Professor Selwa Alsam
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Email
salsam@essex.ac.uk -
Telephone
+44 (0) 1206 873328
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Location
3SW.4.12, Colchester Campus
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Academic support hours
9am - 6pm
Profile
Biography
Following my BSc in Microbiology from Iraq, I moved to the UK. I completed my MSc in Microbiology from the University of Bristol and worked in Medical Microbiology Departments in several hospitals in the UK and abroad. I got my PhD from the University of London and then moved to the University of Bedfordshire in 2008 to teach and supervise undergraduate and postgraduate students. In 2010, I joined the School of Biological Sciencesat the University of Essex as a lecturer in Medical Microbiology. I am working enthusiastically to pursue research together in collaboration with several national and international groups. My broad research interests are in all aspects of hospital-related infections. My research has been focused on interaction of microorganisms with the blood brain barrier and pathogenic mechanisms of free living amoeba. I have strong collaboration with several hospitals in the region and beyond to find placements for the Biomedical Science course students. I supervise several PhD students in the areas of wound infections, urinary tract infections, respiratory tract infections and many others. I maintain a broad interest in all aspects of infectious diseases and hospital-related infections. I am an active verifier and assessor of more than 40 registration and specialist portfolios representing the University and the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS). I am a reviewer of scientific journals and participate in national and international conferences. Collaborators: Dr Tony Elston - Colchester hospital; Dr Sutherland Maciver - University of Edinburgh; Professor Bob Hider - London; Professor Graham Mitchell - University of Essex; Dr Vincenzo Abbate; Dr Tao Zhuo - Zhejiang Congshang University - China
Qualifications
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PhD degree, University of London.
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OCN Oxford, Thames & Chiltern Ltd certificate in training.
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Chartered Scientist of the Institute of Biomedical Science.
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Fellow of the Institute of Biomedical Science.
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MSc degree, Medical School, University of Bristol.
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BSc Microbiology, University of Baghdad.
Appointments
University of Essex
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Biomedical Science Course Director/Professional Lead, Biological Sciences, University of Essex (2/10/2017 - present)
Research and professional activities
Research interests
Hospital-related Infections
Microorganisms (Bacteria, Fungi and Parasites)
Cytotoxic effects on Cell Lines
MRSA, the leading cause of nosocomial infections
Respiratory Tract Infections including Cystic Fibrosis and Pneumonia
Blood Brain Barrier
Pathogenic Mechanisms
Free-living amoeba (Acanthamoeba), the causative agent of keratitis and encephalitis
Urinary Tract Infections
Gastrointestinal Tract Infections and Food Poisoning
Wound Infections
Ageing-associated Infections
Trojan Horse
Novel Therapeutic Techniques
Antimicrobial resistance
Medicinal Plants
Current research
Investigation of interaction of microorganisms with living cells and their pathogenic mechanisms.
MRSA, the leading cause of nosocomial infections.
Pathogenic mechanisms and microbial cytotoxic effects
Microorganisms associated with cystic fibrosis and pneumonia.
Free-living amoebae (Acanthamoeba), the causative agent of keratitis and encephalitis.
Specific bacteria associated with Urinary Tract Infections.
Wound infections
Infection control
Investigation of novel therapeutic techniques utilized for the treatment of diseases caused by microorganisms under investigation.
