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Syed-K
Professor Khajamohiddin Syed

Position: Professor
Phone: (035)902-6568
Email: SyedK(at)unizulu.ac.za
Building &Room: Office No. 247, 1st Floor, Natural Science Building, KwaDlangezwa Campus

Biography:

Prof Syed completed his M.Sc. in Biochemistry, receiving the gold medal, and a Ph.D. at Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Andhra Pradesh, India. After his doctoral studies he worked as postdoctoral research associate at the University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa (2006-2009); as a visiting scholar at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA (2009-2013) and as a Lecturer and then Associate Professor at Central University of Technology (2013-2017). Currently he is an Associate Professor at the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa, KwaZulu-Natal.

 Lecture ‘s  the following modules:

  • 4BCH321 – Metabolic Regulation
  • 4BCH322 – Biochemistry of Nutrition
  • 4BCH509 – Clinical Biochemistry
Qualifications:

2006: Ph.D. Biochemistry, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, India.

Title of thesis: Functional analysis of orf243 found in opd gene cluster of Flavobacterium sp. ATCC 27551 (http://ir.inflibnet.ac.in:8080/jspui/handle/10603/63513).

2000: M.Sc. Biochemistry, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, India (First rank, gold medal).

1998: B.Sc. B.Z.C. Sri Krishnadevaraya University, India.

1995: Bi.P.C. Intermediate Education, Board of Intermediate Education, Andhra Pradesh, India.

1993: S.S.C. School Secondary Certificate, Board of Secondary education, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Additional qualifications:

2009: Certificate Course in Radioactivity, University of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

1997: Diploma in Computer Applications (DCA), Andhra Pradesh, India

1998: Typewriting in English Lower, State Board of Technical Education and Training, Andhra Pradesh, India

 Honours/Awards (include online reference for each honour/ award):

  • Visiting Professor fellowship, University of Warsaw, Poland (2020).
  • 2018    Rated Researcher Award from Research and Innovation office, University of Zululand.
  • 2016    Deans award for best research paper for 2015, Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
  • 2015    Deans award for best research paper for 2014, Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
  • 2014    Deans award for best research paper for 2013, Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
  • 2003    SRF-CSIR/NET (Senior Research Fellowship, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, INDIA).
  • 2001    JRF-CSIR/NET (Junior Research Fellowship, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, INDIA).
  • 2000    Gold medal for securing first rank in Master of Biochemistry, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, India.
  • 2000    National Science Day, 28th Feb, 2000, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur, India         (i) First prize in Elocution (ii) Second Prize in Exhibits (iii) third prize in Essay Writing
  • 1999    Special Prize in Posters/Models, National Science Day, 28th Feb, 1999, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur, India.
  • 1996-1997 Government college for men, Kurnool, Sri Krishnadevaraya University,

Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, India

(i) Sri Ratnaraju Memorial Prize for securing First Rank in Part-I (languages) for B.Sc., (BZC) class

(ii) First prize for the proficiency in Part –II subjects (Botany, Zoology and Chemistry) for II B.Sc., (BZC) Class

(iii) First prize for the proficiency in Part –I and Part-II subjects for I-B.Sc., (BZC) Class 1993-1994 First place in elocution competition in Hindi, 20th anniversary of the Govt. Junior College, Atmakur, Kurnool, AP. India.

Professional membership:

    1. South African Society for Microbiology (SASM) (membership number: 1518)
    2. Society of Biological Chemists (INDIA) (SBC, INDIA) (Life Membership number: 3218)
    3. South African Society for Bioinformatics (SASBi)
    4. South African Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SASBMB)

Research interests: 

Prof Syed is well-known across the world for his P450 enzyme research. He specialises in genomics and proteomics of P450 monooxygenase, enzymes involved in drug toxicity and metabolism. Research specialization includes annotation, structure-function analysis, evolution and applications of P450s especially in production of secondary metabolites. His recognition in P450 research has seen him invited to give talks at national and international conferences and ground breaking discoveries from his laboratory were attracted media coverage in news corporations. His work on P450 annotation was published in top scientific journals such as Science, PLOS Genetics, PNAS USA, Current Biology etc. He successfully executed major projects and graduated quite a number of postgraduate students. He enjoys teaching biochemistry modules for undergraduate and honors. He established the South African Cytochrome P450 Researchers community website (http://sacpr.weebly.com/) and enhanced connectivity among South African P450 researches and also exposure to world P450 WebMatrix (http://drnelson.uthsc.edu/matrix.html). Prof Syed along with his international collaborators established P450 database (http://www.p450.unizulu.ac.za/) that for identification of P450s by researchers across the world. He collaborates with high-profile researchers from various countries, including the USA, UK, Canada, Europe, India, Chile and South Korea. For more information please follow him at: https://ksyed.weebly.com/. Recently, Prof Syed organized conference on genomics, proteomics and metabolomics (https://cpgmb.weebly.com/).