Dima Azzam Sabbah

Ms. Dima Sabbah, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, College of Pharmacy
Al-Zaytoonah Private University
جامعة الزيتونة الأردنية
Amman, Jordan

Dima Azzam Sabbah B. Pharm., M.S., Ph.D. Pharm. Sci. Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences P. O. Box 130 Amman 11733 Jordan +9626-429-1511 (Ext 296) (Office) +9627-974-949-27 (cell phone) dima_sabbah@yahoo.com dimasabbah@yahoo.com,  dima.sabbah@zuj.edu

LINKS

http://www.zuj.edu.jo/wp-content/uploads/Facultyofpharmacy/deailedcv/DrDimaSabbah.pdf

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/dima-sabbah/21/87/b10

Research explores the structure features of proteins to design selective ligands. Generate a pharmacophore model to identify the functional groups recognized at the binding sites to induce an activity. Virtual screening to identify possible hits.
Run molecular dynamic simulation to identify the key binding residues in dynamic interaction. Perform computational alanine scanning and calculate free energy of binding. Synthesis and characterization of molecules.

Experience

Assistant Professor

Al-Zaytoonah Private University of Jordan

October 2012 – Present (3 years 1 month)

Lecturing Medicinal Chemistry, Drug Design, Organic Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry

Research Assistant

University of Nebraska Medical Center

August 2007 – August 2012 (5 years 1 month)

Working on the following projects:
Computational Methods and Inhibitors Design of PI3Kalpha.
Molecular Dynamic Simulations for Beta-Secretase
Exploring the Binding structure of Plasmodium Falciparum Hexose Transporter Protein

Ph.D. Student

University of Nebraska Medical Center

August 2007 – July 2012 (5 years)

Ph.D. Student at College of Pharmacy

(Open)1 project

Student

The University of Jordan

2001 – 2003 (2 years)

MORE..................

Assistant Professor, October 2012-Present, College of Pharmacy, Al- Zaytoonah University of Jordan

 Teaching Medicinal Chemistry (I /II) and Drug Design courses for Undergraduates Pharmacy Students.  Teaching Advanced Medicinal Chemistry, Drug Design, and Research Methodology courses for Postgraduates Master Pharmacy Students.

 Supervisory Committee Member for Master Students.

 Supervise Master Students and their thesis.  The Chair of the Conference Committee: o Organized One day symposium on Cancer, May 15, 2013 entitled "Cancer: Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment".

Graduate Research Assistant, Aug 2007- June 2012, University of Nebraska Medical Center

 Homology modeling of phosphoinositide -3- kinases (PI3Ks) using MOE

 Pharmacophore Generation for PI3Kα selective inhibitors using MOE

 Pharmacophore Search against the National Cancer Institute database using MOE

 Molecular Dynamic simulations for the kinase domains of PI3Ks using the AMBER 10 package 

Calculating the binding free energies of prospective inhibitors using the MM/GBSA (molecular mechanics/ generalized born surface area) method in AMBER10

 Recruiting the computational alanine- scanning approach to calculate the relative change in free energy of binding (ΔΔ G bind) for the alanine mutants of binding residues in the protein using MM/GBSA in AMBER10

 Docking studies for PI3K inhibitors using Glide dock in MAESTRO

 Design and Synthesis of novel PI3Kα inhibitors

 Molecular Dynamic simulations for 16 models of β-secretase protein using the AMBER 10 package

Lecturer, 2004 - 2007, College of Pharmacy, AL-Zaytoonah Private University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan

 General Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Medicinal Chemistry II, Pharmaceutical Medicinal Chemistry I lab, Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry Lab, Phytochemistry Lab, Pharmaceutics I Lab, Pharmaceutical Physical Lab I, Microbiology, Microbiology Lab, Parasitology Lab, Pharmaceutical Microbiology Lab.

