Presentation Title
Structural biology: a personal story
Presentation Abstract
The three-dimensional (3D) structures are crucial for describing the molecular architecture of proteins and nucleic acids. X-ray crystallography is still the most powerful method for 3D structure determination of protein drug targets at an atomic level. Structures of protein-ligand complexes provide critical information for understanding function and have become an essential tool for faster and more cost-efficient drug discovery.
One of the biggest challenges is that X-ray crystallography is expensive, which presents a significant obstacle to labs in developing countries with no access to funding. As is the case in most developing countries, scientific research funding is not a priority in Jordan due to limited resources and escalating development challenges. After finishing my Ph.D., I took the initiative of starting protein crystallography research in Jordan.
My research focuses on determining high-resolution ligand-protein complexes of three enzyme families: neuraminidases, proteases, and carbonic anhydrases. These enzymes are found in various organisms and represent promising drug targets for several chronic and infectious pathologies. In my talk, I’ll take you through my journey toward establishing structural biology research in Jordan.
About Areej
Dr. Areej Abuhammad is an Associate Professor at the School of Pharmacy at the University of Jordan and currently on sabbatical at the School of Biochemistry at Bristol University. Dr. Abuhammad obtained her Ph.D. degree in Pharmacology from Oxford University in 2013.
She joined the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the School of Pharmacy in the same year. Since then, she has been working to establish a structural biology and protein crystallography laboratory in Jordan. Dr. Abuhammad has received prestigious research funding from national and international bodies to carry out protein crystallography experiments for the first time in Jordan. Dr. Abuhammad’s research focuses on drug design and protein crystallography.
Dr. Abuhammad currently leads multidisciplinary research projects on identifying novel inhibitors for three enzyme families: neuraminidases, proteases, and carbonic anhydrases. These enzymes are found in various organisms and represent potential drug targets for several chronic and infectious pathologies. Through her current work, Areej hopes to uncover the 3D shape of these enzymes in complex with novel ligands. She then intends to use these structures to design chemical inhibitors as tools for better understanding function and starting points for developing new and effective treatment strategies. Areej is keen on transferring the advanced technologies used in structural biology to Jordan and the region to enhance scientific collaboration in this field. She strongly believes in the ability of science to bring cultures and people together. She is an advocate for women in science and STEM disciplines. She was awarded the L’Oréal-UNESCO 2017 Fellowship for Women in Science and the L’Oréal-UNESCO 2018 International Rising Talents. She has published several papers and has given several invited talks at international conferences in over 18 countries worldwide.
