Department of Medicinal Chemistry Our People Detail

Specialization:

Specialization: Proteomics, Post translational modification, Phosphoproteomics, Bacterial proteomics, Mass spectrometry, protein biomarkers, metabolomics

Research Interests:

Career objective: Seeking to work within proteomics/metabolomics field to pursue a career in all levels of research and development. Area of expertise: Proteomics; disease biomarkers; Host pathogen interaction; Mechanism of antibacterial resistance; Current Main Research interest: Search for disease biomarkers and drug therapy

Contact

nsoares@sharjah.ac.ae
(+971) 65 05 7763
+(971) 6 5585812

Education

PhD, 2008, New University of Lisbon-ITQB, Lisbon-Portugal, Wound-Related changes in the Apoplast proteome of Medicago truncatula and their association with early steps of ROS signal transduction pathway (With distinction) BSc, 2001, University of Westminster-School of Biosciences, London-England. Degree on Biochemistry and Microbiology (with Honours 2.1)

Employment History

(a) Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry within the College of Pharmacy of the University of Sharjah, Present (b) Coordinator of IDM Metabolomics & Proteomics Core Facility, University of Cape Town, South Africa, 2017-July 2019 (c) Junior Research Fellow, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa, 2013-July 2019 (d) Postdoctoral, Proteome Centre Tübingen, Universität of Tübingen, Germany, 01 March 2011 - 31 December 2012 (e) Postdoctoral fellowship Programa Angeles Alvariño-Xunta de Galicia, Complexo Hospitalario A Coruña-Unidad de Investigacion Biomedicas de A Coruña, University of La Coruna, Spain, 01 January 2010 - 31 December 2012 (f) Post-doc contract by Red Española para La Investigación en Patologia Infecciosa(REIPI), Complexo Hospitalario A Coruña-Unidad de Investigacion Biomedicas de A Coruña, University of La Coruna, Spain, 02 May 2007 - 31 December 2009

Professional Activities

Research and teaching.

Professional Memberships

2018- Advanced Proteomics Workshop and 1st South African Proteomics Symposium- Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, 20-22nd and 23rd of August 2018 University of Witwatersrand –Role: Part of the Organizing and Scientific committee 2016- Research Day- Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, 1st September 2016 University of Cape Town –Role: Part of the Organizing and Scientific committee 2016- 6th ACGT Proteomics Workshop 04-05 February 2016: University of Cape Town Role: Part of the Organizing and Scientific committee 2014- Mass Spectrometry Master Class 14-16th October 2014: University of Cape Town Role: Part of the Organizing and Scientific committee Acted as Chair: 2016- South African Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology-Congress. Chaired session “Bioinformatics & Omics”, 11th July 2016 East London-South Africa 2016- Research Day- Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, 1st September 2016 University of Cape Town

Selected Research Projects

Selected Research Projects I. Artificial Intelligence for Life (Alfil) UoS-Skoltech Joint Collaborative Grant 2020 cycle Title: Computational models applied to multi-omics data for the early diagnostics biomarkers of breast cancer in Arab and Russian population 1- Role: PI Skoltech and UOS. Period: 2021-2023. Skoltech: (PI) Prof. Christoph Borchers; Prof. Evgeny Nikolaev, Dr. Grigoriy Kovalev Number of participants: 8 Participants: Prof. M. H Semreen, Prof. Riyad Bendardaf, Dr. Adnane Guella II. Title: "A modern test for the timely personalized diagnosis of lung cancer onset and the disease progression based quantitative multiplexed determination of the proteome/metabolome profile of blood and exhaled breath condensate”." Financed by: Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russian Federation and UOS. Period: 2021-2022. Skoltech: (PI) Prof. Christoph Borchers; Prof. Evgeny Nikolaev, Dr. Grigoriy Kovalev Co-PI: Dr. Nelson C Soares Role: co-Principle Investigator Number of participants: 8 Participants: Prof. M. H Semreen, Prof. Riyad Bendardaf, Dr. Adnane Guella III. “Screening for HLA haplotype and immune function-related gene variants as host-related factors that predispose to cytokine storm syndrome in Emirate COVID-19 patients” Period: 2020-2022 Role: co-Principal investigator PI: Dr. Mawieh Hamad Team: Dr. Mawieh Hamad, Dr. Samir M. Awadallah, Dr. Jalal Taneera, Dr. Gehad Eltayeb ElGahazali, Dr. Jibran Sualeh Muhammad, Dr. Amjad Ali VI. FRG20-M: Biomarker Discovery in Healthcare Utilizing Big Data Gadgets- The Case of Diabetes in the United Arab Emirates Period: 2020-2022 Role: Co-investigator PI: Dr. Abdulrahim Shamayleh AUS Team: Dr. Abdulrahim Shamayleh, Dr. Hussam Alshraideh, Dr. Mohammad Tahseen Al-Bataineh