Teaching Assistant, 1996 – 2004, College of Pharmacy, AL-Zaytoonah Private University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan

 Pharmacognosy Lab, Phytochemistry Lab, Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry Lab, Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry Lab, Pharmaceutical Medicinal Chemistry Lab, Pharmaceutical Microbiology Lab, Pharmaceutical Biochemistry Lab. Technical Skills  Molecular Modeling Software (MOE, MAESTRO , PYMOL and AMBER)  Computer Skills in MS Word, MS Excel, Power Point, and basic Internet Skills 3  Chemical : Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy

Education

2007-2012 Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), NE, USA. Thesis Supervisors: Profs. Jonathan L. Vennerstrom and Haizhen Zhong. Thesis Title: Computational Studies and Inhibitors Design of PI3Kα.

2009-2011 Side Project: Modeling the protonation states of β-secretase Binding Pocket.

2001-2003 M.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Jordan (UJ), Amman Jordan. Thesis Supervisor: Professor Ali M. Qaisi. Thesis Title: Synthesis of Some Novel Nitrofuran Derivatives of Potential of Potential Antimicrobial Activity.

June 1996 Bachelor of Pharmacy, University of Jordan (UJ), Amman Jordan.

Peer Reviewed Abstracts (10 Published Abstracts)

1. The 44th annual PGSRM, June 7th -9 th, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska. Structure-based drug design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a novel scaffold for PI3kα inhibitors

2. The Nebraska Academy of Sciences, April 20th , 2012, Lincoln, Nebraska. Oral Presentation: Synthesis, biological evaluation, and molecular docking studies of novel phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3kα) inhibitors

3. ACS Denver National Meeting, August 28 – September 1st, 2011. Poster Presentation: Investigation of phosphoinositide 3-kinases binding pocket using mm-pbsa

4. TeraGrid '11, July 18th -21st, 2011, Salt Lake City, Utah. Poster Presentation: Modeling of PI3K using Molecular Dynamic Simulations on UNL Cluster

5. The Nebraska Academy of Sciences, April 15th, 2011, Lincoln, Nebraska. Oral Presentation: Determination of β-secretase binding site charge employing MD simulation and molecular docking

6. ACS Anaheim National Meeting, March 27th -30th, 2011. Poster Presentation: Discovery of Novel Inhibitors of Phosphoinositide-3-Kinases 4

7. The 45th Midwest Regional Meeting of the ACS, October 27th -30th , 2010.Poster Presentation: Pharmacophore Model, Database Search, Docking Study and Biological Assays for Novel PI3Kα Inhibitors

8. AAPS Graduate Student Symposium in Drug Design and Discovery, November 8th -12th , 2009. Oral and Poster Presentations: Selectivity Studies of PI3K Inhibitors by Molecular Docking. This work is honored by the AAPS. “Graduate Student Symposium Award in Drug Design & Discovery”

9. The Nebraska Academy of Sciences, April 17th, 2009, Lincoln, Nebraska. Oral Presentation: Homology Modeling and Docking Studies of PI3Kα/γ

10.The 43 rd ACS Midwest Regional Meeting, October 8th -11th, 2008. Oral Presentation: Computational Studies and Inhibitors Design of PI3Kα

Invited Speaker

1. Chemistry Department, University of Nebraska at Omaha, November 8, 2010. Oral Presentation: Discovery of Novel Inhibitors of Phosphoinositide 3-Kinases

2. Chemistry Department, University of Nebraska at Omaha, October 5, 2009. Oral Presentation: Selectivity Studies of PI3K Inhibitors by Molecular Docking

REFERENCES

 Professor Jonathan Vennerstrom, University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of pharmacy, office phone number: 402 559 5362, email: jvenners@unmc.edu, address: 986025 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-6025, USA

 Professor Edward Roche, University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of pharmacy, office phone number: 402 559 4645, email: eroche@unmc.edu, address: 986025 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-6025, USA

 Professor Haizhen Zhong, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Chemistry Department, office phone number: 402 554 3145, email: hzhong@unomaha.edu, address: 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE 68182, USA

Al-Zaytoonah Private University, Amman, Jordan

AMMAN JORDAN

///////////Dima Azzam Sabbah,