Integrated Water Processing Technologies

Ionizing radiation is widely used in our daily life. From industry to health to daily consumer products, commonly used in   International use of radiation in industry, health and power production is increasing rapidly. Radiation sources are utilized daily in hospitals, factories, educational institutions and many other establishments such as food processing and preservation. Radiation in the form of x-rays, gamma-rays, ultra-violet and infra-red is utilized daily, in medical imaging, and radiotherapy, in material analysis, in communications, in quality control and in many other activities. Moreover, natural radioactivity (background) surrounds us and is an integral part of our environment. However, the application of radiation sources requires a lot of care and high level of awareness of their hazards as well as their potential. Therefore the purpose of this research group will be to research into the different fields of radiation physics and its applications.
 
The group will be comprised of a number of scientists from various disciplines with a common interest in radiation physics and its applications, concentrating mainly, on the use of radiation for analysis and the monitoring of radioactivity in the environment. Also of interest are the medical applications of radiation, especially in the areas of medical imaging and radiotherapy. Furthermore, one of the prime objectives of the group will be to educate the community at large on the hazards of radiation sources, and through its research, disseminate information pertaining to radiation protection and international standards to the relevant regional and national institutions and agencies.

The research group is dedicated to understanding how various environmental factors, both natural and man-made, influence cancer development and impact overall human health. The research encompasses multiple interrelated areas:

Environmental Toxins and Cancer: Investigating the molecular effects of common environmental toxins on human cells and their role in the development of different cancers. This includes identifying specific toxins, characterizing their mechanisms of action, and exploring their links to genetic mutations and cancer initiation.

Signaling Pathways in Carcinogenesis: Delving into the signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms that drive cancer development, with a specific focus on how environmental factors disrupt these pathways. This research aims to uncover key targets for potential therapeutic interventions.

Oxidative Stress, Antioxidants, and Vascular Health: Examining the impact of oxidative stress on vascular remodeling and overall human health, particularly in the context of chronic diseases like cardiovascular diseases. Research explores how antioxidants can mitigate oxidative damage and improve vascular function.

Nutritional Interventions and Dietary Chemoprevention: Investigating the effects of nutrition, dietary patterns, fasting regimens, and specific dietary components on cancer risk and health outcomes. This research seeks to identify dietary strategies that can prevent cancer and enhance the well-being of cancer patients.

Environmental Agents as Therapies: Exploring the potential of environmental agents and compounds for treating cancer and other diseases. This includes screening and evaluating the safety and efficacy of such agents in preclinical and clinical settings.

Corrosion Prevention and Environmental Health: Studying corrosion prevention methods to protect environmental factors and promote human health. This research assesses the environmental and health impacts of corrosion, develops preventive strategies, and measures improvements in public health resulting from reduced corrosion. 

Current Projects & Future Directions

1. Analyze the influence of exposure to common environmental toxins on normal mammary, colonic or skin epithelial cells and isogenic breast or colon cancer cells harboring common molecular alterations.

2. Analyze the role of epithelial to mesenchymal transition in colon and breast carcinogenesis and identify novel mediators of this phenomenon.

3. Role of p53 & microRNA in apoptosis, epithelial to mesenchymal transition and chemo-resistance.

4. Carcinogenic mechanisms and predisposition to familial and Eastern subsets of colon cancer. This involves international collaboration with Finland and Egypt.

It is widely acknowledged that our environment is becoming increasingly contaminated with man-made chemicals. Mammals, as well as lower organisms, are vulnerable to exposure to these agents through a variety of different sources and routes and there are concerns that they may be having a detrimental effect on ecological and population health.

Endocrine disruptors (EDs) have been described as exogenous agents that interfere with the production, release, transport, metabolism, binding, action or elimination of the natural ligands responsible for maintaining homeostasis and regulating body development. Many different EDs are present in the various compartments of the environment (air, water and land) and in foods (of plant and animal origin). They may originate from food packaging, combustion products, plant health treatments, detergents and the chemical industry in general.

Children obesity is a colossal concern as it  predisposes to various health problems,  which are linked later with adult morbidity  and mortality. Previously, the child obesity  prevention programs were mainly focusing on promoting the physical exercise and  cutting down calories, while it has been proposed recently that endocrine disrupters  such as Phthalate and BPA have a significant role in the drastic increment of  child obesity incidence. Various studies have proved the relation between the levels of urinary phthalates and BPAs to children obesity; however, more validation is required by relating the active forms levels in the serum with the child obesity.