VITAE
Personal
Ahmed Eid Zoheir, PhD
Born in 1985 of Egyptian nationality
Career
Current Position
National Research Centre (NRC), Egypt
Genetics and Cytology Department
- Researcher (Assistant Professor, full-time) of Microbiology & Bioengineering | 11.2021-present
Proteinea Biotech Inc., Egypt & USA
- Senior Scientist (part-time) | 10.2022-present
Career path
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany
Institute for Biological Interfaces (IBG-1)
- Post-Doctoral Researcher | 4.2020-10.2021
- Doctoral Researcher | 4.2016-4.2020
National Research Centre (NRC), Egypt
Genetics and Cytology Department
- Associate Researcher | 12.2015-11.2021
- Research Assistant | 7.2013-12.2015
- Research Specialist | 12.2008-7.2013
Al-Awael Clinical Lab, Egypt
- Medical Analysis Specialist (Part time) | 2009-2011
PearlaPharm Pharmaceuticals, Egypt
- Medical Representative | 6-9.2008
Education
Doctor of Philosophy
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany
Faculty of Chemistry and Biosciences
- Dr. rer. nat. in Biological Sciences (grade 1.0, magna cum laude). Speciality: Microbiology & Bioengineering | 4.2020
- Structured PhD from the Biointerfaces International Graduate School (BIF-IGS)
Dissertation: Stress Response and Adaptive Evolution of Bacteria in Microfluidic Systems
Supervised by Prof. Dr. Christof M. Niemeyer and Dr. Kersten S. Rabe
Master of Science
Helwan University, Egypt
Faculty of Science
- M.Sc. in Microbiology. Speciality: Microbial Genetics | 9.2013
Thesis: Genetic Improvement of Bacteria for Enhancing Urease Activity and Microbial Bio-precipitation Technology
Bachelor of Science
Al-Azhar University, Egypt
Faculty of Science
- B.Sc. in Microbiology | 5.2008
Thesis: Perspectives in Industrial Microbiology
Startup Endeaovers
Unibiota
Co-founder | 11-2022-present
Unibiota is a startup project under incubation aiming to develop microbially fabricated materials for transdermal drug delivery. The project is incubated at Capital Business Incubator, sponsored by the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT), Egypt.
Catavis
Co-founder | 3.2020-10.2021
Catavis (formerly ChemZyme) is a deep-tech spin-off from the Institute for Biological Interfaces 1 (IBG-1), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) that develops carrier-free catalytic biomaterials and biotransformation solutions. Learn more at www.catavis.com
Clouds FineArt
Founder & Art Director | 12.2018-10.2021
Clouds FineArt is a B2B and B2C sole proprietorship that provides personalized digital art services for home and office decoration
Training & Honors
Training
- Capital Business Incubator, by ASRT Egypt. Business idea “Unibiota: biomaterials for transdermal drug delivery” | 2023.
- Accelerator Program upCAT, by EnTechnon, KIT. Business idea “ChemZyme: Novel Carrier-free Biomaterials for Biocatalysis” | 2020.
- Young Entrepreneurs in Science, by the Falling Walls Foundation. Business idea “evo.S: Microfluidics for Directed Evolution” | 2019.
- BIF-IGS Courses, completed 25 Credit Points (CPs) of courses in specialty, transdisciplinary and soft skills modules. (1 CP = 25 working hour) | 2016-2020.
- DAAD Cairo Academy, completed 15 academic training courses in various scientific, personality and career modules | 2014-2016.
Honors
- 1st Place Prize of Founders Pitch (Catavis team). KIT NEULAND Innovation Day | 2021
- Audience Prize of Founders Pitch (Catavis team). KIT NEULAND Innovation Day | 2021
- 2nd Place Prize of Ideas Award (Catavis team). KIT NEULAND Innovation Day | 2021
- Best Product Award in upCAT Startup Accelerator. (ChemZyme team) | 2020
- Best Talk Prize, awarded by BIF-IGS | 2019
- Best Poster Prize, awarded by BIF-IGS
- DAAD-GERLS Doctoral Fellowship, awarded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) | 2015
- Ideal Student Prize, awarded by the Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University | 2007
Activities
Scientific Talks
- Cairo Science Forum 23 / Humboldt Kolleg. 07-08.02.2023, Cairo, Egypt
- BIF-IGS annual retreat. 11-13.05.2019, Trier, Germany
- Annual conference of the Association for General and Applied Microbiology (VAAM). 17-20.03.2019, Mainz, Germany
- 36th Rabensteiner Kolleg. 23.05-02.06.2018, Pottenstein, Germany
- Biotechnology Research Network Meeting of BioKMT and the American University in Cairo (AUC). 05.03.2015, Cairo, Egypt
Scientific Posters & Events
- BIF-IGS annual retreat. 12-14.06.2018, Ruthenburg odT, Germany
- Annual Conference of the Association for General and Applied Microbiology (VAAM). 15-18.04.2018, Wolfsburg, Germany
- EMBO Workshop: Experimental Approaches to Evolution and Ecology Using Yeast and Other Model Systems. 17-20.10.2018, EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
- EMBO | EMBL Symposium: New Approaches and Concepts in Microbiology. 27-30.06.2017, EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
- BIF-IGS annual retreat. 06-08.06.2017, Frankfurt a.M., Germany
- 5th Joint conference of the DGHM & VAAM. VAAM Annual Meeting 2017 - 69th Annual Meeting of the DGHM. 05-08.03.2017, Würzburg, Germany
Other Activities
- Co-organized the BIF-IGS annual retreat 2018 in Ruthenburg odT, Germany
- Co-organized the 1st Scientific Week under the title of "Science and its Role in the Development”. Al-Azhar University, summer semester 2006, Cairo, Egypt
- Head of Arts Committee (2007), and head of Culture Committee (2008) of the Students’ Union, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
- Member of the German Association for General and Applied Microbiology (VAAM)
- Registered member of the Egyptian Syndicate of Scientific Professions
Experience
Microbes .. from Theories into Technologies
I hold BSc, MSc, and PhD degrees in microbiology, along with over 13 years of professional experience, which has provided me with a strong foundation in both theoretical and practical aspects of microbiology. Additionally, I have acquired various transdisciplinary skills, expanding my expertise beyond the conventional microbiology. My particular area of passion and expertise resides at the intersection of microbiology, microfabrication, and materials, allowing me to bridge the gap between these fields and explore innovative solutions that leverage their synergies.
Expertise Portfolio
- Design and optimization of adaptive evolution and non-GMO strain improvement experiments.
- Utilization of synthetic biology and molecular biology tools for biological engineering.
- Biochemical and genetic analysis of microbial planktonic and biofilm populations.
- Utilization of microbial systems as platform for engineered living materials (ELM) and biofabrication.
- Design, simulation and fabrication of microfluidic systems through micromilling, 3D printing and CNC laser cutting.
- Proficiency in CAD design and 3D modeling of microfluidic devices.
- Microscopic analysis using both conventional and 3D confocal microscopy.
- Application of design thinking for the development of application-tailored solutions.
- Leadership experience through supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as practical courses.
- Project design and management for academic and industrial contexts.
- Entrepreneurial skills for translating scientific innovations into viable business ventures.