Bilal Houshaymi
Curriculum Vitae
Personal Details
Nationality: Lebanese
Date of Birth: 1968
Sex Male
Languages: Arabic (Native), English (Very good), Portuguese (working)
Email: bilalhoushaymi@hotmail.com
Undergraduate and Postgraduate Studies
First degree: BSc. Medical Laboratory Technologist
1987-91 American University of Beirut
Beirut- Lebanon
Supervisor Mr. Issam Al-Shaffee
Master’s degree: Applied Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
1994-95 Department of Biochemistry
University College London
London- UK
Title of Thesis: Cloning, production of Bovine
Pancreatic Ribonuclease A in
Escherichia Coli.
Supervisor: Dr C. Taylorson
Ph.D. degree: Microbiology
1995- 1999 King’s College London
Title of the Thesis:
“Molecular and biochemical diversity of Mycoplasma mycoides cluster and related species”
I demonstrated significant biochemical differences between European and non-European strains of M. mycoides subspecies mycoides (most important pathogen of cattle in Africa, Middle east and a great threat to the European livestock industry) and it is likely that these differences will explain the apparently reduced pathogenicity of the European strains, as well as being of major value in epidemiological studies. In addition, I have conducted a comparative study of the biochemistry of the organisms similar to M. mycoides and developed a novel means of differentiating the important pathogens in this group, by their metabolic profiles at elevated temperature. I have also determined the taxonomic relatedness of certain members of the group by DNA hybridisation techniques.
Supervisors: Dr R. Miles and Dr R. Nicholas
Work Experience
1999-upto date TriStem Corporation Limited, London, UK
Department of Cell Biology (Stem Cell
Technology)
Position: Senior Scientific Research Officer
Supervisor: Dr I Abuljadayel
1999-2000 Veterinary Laboratory Agency,
Weybridge, London, UK
Department of Bacteriology (Studying
Biochemistry, Immunology and Molecular
Biology of Mycoplasma species).
Position: Postdoctoral
Supervisor: Dr Robin Nicholas
1995- 1999 -.King’s College London, London, UK
Instructor, demonstrating at the Division of Life Sciences (Biochemistry, Medical -Microbiology and Food Microbiology courses for BSc. and MSc. student)
- Veterinary Laboratory Agency, Weybridge-Molecular Biology-various periods
- King’s College London, London, UK. Department of Microbiology (Involvement in Molecular Biology specification)
1999 Dec. Oxford University, Oxford, UK
Department of Biochemistry (One week Course in tissue culturing and other molecular biology techniques)
Supervisor: Dr. Said Ismail
1999 Oct. King’s College London, London, UK
Department of Biochemistry (development of diagnostic media for Candida species)
Supervisor: Prof. Bob Price
1992-93 Escola Paulistia de Medicina, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Department of Virology
Position: Research assistant
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Celso Granado
1990-91 American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
Departments of Bacteriology, Immunology, Chemistry, and Parasitology.
Supervisor: Mr. Issam Al-Shaffee
Position Trainee
Meetings attended and Posters:
1992 International conference on Biotechnology in Cancer and AIDS. Sao Paulo, Brazil.
1996 International Organisation for Mycoplasmology. Orlando, Florida, USA
1996 Mycoplasmas of ruminants: pathogenicity, diagnostics, epidemiology and molecular genetics. Thessaloniki, Greece.
1998 International Organisation for Mycoplasmology. Sydney, Australia.
1996-98 Papers presented in the following countries for the ‘Development of new and improved diagnostic test for Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) in European meeting’ Spain, Portugal, England, and Sweden.
1999 -Mycoplasmas of humans and veterinary importance, Veterinary Laboratory Agency (Weybridge), London, England.
-Mycoplasmas of ruminants: pathogenicity, diagnostics, epidemiology and molecular genetics. Toulouse, France.
-1st International conference on sheep and goat diseases and productivity. Irbid, Jordan. (paper presented)
2001 -Investing in the Arab Health, Landmark Hotel, London, UK
-Advances in animal and human mycoplasmology, Veterinary Laboratories Agency (Weybridge), UK.
