Virology Department, Phone (W): 00202-35710-309. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Phone (H): 00202-33838-357. Cairo University, Mobile (Egypt): 002011-567-588-35. Giza, 12211, Egypt. Fax: 00202-5725-240. E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] AAAAuuuussssaaaammmmaaaa AAAAbbbbdddd EEEEllll----RRRRaaaaoooouuuuffff AAAAbbbbdddd EEEEllll----MMMMoooonnnneeeeiiiimmmm YYYYoooouuuussssiiiiffff Personal objective To help perpetuate a culture of biotechnology innovation through optimization of environmental and community resources. Education 1986 - 1992 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine. • Top 1% of class (Very Good). 1992 -1995 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. Master's Degree in Veterinary Virology. • Production of Monoclonal antibodies to lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV). • Development of a novel EIA for the diagnosis of LSDV. • Development of a new approach for LSDV vaccine production. • GPA not applicable. 1998 - 2002 South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA. Ph. D. Microbiology (Molecular Virology). • GPA 3.922 (GPA was 4.0 for courses studied in the US). • Study of pestivirus genetic diversity. • Development of a novel pestivirus molecular diagnostic approach. • Development of an experimental multi-plasmid DNA vaccine for bovine virus diarrhea virus. Professional Experience 1992 - 1995 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. & job responsibilities. Demonstrator of Virology. • Teaching undergraduate Laboratory. • Supervise and run diagnostic services provided by the department through community service programs. • Assistance in conducting research projects. 1995 - 1997 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. Assistant Lecturer of Virology. • Teaching undergraduate Laboratory. • Supervise and run diagnostic services provided by the department through community service programs. • Assistance in conducting national and international research projects. Ausama Yousif C.V. Page 1 of 34 April 2015 1996 - 1997 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. Laboratory manager, Biotechnology Services and Research Center. • Managing diagnostic and research activities in the center. • Development of the laboratory manuals and inventories. • Helped in organization of the first training course on genotyping and molecular diagnosis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and wrote the laboratory activities section of the training manual. 1998 - 2000 South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD. USA. Teaching assistant of Biology. • Teaching undergraduate biology laboratory. • Assistance in conducting research projects for my laboratory. 2000 - 2001 South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA. Research Assistant. • Focus on the development of a DNA vaccine for pestiviruses. • Determination of the cellular and humoral immune responses of specific- pathogen-free (SPF) mice to DNA plasmid vaccination. 2001 – May 2002 South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA. Teaching Assistant. • Teaching biology laboratory for freshmen, School of Biological Sciences. June 2002 - 2004 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. Lecturer of Virology and Molecular Biology. • Lecturing and teaching laboratory for graduate and undergraduate students. • Conducting research activities. • Organizing and teaching specialized biotechnology training courses. 2003 - 2004 The Holding Company for Biological Products & Vaccines (VACSERA), Cairo, Egypt. Scientific Consultant (Technology Transfer). • Provide technical consultation and practical training for the technology transfer groups at VACSERA. June 2005 On sabbatical leave to join The Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA), Egypt. June 2005 The Egyptian Company for Veterinary Drugs and Vaccines (EgyVet), VACSERA, Cairo, Egypt CEO Assistant. • Help shape company policy. Ausama Yousif C.V. Page 2 of 34 April 2015 • Help in the design and supervision of production lines. • Provide technical solutions related to production issues. July 2005 The Egyptian Company for Biotechnology Industries. (EgyTech), VACSERA, Cairo, Egypt Coordinator of the Biotech strategic planning team. • Help in optimization of institutional R&D resources. • Help develop a strategic R&D plan. July 2005-November 2007 The Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines. VACSERA, Cairo, Egypt. Founding member and supervisor of the VACSERA’s Think Tank. • Optimization of VACSERA’s institutional resources. • Suggesting future development activities for the Holding Company. August 2005 The Egyptian Company for Veterinary Drugs and Vaccines (EgyVet), VACSERA, Cairo, Egypt. Supervisor of R&D in addition to position as assistant CEO. January 2006 The Egyptian Company for Biotechnological Industries (EgyTech), VACSERA, Cairo, Egypt. Assistant CEO for Development in additional to other duties with EgyVet. • Help with design of new products. • Supervised research activities. • Helped in the restructure of research departments. • Help in management decisions related to development. November 2006 – April 2008 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. Lecturer of Virology and Biotechnology. • Teaching, training and research. November 2006 – April 2008 The Egyptian Company for Biotechnological Industries (EgyTech), and the Egyptian Company for Veterinary Drugs and Vaccines, VACSERA, Cairo, Egypt R&D consultant. • Production line analysis. October 2008 – Present Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. Associate