Mrs. Mireille KALLASSY AWAD
Faculty of Science
Professor
(+961) 1 421 000 ext 3381 mireille.kallassy@usj.edu.lb
Mireille Kallassy is full professor (HDR) in molecular and cellular biology at the Faculty of Sciences, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Department of Life and Earth Sciences. She is the head of a Research Team, within the Biodiversity and Functional Genomics Laboratory of the Research Unit: Environment, Genomics, and Proteomics UR-EGP. An accomplished academic and innovator, she has led initiatives in higher education, including establishing advanced master's programs in industrial Technology and a master of engineering CMI, mentoring startups, and cofounding the Lebanese Human Tissue Bank and a startup for biopesticides production. She is a sworn expert with the Lebanese courts in the fields of health and microbiology. Holder of two patents and author of numerous scientific publications, she has supervised and mentored multiple Ph.D. students, fostering innovation and academic excellence in her field. Recipient of prestigious accolades including the Award for Career Excellence in Scientific Research 2016 from the Lebanese Association for the Advancement of Science (LAAS) and the Innovation Prize from the Lebanese Industrial Research Institute's Center for Innovation and Technology (2013) for pioneering work in biopesticide production.
Highest degree : HDR in Biological control and study of different aspects of bacterial virulence: Bacillus cereus/thuringiensis - Saint Joseph University of Beirut
+ Education
| Degrees | University | Country | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological control and study of different aspects of bacterial virulence: Bacillus cereus/thuringiensis | Saint Joseph University of Beirut | Lebanon | 2015 |
| Identification and regulation study of genes involved in human skin cancers | Saint Joseph University of Beirut | Lebanon | 1998 |
| Biomedical engineering | Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I) | France | 1994 |
| Matrise es en Biologie option physiologie animale | Saint Joseph University of Beirut | Lebanon | 1993 |
+ Teaching outside USJ
| Experience in University Teaching Outside USJ | Country | Institution | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Molecular Biology | Lebanon | Lebanese American University (LAU) | ||
| Biochemistry | Lebanon | Université Libanaise (UL) | 01/09/1998 | 03/07/1999 |
+ Professionnal experience outside USJ
| Professional Experience | Organization | Start date | End date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certified Expert Witness at the Courts | Ministry of Justice | 01/01/2016 |
+ Expertise field
Engineering and Technology, Sciences
+ Research topics
Biopesticides: Characterization and Production (Spin-off Production)
Study of Various Aspects of Virulence in Bacteria, Host/pathogen interaction
Molecular Analysis of Yeasts, Fungi, and Bacteria and Study of Their Capacity to Produce Bioactive Molecules
Culture of Primary Cells and Tissue Reproduction In Vitro
Preparation of Human Tissues and Organs for Transplantation
+ Publications and communications
Carine Mouawad, Mireille Kallassy Awad, Samuel Liegeois, Dominique Ferrandon, Vincent Sanchis-Borja, Laure El Chamy. The NF-κB factor Relish is essential for the epithelial defenses protecting against δ-endotoxin dependent effects of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis infection in the Drosophila model. Res Microbiol 2023 20 June 2023, 104089 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resmic.2023.104089
Rita Barssoum, Gabrielle Al Kassisa, Rayan Nasseredinea, Jihane Saada, Meriem El Ghould, Joanna Abboud, Nancy Fayad, Stéphanie Dupoiron, Julien Cescut, César Arturo Aceves-Lara, Luc Fillaudeau, Mireille Kallassy Awad. Biochemical limitations of Bacillus thuringiensis based biopesticides production in a wheat bran culture medium. Res Microbiol 2023 Feb 8;104043. doi: 10.1016/j.resmic.2023.104043
Nancy Fayad, Joanna Abboud, Fatma Driss, Nicolas Louka and Mireille Kallassy Awad. Optimization of Culture Conditions and Wheat Bran Class Selection in the Production of Bacillus thuringiensis- Based Biopesticides. Fermentation 2022, 8(12), 666; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation8120666
Fayad, N., Kambris, Z., El Chamy, L., Mahillon, J., & Kallassy Awad, M. (2020). A new non-cytolytic anti-dipteran Bacillus thuringiensis strain: Unusual Cry toxin genes in a highly dynamic plasmid environment. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, March 2021 Volume 87 Issue 5 e02294-20. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.02294-20.
Fayad Nancy, Kallassy Awad Mireille, Mahillon Jacques. Diversity of Bacillus cereus sensu lato mobilome. BMC Genomics. 2019 May 29;20(1):436. doi: 10.1186/s12864-019-5764-4.
+ Awards and recognition
• Award for Career Excellence In Scientific Research
+ Professional development activities
Séminaires, participation à des colloques, cours en ligne, formations assurées par le laboratoire de pédagogie universitaire, mobilité dans des laboratoires de recherche