Academic and Mentorship Roles • Mentored graduate students and led research teams across institutions. • Served as an editorial contributor and reviewer for journals in her field. • Promoted interdisciplinary approaches, bridging microbiology with nanotechnology for sustainable solutions in agriculture and medicine. Professor Aref’s work addresses global challenges like viral outbreaks in crops and antibiotic-resistant infections, with a strong emphasis on innovative, nanotechnology-driven therapies. For a full list of publications, her ORCID profile (0000-0001-8672-0989) or ResearchGate page is
- Faculty: Faculty of Agriculture
- Department: Department of Agricultural Microbiology
- General Specialization : Agricultural Microbiology
- Specialization: virology
- Degree: Professor
- Current Status: Terminated
- Official Email: nagwa_aref@agr.asu.edu.eg
- Google Scholar: Google Scholar Link
- Research Gate: Research Gate Link
- Scopus: Scopus Link
- H-index: 7
- Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8672-0989
- Research Fields: Microbiology, Virology, Molecular Virology, Virus Diagnosis, Immunology, Nanotechnology
- CV: Download CV
My Statistics
Scientifc Research Portal
Citations
Awards
Research Citations Chart
Education
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- PhD in Philosophy
- 1984
- Universität Hohenheim: Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, DE. Germany 1980 to 1983 | Ph.D. (Institute Fur Phytomeditsin ) Education Diagnosis of bean common mosaic virus and its effect on Phaseolus vulgaris [Egypt] January 1984 Thesis for: Ph.D. Advisor: E.Allam
Career Progression
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- Professor
- Year : 1997
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- Associate Professor
- Year : 1992
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- Lecturer
- Year : 1984
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- Assistant Lecturer
- Year : 1977
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- Teaching Assistant
- Year : 1974
Workshops
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Conferences
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ASU Awards
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1998
Award: State Incentive Award (Academy of Scientific Research)
- Provider: Scientific Research Academy
- Field: Agricultural Sciences
- Category: State Awards (Academy of Scientific Research)
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1998
Award: Excellence Researches Award
- Provider: Ain Shams University
- Category: Various scientific awards
Scientifc Research Portal (69)
| Journal Name | Published Date | Sector | Journal Website | ISSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IntechOpen Book Series | 2021-08-18 | Environmental And Agriculture | Journal Website | 9781-8396 |
| Patent US2021275594A1 | 2021-09-09 | Medical | Journal Website | A61K-3520 |
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Nominated Awards
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