Professor of Virology. • Teaching, training and research. April 2008- September 2010 College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Resources, King Faisal University, KSA. Acting Director of the Central Biotechnology Laboratory. Ausama Yousif C.V. Page 3 of 34 April 2015 • Molecular diagnostic investigations into several pathogens of economic and public health importance. • Research and development. • Teaching of the first Molecular Biology Course in KFU, College of Clinical Pharmacy, KFU. • Organization of training courses in molecular diagnostics. • Organization of training courses in Molecular diagnosis of avian pathogens. • Leadership committee. Proposed an institutional development program that was accepted by the University [Biological Solutions Program (BSP)]. • Graduate study committee. Sept. 2010- Aug 2012 College of Science, Al-Baha University, KSA. Associate professor in the Department of Biology, Biotechnology Program. • Development of a Master’s in Molecular Microbiology Program. • Teaching of the following courses: 1) Laboratory Biosafety. 2) Scientific Methodology and Communication. 3) Health Education. 4) Cytology. 5) Virology. 6) Molecular Biology. 7) Molecular Signals. • Training in MAWHIBA program for talented students. • Institutional development: A) Assessment of the safety and functionality of new College of Science Buildings. B) Design of the “Controlled Pathogen Laboratory”; an upgraded BSL II laboratory designed for dealing with primate environmental samples. September 2012 – Present Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. Associate Professor of Virology. • Teaching, training and research in the department of Virology. • Responsible for the following graduate courses: Advanced General Virology (VIR 1070) – Vaccinology (Courses VIR 3178, and 217) – Viruses of wild animals and birds (VIR 3177) – General Virology (Course 74). In addition to lectures in the Diploma of Microbiology Program, and the virology parts of the Diploma of General Hygiene. October 2012 – Present Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. Biotechnology Center board member. • Help develop, review, and implement the faculty’s Biotechnology Center’s development and operational plans. December 26, 2013 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. Promoted to the scientific position of Professor of Virology. January, 2014 The Egyptian Company for Veterinary Drugs and Vaccines (EgyVet), VACSERA, Cairo, Egypt Board of Directors. Ausama Yousif C.V. Page 4 of 34 April 2015 March, 2014 The Egyptian Company for Veterinary Drugs and Vaccines (EgyVet), VACSERA, Cairo, Egypt Board of Directors and assigned additional responsibilities of reviewing and updating technical specifications of the Avian Influenza vaccine production line. May 20, 2014 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. Department Head. June 20, 2014 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. Faculty Board member. July 20, 2014 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. Research and Graduate Studies Board member. July 20, 2014 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. Faculty Board member. April 20, 2015 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. Undergraduate Academic Support Board member. (cid:1) Junior Member, Team responsible for setting Academic Standards of Participation in Education the Veterinary Education, Veterinary Education Sector, Higher Education Enhancement projects Enhancement Project (HEEP), Quality Assurance and Accreditation Program (QAAP), Ministry of Higher Education, Egypt. (cid:1) Trainer, National Research Center for Giftedness and Creativity. King Abdul-Aziz & his Companions Foundation for Giftedness & Creativity (MAWHIBA). Al-Baha University program on Biotechnology. Kingdome of Saudi Arabia. 2011. [A] Teaching using the following media: blackboards, transparencies, Experience in Education slides, teaching microscopes, LCD projectors, video conferencing, web- Technology and enabled- and web-based-e-leaning. Methodology. [B] Teaching using the following techniques: lecturing, group activities, problem-solving approaches, e-learning approaches and one-on-one needs- oriented approaches. [C] Teaching students from the following countries: Egypt, United States of America, Sudan, Somalia, Oman, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Libya. [D] Teaching talented students: After receiving specialized training in teaching talented students, I participated in teaching a three-week biotechnology course for talented students from different regions on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2011. Courses which I helped • [A] Undergraduate courses: 1) Laboratory Biosafety. 2) Scientific design, coordinate, and Methodology and Communication. 3) Health Education (in Arabic). 4) teach. Cytology. 5) Virology and Viral Immunology. 6) Molecular Biology. 7) Molecular Signals. Ausama Yousif C.V. Page 5 of 34 April 2015 • [B] Graduate courses: 1) Advanced General Virology (VIR 1070), Vaccinology (Courses VIR 3178, and 217). 2) Lectures in “Viruses of wild animals and birds” (VIR 3177). 3) General Virology (Course 74). 4) Lectures in the Diploma of Microbiology Program. 