Interests and Hobbies
Memberships: Society of General Microbiology (SGM), International Organisation of Mycoplasmology (IOM).
Horse riding, also keen on sailing, walking and cycling.
Publications
1. Houshaymi. B., Tekleghiorghis, T., Worth, D., Miles R. J. and Nicholas, R. A. J. (2002). Studies on strains of Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae isolated from outbreaks of contagious caprine pleuropneumoniae in Eritrea. Small Ruminant Research 2209, 1-5.
2. Houshaymi B, Tekleghiorghis T, Wilsmore A J, Miles R.J. and Nicholas R.A.J. (2002). Investigations of outbreaks of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia in Eritrea. Tropical Animal Health and Production in press (Accepted).
Curriculum Vitae Bilal Melhem Houshaymi
3. Rice, P., Houshaymi, B.M., Abu-Groun, E.A.M., Nicholas, R.A.J. and Miles, R.J. (2001) Rapid screening of H2O2 production by Mycoplasma mycoides and differentiation of European subsp. mycoides SC (small colony) isolates. Veterinary Microbiology 78, 343-351.
4. Rice, P., Houshaymi. B., Nicholas, R. A. J. and Miles (2000). A rapid biochemical test to aid identification of Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides small colony (SC) strains. Letters in Applied Microbiology 30, 70-74.
8. Houshaymi, B., Rice, P., Agbanyim, C., Khan, L., Nicholas, R. and Miles, R. (1999). Biochemical characterisation of Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides small colony strains and the development of rapid diagnostic biochemical tests. Mycoplasmas of ruminants: pathogenicity, diagnostics, epidemiology and molecular genetics. European Cupertino on Scientific and Technical Research (COST 826), Volume 4.
9. Nicholas, R. A. J., Houshaymi. B., Ali Khan, L., Ayling, R., Sachse, K., Johansson, K. and Miles (1999). Studies on two unusual Mycoplasmas isolated from the reproduction tract of sheep in Britain. Mycoplasmas of ruminants: pathogenicity, diagnostics, epidemiology and molecular genetics. European Cupertino on Scientific and Technical Research (COST 826), Volume 4.
5. Nicholas, R. A. J., Greig, A., Baker, R. D., Ayling, R., Heldtander, M., Johansson, K. E., Houshaymi. B. and Miles R. J. (1998). Isolation of Mycoplasma fermentans from a sheep. Veterinary Record. 142, 220-221.
10. Houshaymi, B. M., Miles, R. J. and Nicholas, R. A.J. (1998). Reduced virulence of European isolates of Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides SC (small colony) may be associated with an inability to oxidise glycerol. 12th Organisation of Mycoplasmology Conference. Program and Abstracts. pp. 158.
7. Houshaymi, B. M., Miles, R. J. and Nicholas, R. A.J. (1998). Biochemical differentiation of European and African Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides SC (small colony) isolates. Mycoplasmas of ruminants: pathogenicity, diagnostics, epidemiology and molecular genetics. European Cupertino on Scientific and Technical Research (COST 826), Volume 2, 133-136.
11. Nicholas, R. A. J., Tekleghiorghis, T., Worth, D., Ayling, R., Houshaymi. B. and Miles R. J. (1998). Isolation of Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae from goats with contagious caprine pleuropneumoniae in Eritrea. 12th Organisation of Mycoplasmology Conference. Program and Abstracts. pp. 100.
4. B. M. Houshaymi, R. J. Miles, R. A. J. Nicholas. (1997). Oxidation of glycerol differentiates African from European isolates of Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides SC (small colony). Veterinary Record 140, 182-183.
12. Miles, R.J., Agbanyim, C., Houshaymi, B. and Ozcan, S. (1997). Biochemical characterisation of mycoplasmas from small ruminants. 5th International Conference of Ovine and Caprine production. Ohrid, Macedonia.
Send E-Mail to: bilalhoushaymi@hotmail.com
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