I graduated from the University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, in 2014. During my undergraduate studies in Biotechnology, I completed a training course in Molecular Biology techniques and research methods at the University of Sheffield. After earning my BSc degree, I enrolled in the University of Sheffield's MSc program in Molecular and Human Genetics, successfully graduating in 2015.

In the same year, I embarked on my PhD journey in Molecular Biology at the University of Sheffield. During my doctoral studies, I conducted research on the phosphorylation of proteins during yeast meiosis, with a specific focus on their relationship to cell-induced DNA damage. In 2019, upon the completion of my PhD, I started my Post-doctoral research position, continuing my research endeavours.

In 2020, I relocated to the University of Aberdeen, where I became a member of Dr. Bin Hu's laboratory. Currently, I am part of Dr. Hajime Murakami's laboratory, where I am actively engaged in investigating the mechanisms governing the correct segregation of chromosomes during sexual gene reassortment.

• Yeast meiosis
• Cell-cycle checkpoint
• Chromosome segregation 
• DNA Repair 
• Protein post-translational modifications 

Meiosis is a cell division process specialised for the production of four genetically distinct haploid daughter cells from a single diploid parent cell. A meiosis-specific process of homologous recombination repairs Spo11 induced DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) creating gene conversions and crossovers; a crucial pathway for genetic diversity and homologous chromosomes disjunction. An important step in this process is the resection of DSB sites to expose 3’ single-stranded overhangs, which can then proceed to search for its homologous repair template. Exonuclease-1(Exo1) is a conserved nuclease with 5’ → 3’ DNA exonuclease activity and 5’ flap endonuclease activity. Exo1 is required for progressive long-resection necessary for long tracts of 3’ single-stranded DNA, critical for normal levels of recombination. In my previous post with Dr Bin Hu, I studied the phosphorylation of Exo1, it was first observed in response to DNA damage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and this negatively regulates Exo1 nuclease activity. After analysing Exo1 meiotic-phosphorylation by mass-spectrometry, additional residues were found to be phosphorylated in comparison to mitotically significant residues. I found that the meiotic phosphorylation of Exo1 was found to be Tel1-dependent, and MRX complex dependent. My research suggests that the phosphorylation of Exo1  control the function of Exo1 during the long-resection of Spo11 induced DSBs. Additionally, I found the molecular mechanism that control the recruitment of Exo1 to Spo11-DSB sites. 

In my current post with Dr Hajime Murakami, I am studying protein-protein interactions during meiosis by utilising proximity-labelling techniques and protein mass spectrometry. My proximity labelling approach successfully identified interactions potentially forming in yeast during meiosis. Using different mutant backgrounds, I will expand this technique to study interaction networks at distinct meiotic recombination stages to elucidate the molecular mechanisms between DSB formation and recombination. 

In my research I have utilised proteomic techniques such as mass spectrometry. I have also used molecular and biochemical techniques such as chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) followed by qPCR or next-generation sequencing.