Conferences and presentations
Selwa Alsam, Effects of Euginols on intracellular MRSA 9th Saudi Embassy Conference - Imperial College London 2015
London, United Kingdom, 2015
Osamah Al Rugaie, Mu-Song Liu, Xiao-Le Kong, Sinan Battah, Yuan-Yuan Xie, Robert C. Hider, Tao Zhou,The effect of hexdentate hydroxypyridinone chelators as antimicrobial agents against MRSA and P. aeruginosa - 9th Saudi Embassy Conference - Imperial College London 2015
London, United Kingdom, 2015
Bauyrzhan Tashmukhambetov, Graham Mitchell, Selwa Alsam, Investigating effects of antimicrobial peptides on the survival of Acanthamoeba and intracellular bacteria associated with cystic fibrosis MCBG away day University of Essex 2015
Colchester, United Kingdom, 2015
Mihaela Cardas, Graham Mitchell, Selwa Alsam, Staphylococcal interactions with Acanthamoeba and macrophages-like cells XIV international Congress in Canada 2014
Canada, 2014
Saleh Alghamdi, Selwa Alsam, Molecular mechanisms of the interaction of MRSA with Acanthamoeba 8th Saudi Embassy Conference - Edinburgh 2014
Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 2014
Saleh Alghamdi, Selwa Alsam, Photodynamic therapy and MRSA treatment SGM annual conference Liverpool 2014
Liverpool, United Kingdom, 2014
Alsam, S., Battah, S., and Hallaq, H., Role of Acanthamoeba in Urinary Tract Infections. Hamburg, Germany, 2012
Hamburg, Germany, 2012
Cardas, M., Khan, NA. and Alsam, S., Interaction of MRSA with Acanthamoeba and macrophages. SGM, Harrogate, UK, 2011
Harrogate, United Kingdom, 2011
Khan, NA., Mortazavi, P., Alsam, S., Sissons, J., Kim, KS., Goldswarthy, G., Jarroll, EL. Acanthamoeba and blood brain barrier: The breakthrough. 2nd International conference of drug discovery and therapy. Dubai, UAE 2010
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 2010
Teaching and supervision
Current teaching responsibilities
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Microbiology (BS104)
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Anatomy and Physiology (BS161)
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Employability Skills for the Biosciences (BS211)
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Biomedical Science: Practice and Employability (BS214)
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Medical Microbiology (BS235)
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Cell Biology and Cellular Pathology (BS238)
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Research Project in Biomedical Science (BS831)
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Research Project in Life Sciences (BS832)
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NHS Placement Report (BS833)
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Biological Science - Research (BS999)
Previous supervision
Degree subject: Molecular Medicine
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 7/6/2023
Degree subject: Molecular Medicine: Medical Microbiology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 31/3/2020
Degree subject: Microbiology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 8/4/2019
Degree subject: Molecular Medicine
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 16/8/2017
Degree subject: Molecular Medicine: Medical Microbiology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 5/1/2017
Degree subject: Molecular Medicine: Medical Microbiology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 11/8/2016
Degree subject: Molecular Medicine: Medical Microbiology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 6/7/2016
Degree subject: Molecular Medicine
Degree type: Master of Science (by Dissertation)
Awarded date: 30/6/2015
Degree subject: Molecular Medicine
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 4/7/2014
Publications
Journal articles (7)
Alsam, S., Beard, L. and Hepburn, L., Enhancing employability through hospital placements for Biomedical Science students. International Journal for Innovation Education and Research. 11 (3), 64-77
Li, J., Olaleye, ED., Kong, X., Zhou, T., Ma, Y., Jurach, J., Al Rugaie, O., Hider, RC., Zhang, G., Alsam, S. and Abbate, V., (2016). Macromolecular iron-chelators via RAFT-polymerization for the inhibition of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus growth. Polymer. 87, 64-72
Zhou, Y., Liu, M., Osamah, AR., Kong, X., Alsam, S., Battah, S., Xie, Y., Hider, RC. and Zhou, T., (2015). Hexadentate 3-hydroxypyridin-4-ones with high iron(III) affinity: Design, synthesis and inhibition on methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas strains. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 94, 8-21
Cardas, M., Khan, NA. and Alsam, S., (2012). Staphylococcus aureus exhibit similarities in their interactions with Acanthamoeba and ThP1 macrophage-like cells. Experimental Parasitology. 132 (4), 513-518
Jung, S., Alsam, S., Kim, KS. and Khan, NA., (2008). Pathogen-pathogen interactions: a comparative study of Escherichia coli interactions with the clinical and environmental isolates of Acanthamoeba. World Journal Of Microbiology & Biotechnology. 24 (10), 2339-2348
Alsam, S., Jeong, SR., Dudley, R. and Khan, NA., (2008). Role of human tear fluid in Acanthamoeba interactions with the human corneal epithelial cells.. International Journal of Medical Microbiology. 298 (3-4), 329-336
Dudley, R., Alsam, S. and Khan, NA., (2008). The role of proteases in the differentiation of Acanthamoeba castellanii.. FEMS microbiology letters. 286 (1), 9-15
Contact
Academic support hours:
9am - 6pm