5) Lectures in the Diploma of General Hygiene. Teaching Statement I believe learning is an interactive process that should be designed with the intent of accommodating individual needs and talents. My teaching philosophy is based on the idea that it is inappropriate, and wasteful, to interact with young minds from the viewpoint that it is the instructor’s mission to provide backgrounds. Understandably backgrounds are important, however, if teachers spend too much time in class reciting backgrounds, the result may be a fence trapping the imagination of young creative minds and preventing innovation. Students are provided with course objectives, policy, requirements, lecture dates and topics, as well as important dates during the course from day one. Lectures start with introductions to concepts and terminology that will be discussed, followed by open discussions of practical and/or ethical issues associated with the topic of discussion. Students are required to read beforehand. The depth to which the class ventures in the discussion depends on course level and degree of preparation of participants. The teaching approach I favor includes plenty of space for self learning through group activity, assignments, discussion of key research papers, and student presentations. However, the most important approach I adopt is to ask students to review a research topic, develop a research question of importance, and try to formulate a research methodology that would provide an answer to the different aspects of the research question in no more than 3 pages. My role throughout the process is to open doors when students knock. I am also responsible for continuous assessment of student achievement, and for performing corrective actions to the teaching approach as deemed necessary. All students must be given a clear roadmap to success. For students that are gifted, the course professor must keep all scientific doors open for them. Sometimes this means opening channels for them to communicate with you on a daily basis, and allowing them to test some of their ideas in the lab. Other students must be frequently stimulated to test their creativity. I have seen, more than once, positive transformation into creativity when the taste of success reaches the student’s mind. Students who are less fortunate in terms of motivation and/or social conditions usually find it harder to achieve personal and educational targets. Such students must not be left behind, and must not be allowed to slow their colleagues down. This is where the assignment involving formulation of a research question and an approach to solving the question helps again. Because students are required to show weekly progress on the assignment, students having problems will be able to use office hours to upgrade their understanding and background pertaining to the subject matter through discussion with the instructor. Undergraduate courses I helped develop and teach include laboratory safety, scientific methodology and communication, health education (Arabic), cytology, general virology and vial immunology, systematic virology, molecular biology, molecular signals. Graduate courses I helped develop and teach include general virology, advanced general virology, and vaccinology. This is in addition to specific lectures in the Diploma of Microbiology program, and the Ausama Yousif C.V. Page 6 of 34 April 2015 virology parts of the Diploma of General Hygiene. After receiving specialized training in teaching talented students, and because of my student success records, I was selected to help develop and teach a national three-week biotechnology program for talented students in Saudi Arabia. The course, designed to help students build a biotechnology industry-based economy after the oil era, was selected as one of the best in the national program. Overall, I have helped teach students from Egypt, the United States of America, Sudan, Somalia, Oman, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Libya. I have done so using a myriad of teaching methodologies from conventional blackboards to web-enabled approaches. I have also helped in formulation of the Academic Standards of the Veterinary Education in Egypt through my work as a junior member of the team working under the Veterinary Education Sector Committee’s Higher Education Enhancement Project (HEEP) which is part of the Quality Assurance and Accreditation Program (QAAP) of the Ministry of Higher Education. This is in addition to helping in the design of the first Master of Science in Microbiology program for Al-Baha University’s College of Sciences. The program received favorable reviews by international reviewers, and was subsequently adopted by the institute for which it was designed. I believe that the benefits societies glean from students are important measures of the success of the university professor. Therefore, exposing students to aspects of translational science must be targeted in the course design. This is what I have done in the past for my students. In the future, I will continue to do so by involving students in research projects and investigations into community needs related to their field of study. The ultimate goal of the university professor must be to address community problems, invent solutions, and disseminate the knowledge in a way that would achieve community benefit. There is no better way to help build a community than to help members of the community understand how to build it on their own Courses which I helped • [A] Undergraduate courses: 1) Laboratory Biosafety. 2) Scientific design, coordinate, and Methodology and Communication. 3) Health Education (in Arabic). 4) teach. Cytology. 5) Virology and Viral Immunology. 6) Molecular Biology. 7) Molecular Signals. • [B] Graduate courses: 1) Advanced General Virology (VIR 1070), Vaccinology (Courses VIR 3178, and 217). 2) Lectures in “Viruses of wild animals and birds” (VIR 3177). 3) General Virology (Course 74). 