معرفی
Usama Ammar is a Lecturer in Drug Discovery and Pharmaceutical Science at the School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, United Kingdom. He holds a PhD in Biological Chemistry (Pharmaceutical Chemistry) from the University of Science and Technology (UST), South Korea, and has over 10 years of experience in drug design and pharmaceutical research. He previously worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Strathclyde and taught at Ahram Canadian University in Egypt.
- Education: BSc (Hons) in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Master’s in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Cairo University), PhD in Biological Chemistry (UST, South Korea)
- Professional Affiliations: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (MRPS), Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC), American Chemical Society (MACS), and Egyptian Pharmacists Syndicate (MEPS)
His research focuses on the design and synthesis of small molecule inhibitors, PROTACs, and molecular glues targeting kinase enzymes for anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-infective applications. He employs modern drug design strategies and molecular modelling tools to accelerate discovery. His recent publications highlight work on BRAF, RAF, JNK, CDK-1, HER-2, and PDE5 inhibitors, with a strong emphasis on kinase-targeted therapies and scaffold repurposing.
His 15 most recent publications span drug discovery for melanoma, leukemia, and other cancers, with a recurring theme of kinase inhibition, dual-targeting agents, and computational validation. Trends include scaffold repurposing, structural optimization, and in silico-in vitro integration.
Scientific awards and honors include:
- Fellow at the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
- Associate Fellow at the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA)
- KIST Academic Excellence Award
Dr. Ammar actively supervises postgraduate research, including Ruairidh Alexander (MSc project on resistant melanoma) and Amy Dillon (PhD on PDK-X inhibitors for endometrial cancer). He leads research projects funded by the Royal Society of Chemistry (£9,240 for sustainable drug discovery) and the British Council (TNE Exploratory Grant for a Professional Diploma in Pharmaceutical Science with Ahram Canadian University). He is part of the Biomedical Science Research Group and the Centre for Biomedicine and Global Health at Edinburgh Napier University, contributing to the Health research theme.
He is involved in international educational collaboration and continues to advance drug discovery through innovative synthetic and computational approaches.
