King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

KAUST is responsible for studying volatile-mediated Striga control in cereal crops. Our research will focus on investigating the Striga-inhibiting activities of specific selected sulfurous volatile compounds. We will investigate the effects of these compounds on Striga seed germination, emergence, and the mechanisms behind this inhibition in detail.

Salim al-Babili - Principal Investigator
Salim is professor in BioActives Lab at KAUST. 

Muhammad Jamil – Research Scientist
Muhammad, research scientist at KAUST will conduct Striga germination bioassays, green house pot studies, mini-field studies in African countries and some molecular work for in depth mechanisms.

 Mohamed Abd Allah Salem – Research Scientist
Mohamed, research scientist at KAUST will develop LC-MS analytical methods and isolation of sulfurous volatile compounds and their application against Striga.

Juan Camilo Moreno Beltran – Research Scientist
Juan, research scientist at KAUST will conduct binding assays to see mode of action of  sulfurous volatile compounds against Striga.

Yağız Alagöz– Postdoctoral Fellows
Yağız, postdoctoral fellows at KAUST will conduct gene expression study to see mode of action of sulfurous volatile compounds against Striga. He will also work on Arabidopsis for mode of action studies.

Eric Jian You Wang – Postdoctoral Fellows
Jian, postdoctoral fellows at KAUST will measure ethylene biosynthesis and other hormonal analysis upon application of sulfurous volatile compounds in Striga.

Kawthar F. Alashoor– PhD Student
Kawthar, PhD student at KAUST will assist in binding assays and other affinity studies to see mode of action of sulfurous volatile compounds in Striga.