Selected Publications

I. Title: “Nuclear transport proteins are potential novel biomarkers for the detection of cervical and oesophageal cancers”. Authors: Van der Watt P., Okpara M., Wishart A., Parker M. I. Soares NC, Blackburn JM, Leaner V. (2021) Accepted for publication in The International Journal of Cancer. II. Title: “Mass Spectrometry-Based Analysis of Mycobacterial Single-Colony Proteome” Authors : Iradukunda J, Ganief T., Blackburn JM, Soares NC* (*) Correspondent author Journal: Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, NJ). Book chapter 2021 III. Title: “Cell envelop proteomics of mycobacteria” Authors:Hermann C , Karamchand, Leshern, Blackburn JM and Soares NC* Journal: Journal of Proteome Research 94-109. 2021 IV. Title: “Crocodile Gut Microbiome Is a Potential Source of Novel Bioactive Molecules” Authors: Siddiqui R, Soares NC and Khan NA. DOI: //doi.org/10.1021/acsptsci.1c00108 ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science 2021 V. Title: GC-MS based comparative metabolomics analysis of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cell treated with Tamoxifen and/or Paclitaxel.” J.Proteomics (2020) VI. Title: “Comparison between the proteome of Escherichia coli single colony and during liquid culture”. Fortuin S, Nel AJ, Blackburn JM and Soares NC* J.Proteomics (2020) J Proteomics 2020 Aug 12:103929. DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot2020.103929

Theses and Projects Supervision

Ph.D. Thesis 2 Master Theses 7 Honours/Interns 7

Awards Recognitions

Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM)-University of Cape Town (UCT) Post graduate student publication competition award (2019): Nakedi et al., 2018 “Identification of novel physiological substrates of Mycobacterium bovis BCG Protein Kinase G (PknG) by label-free quantitative phosphoproteomics.” Molecular & Cellular Proteomics (2018); mcp-RA118 IDM-UCT Post graduate student publication competition award (2018): Albeldas et al., 2018 “Global proteome and phosphoproteome dynamics indicate novel mechanisms of vitamin C induced dormancy in Mycobacterium smegmatis.”Journal of Proteomics (2018); Jprot

Services

Associated Editor of Proteome Science Associated Editor of Frontiers in Microbiology I am often invited to peer review manuscripts from Journals such as: Nature Communications, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Frontiers in Microbiology, Molecular Cellular Proteomics, Journal of Proteome Research, Journal of Proteomics, Proteomics, Proteome Research.

Teaching Philosophy

I believe that teaching/learning is responsibility of everyone involved the students, lecturer and institution. Ultimately the success of individuals is only being measured if the class is successful. I strongly believe in the potential of the group to achieve pre-established goals. In a modern world with access to information through social media and other forms of teaching such as Open University, what still differentiates us University is the group experience and shared responsibility. For example, during my classes/tutorials I ask regular feedback from students, in cases that only 1 or 2 students can answer the question I often ask the student to explain it to the rest of the class. By identifying the fast learner students and I expect that other students also go to them in case of question or doubts. My goals are to provide the class with general concepts at the same time stimulating interactive and participation and self-learning from the students. For example, with honours students normally make use of blackboard to load videos about mass spectrometry, manuscripts, link to forums. This serves to encourage self-learning.