4) Lectures in the Diploma of Microbiology Program. 5) Lectures in the Diploma of General Hygiene. Laboratory and 1. Cell culture technology: Primary cell culture preparation, working with and development of established cell lines, and virus isolation and Technical propagation on cell cultures. Experience 2. Monoclonal antibody production technology: Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to viral pathogens and cellular components. 3. Protein analysis using western blotting, immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, immunoperoxidase, and immunoprecipitation. 4. Nucleic acid extraction and purification: Extraction and purification of RNA, Genomic DNA and Plasmid DNA. Ausama Yousif C.V. Page 7 of 34 April 2015 5. Real time PCR and RT-PCR applications in quantitative analysis, multiplexing and genotyping. 6. Cloning and Expression in Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic systems: this includes the use of a wide range of plasmids and vectors and transient as well as stable expression systems. 7. Development of DNA vaccines: Includes gene selection, vector selection, plasmid construction and animal testing. 8. Production of conventional vaccines: Include modified live and killed vaccine design and manufacture. 9. Measurement of cell mediated immune responses: This includes MTT and tritiated thymidine consumption assays. Technical experience involves the use of laboratory as well as farm animals and birds. 10. Measurement of humoral immune responses: this includes DEVELOPMENT and usage of enzymes immune assays, immunofluorescent techniques and virus neutralization techniques. 11. Diagnosis of viral infections: Experience includes viruses belonging to the following families: Flaviviridae, Herpesviridae, Poxviridae, Reoviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Picornaviridae, Coronaviridae, Birnaviridae, Retroviridae, Circoviridae, and Arteriviridae. 12. Molecular diagnosis of some bacterial infections: Experience includes Mycobacretia, Brucella, Staphylococci, E. coli, etc. 13. Discovery of New antibiotic selection genes: This includes the isolation of TEM 136 from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 14. Production of diagnostic reagents including viral antigens, antisera, monoclonal antibodies, and primers. 15. Evaluation of veterinary vaccines. Includes evaluation of purity, antigenic mass, and potency in vitro and in vivo. 16. Evaluation of technology transfer offers. Involves the analysis of proposed production lines and the technology used for production with a link to market analysis and economics. 17. Design of production lines for biological products. This includes conceptual designs of production lines, material, waste and personnel flows, product details, QC parameters and QA approaches. 18. Design of class II Biosafety laboratories. Summary of specific professional activities: With the start of my professional career as a demonstrator of virology I was A: Institutional assigned several missions that were, in one way or the other, a type of development. institutional development. Because of faculty number limitation at the time (only 3 members), I was given full freedom to design and manage the research and teaching labs of the Virology Department of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University. With the repeated successes of achieving diagnostic targets, community services, and research objectives, I was assigned the responsibility of operating the first Biotechnology Center in any the Faculties of Veterinary Medicine across the nation. I worked with Prof. Salah Selim, the first director of the center. Upon my return from the US, I was assigned as a member of the futuristic analysis group “Faculty 2020” to propose the faculty development program. The Faculty 2020 group faced enormous difficulties because of entrenched concepts and management issues. However some of the most challenging institutional development posts I was assigned were in VACSERA; when I Ausama Yousif C.V. Page 8 of 34 April 2015 helped found and supervise VACSERA’s Think Tank, and worked as a coordinator of the biotechnology strategic planning team. Both positions involved maximization of institutional resources and suggesting future activities for the Holding Company. Both were challenging because team work was hindered by ambiguous intellectual property rights laws. With the help of Dr. Kadria Abdelmutaal, EgyTech’s CEO and Dr. Abbadi, the Chairman of VACSERA, we were able to put some incentives in place to change company culture. However, this kind of group activity was not totally supported by members of the Mubarak government. Eventually; Dr. Abbadi was arrested and detained without trial. Nevertheless, during my sabbatical leave from the University as Assistant CEO in EgyVet, VACSERA, I helped shape company policy to include product-generating research activities in addition to short-term quick-return commercial activities. I also helped with the design of new production lines, and the improvement of existing ones. Working as Assistant CEO for Development in the cGMP operations of The Egyptian Company for Biotechnological Industries (EgyTech), was very enriching. My main mission was orchestrating product-generating research as well as solving production line problems. With the help of colleagues and understanding upper management, I was able to save millions by saving products as well as procuring and utilizing additional production equipment. From Egypt to Saudi Arabia, where I was assigned the position of acting Director of the Central Biotechnology