Tissue Culture Lab
The lab consists of five premium horizontal laminar flow cabinets providing an area with reliable aseptic
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The Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology (KCGEB) was inaugurated in 2014 by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs. Research at the KCGEB is focused on exploring flora of the arid region to generate scientific knowledge to address the global challenges in the food security and sustainable agriculture practice through genomics, genetic engineering and biotechnological innovations. Our work is supported by strategic funding from the Ministry of Presidential Affairs.
Achieve leadership in the field of plant genetic engineering and biotechnology through discovery and innovative research to produce
and design plants with agro-economical traits. The mission relies on genomics to empower crop production and food security.
To channel the genetic system of plants to transform agriculture in UAE.
Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology has come a long way since its inauguration in 2014. His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, directions have been instrumental for the success of the center. The Center is discovering the mechanism of how desert plants are tolerant to environmental challenges. The knowledge that is generated is used to genetically modify plants, which enables them to withstand extreme conditions. In addition, the Center is also developing plants with other agro-economical values such as sugar-content, seedless fruits etc.
The lab consists of five premium horizontal laminar flow cabinets providing an area
with reliable aseptic High-tech greenhouses, growth rooms, and a wide range of controlled environment chambers
at the KCGEB The molecular biology laboratories at the KCGEB are at the leading edge of innovation KCGEB possesses world-class computing and storage infrastructure Bioimaging offers sample preparation and imaging facilities to our investigators Around 40 hectares of land and a range of cutting-edge research facilities
Facilities
Tissue Culture Lab
Plant Growth Facilities
Molecular Biology Lab
Bioinformatics Lab
Bioimaging
Al Foah Farm
Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology has come a long way
since its inauguration in 2014. His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, directions have been instrumental
for the success of the center.
Dr. Hazzouri earned his Ph.D. in evolutionary genomics from the University of
Toronto in 2012. In his doctoral research he worked on mating system evolution in
the flowering plants (Capsella and Collinsia) and its genomic consequences. He joined
as a senior research scientist at the Purugganan laboratory in the New York University
Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), working mainly on the genomic diversity and origin of the perennial
Date palm fruit tree as well as mining genetic variants in the green algae Chlamydomonas
reinhardtii.
Dr. Ling joined the Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
as a Senior Research Associate in 2014. She received her Bachelor of Science degree
from the Ohio State University (Ohio, USA). She completed her doctoral degree in Molecular
Genetics under the supervision of Professor Harald Vaessin at the Ohio State University
in 2000.
Dr. Suja obtained PhD in Biotechnology from University of Madras in 2008. Her
doctoral work involved understanding the molecular mechanisms of abiotic stress tolerance
in the drought tolerant plant Prosopis juliflora.
Dr. Binu Antony, the research lead and senior expert on palm weevil research,
joined KCGEB in January 2025.
Dr. Ajay Kumar Mishra started his research group at Khalifa Centre for Genetic
Engineering and Biotechnology (KCGEB) in 2022.
Our Researchers
Dr. Khaled Amiri
Khaled Hazzouri
Ling Li
Suja George
Binu Antony
Ajay Mishra
Dr. Khaled Amiri
Director, Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
Khaled Hazzouri, Ph.D.
Senior Research Associate
Ling Li, Ph.D
Senior Research Associate
Suja George, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
Binu Antony, PH.D.
Research Associate Professor
Ajay Kumar Mishra, PH.D.
Research Assistant Professor