US-Egypt Cooperative Research: Utilization of Keratin-Containing Materials by Recombinant Bacteria

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0001562AbdelalDescription: This award is to support a collaborative project by Dr. Ahmed T. Abdelal, Professor of Biology and Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, and Dr. Taha I. Zaghloul, Department of Biosciences and Technology, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt. They plan to study the utilization of recombinant DNA technology to enhance the production of proteolytic enzymes, which are required for efficient utilization of a wide range of environmental waste materials. They also plan to develop efficient purification procedures for the proteolytic enzymes, and to characterize the purified enzymes with respect to substrate specificity and optimal conditions. The materials to be tested include keratin-containing materials such as feathers, hair, wool, and nails, which are rich in protein and carbon sources. Scope: The US Investigator, Dr. Abdelal, is recognized for his scientific and academic accomplishments and for his expertise in microbiology and in DNA research. Dr. Zaghloul, the Egyptian collaborator, has major scientific accomplishments and is well connected scientifically with researchers in the field in the USA and also in the United Kingdom where he has done preliminary investigations that will support this project. The two sides have complementary capabilities and laboratory facilities. The project will have significant value to the United States and Egypt both in increasing the scientific knowledge in this area of microbiology and in the environmental treatments of agricultural and industrial wastes. Graduate students at the University of Alexandria will participate in the research, working for short periods at Georgia State University. This proposal meets the INT objective of supporting collaborative research in areas of mutual interest. This project is being supported under the US-Egypt Joint Fund Program, which provides grants to scientists and engineers in both countries to carry out these cooperative activities.