Laboratory. College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Resources, King Faisal University (KFU), KSA. Within a short period of time, and with the help of an understanding dean, I was successful in furnishing and operating the first central biotechnology laboratory in the 30-year history of the College. Within less than a year of operation of the central laboratory we were able to generate research that won national awards from the king of Saudi Arabia and from the national scientific communities. After fulfillment of my mission in KFU, I moved to the Western region of Saudi Arabia in 2011 upon request from my former boss in KFU Dr. Ghanem Al Ghamdi. Dr. Al-Ghamdi left the position of Vice Dean in KFU and accepted a Deanship in Al-Baha University. Within a few months, I was asked to become a member of the Laboratory Safety committee in the College of Science. By the end of the year, I had helped in writing and execution of the first ever “Al-Baha Life Sciences Discovery Program” for talented students. The program was the first to focus on finding eco-friendly economic alternatives for the post-oil era. In 2012, I was asked to become a member of the committee for determination of preparedness of the new campus of Al- Baha University, College of Science. After moving to the new campus of Al-Baha University I was assigned to design the Biotechnology Program’s “Classified Pathogen Laboratory”. The lab is designed to safely host research involving primate and environmental samples. Because Al-Baha University was a starting university in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, there was a need to develop graduate programs. I was the selected virologist in a three-member committee responsible for the design of a graduate microbiology program that focuses on primates. The program was internationally reviewed. The program was accepted by the College of Biological Sciences after positive responses from reviewers; it was the first Ausama Yousif C.V. Page 9 of 34 April 2015 graduate program of the Department of Biology, College of Sciences. Summary of specific professional activities: The ultimate goal of Veterinary Medicine revolves around public health. B: Public health However, in many instances my career involved a more direct involvement in related activities. public health. One of such instance was my work as a technology transfer consultant for the Ministry of Health, Egypt. I was as asked to assemble and train a team for transfer of the technology required to produce several recombinant human therapeutics in VACSERA’s cGMP facilities starting from raw materials. That work later lead me to be directly involved in research and development in VACSERA’s EgyTech rhInsulin and childhood vaccine production lines. Indeed, that was one of the most enriching experiences of my life. During that period I helped optimize institutional resources and maximize company profit while ensuring quality of some of its products. With another affiliate of VACSERA, EgyVet, I helped with improvement of Rift Valley Fever virus (RVFV) vaccine production environment. I also worked with people from the leading national veterinary vaccine production institute Veterinary Serum and Vaccine Research Institute (VSVRI) to develop a molecular diagnostic approach for RVFV strain identification and fingerprinting. This approach will proved important later, when trying to determine if an outbreak of RVFV was caused by an inactivation error. I also helped with several activities involving raising awareness of public health issues. One such activity was the translation of the FAO literature “Rift Valley Fever Contingency Planning” [ISBN 92-5-104821-S] to the Arabic Language. Another activity was lecturing on Influenza A viruses for veterinary medical professionals, the public, and university students in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The former activities were in association with formally lecturing for medical students and students of the College of Clinical Pharmacy on the role animal hosts play in the development and spread of zoonotic pathogens, and a full course on Molecular Biology. In Saudi Arabia, I worked on the characterization of the local isolate of camelpox virus (CMLV). CMLV has been recently confirmed as a zoonosis. Our work lead to the discovery of how the virus is maintained in the environment during inter-epizootic periods. Our work with CMLV in Saudi Arabia was extremely important to the public health in an unexpected way. We were able to protect the public against a contaminated vaccine that has been in production for several years. We discovered a Vaccinia virus (VACV) in the local live attenuated (LA) CMLV vaccine. After notification of the authorities, the vaccine production was halted because VACV is zoonotic, and because the vaccine does not contain the virus stated on the label. Now, the hunt for a new strain is underway. The technique developed for work on both VACV and CMLV was judged appropriate for use in other OPV production lines. Summary of specific professional activities: Between 1992 and 1997 I was one of the primary veterinary virologists in a C: Vaccine team collaborating with the Center for Veterinary Analysis and Applied Studies production and (CVAAS), Cairo University. The CVAAS was a special unit of Cairo University licensing activities. established to provide community services in the form of continuous education programs, diagnostic services, and consultation for small farmers and corporate operations. CVAAS was designed to generate revenue for the Ausama Yousif C.V. Page 10 of 34 April 2015