Prof. Soliman Khatib

1. Preparation of Biomarkers for characterizing oxidative stress and studying diseases associated with oxidative stress. In this research, we constructed a number of synthetic biomarkers from endogenous molecules that are bonded together by covalent bonds. The endogenous molecule representing a major component of the cell, for example, unsaturated fatty acids, proteins, and nucleic acids that were bonded together covalently, thus producing new molecules that can act as markers of oxidative stress. Marker sensitivity and modifications on its chemical structure following exposure to oxidative stress were determined using LC-MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy). These markers were used to study diseases linked to oxidative stress such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, atherosclerosis and mental stress, in ex-vivo experiments. 
2.  Identifying volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in blood as markers for early detection of various diseases including Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Diseases are characterized by metabolism that releases volatile molecules to the blood, and to the lungs, from which some are released via exhalation. In this research we identify volatile molecules in the blood that are specific to various diseases such as Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases, using solid phase microextraction (SPME), connected to a gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analyzer. 
3. Studying the interaction between components of carotid arterial plaque and components of the blood. In this research we receive carotid arterial plaques from the Carmel Medical Center in Haifa, conduct chemical extraction using different solvents, and obtain different plaque components from each solvent. Subsequently we examine the effect of these components on blood components that are linked to atherosclerosis, such as microphage cells, lipoproteins and various proteins such as PON1. Likewise, we are studying how blood components, such as PON1 and HDL, affect plaque components. 
4. Bonding endogenous molecules to proteins to change their immunological properties. In this research different endogenous molecules were covalently connected to the protein surface, using different chemical methods, in order to change properties of the proteins, such as stability, activity and immunogenesis. 
5.  Studying the effect of covalent and non-covalent modifications protein properties. The proteins change their physical and biological properties due to these modifications and their covalent and non-covalent chemical interactions with the small molecules in their environment. This property of proteins that developed during the process of evolution increases proteome diversity between 10- and 100-fold. The aim of the project is to choose proteins related to atherosclerosis, such as PON1, CETP, APO-A1 and APO-B, and to examine how their biological and physical properties are affected by modifications that may take place within the body such as acetylation, methylation, cysteinylation, glutathionylation, oxidation, nitrosylation etc. 
6.  Production of food additives with health benefits from various kinds of algae. In this research we made extracts from different types of algae by using different types of solvents. We assessed the lipid composition of each extract and its concentration of Omega-3 fatty acids. We are currently assessing the anti-oxidative activity of each extract, using conventional methods, in order to determine their potential for use as food additives. We are also assessing the effect of the different extracts on components linked to atherosclerosis, such as macrophage cells, PON1, HDL and LDL, including isolation, characterization and identification of the active components. 

2001-present, Tel-Hai College, Faculty of Science
I teach the following courses:

1. Organic Chemistry A
2. Organic Chemistry B
3. Organic Chemistry for Nutrition Science
4.  Organic Chemistry Laboratory
5. Theoretical Biochemistry 2

I have also taught the courses:

1.  General Chemistry  (2003-2007)
2.  Theoretical Biochemistry 1 (2004-2008)

2004-2007     Israeli Science Foundation – The search for natural substrates of paraoxonase. $65,000 per year. With prof. Jacob vaya.
2004-2005     D-Cure – The effect of  PON1 on early advances glycation products. $54,000 per year. With prof. Jacob Vaya and prof. Michael Aviram.
2006    Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Chief Scientist – Screening of protein surfaces for decreased antigenicity. $130,000. With prof. Jacob Vaya and prof. Jacob Pitcovski.
2007    (tashtiot) Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Chief Scientist –Screening of protein surfaces for decreased antigenicity. $150,000. With prof. Jacob Vaya and prof. Jacob Pitcovski.
2007    (tashtiot) Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Chief Scientist –Enhancing the immune response and development of conjugated vaccine administrated through non-injected route. $140,000. With prof. Jacob Vaya and prof. Jacob Pitcovski.
2008    (tashtiot) Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Chief Scientist – Screening of protein surfaces for decreased antigenicity. $300,000. With prof. Jacob Vaya and prof. Jacob Pitcovski.
2013    Chief Scientist Office of Israel-MAGNET – New artificial NOSE (Na-NOSE) for early detection of Parkinson's disease. 129,250 NIS. With prof. Jacob Vaya, prof. John Finberg and prof. Hossam Hieck.
2014    Chief Scientist Office of Israel-MAGNET – New artificial NOSE (Na-NOSE) for early detection of Parkinson's disease. 150,368 NIS. With prof. Jacob Vaya, prof. John Finberg and prof. Hossam Hieck.
2010-2013    Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Israel – Chicken vaccination at day one.  $200,000 per year. With Dr. Elina Aizenshtein.
2015-2016    The Galilee Biomedical Research Administration, Identification of volatile organic biomarkers in blood of patients with schizophrenia, 120000 NIS for tow years. With Dr. Alon Shamir from Mazra Mental Health Center and Prof. Jacob Vaya from Migal.
2015    Chief Scientist Office of Israel-ministry of economy, Development of biologically active substances from micro-algae extracts. 397000 NIS for one year. With Prof. Jacob Vaya and Emma Kabtinski from migal.

1. The 8th Gentler Symposium on Chemistry, 1996, Mainz, Germany (poster)
2.  The 9th Annual Meeting of the Israeli Society for Research, Prevention and Treatment of Atherosclerosis, 14-17 Oct 2003, Eilat, Israel
3.  The 20th Annual Meeting of the Israel Society for Oxygen Toxicity and Free Radical Research, 12 Dec 2004, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
4. The 11th Annual Meeting of the Israeli Society for Research, Prevention and Treatment of Atherosclerosis, 19-22 Oct 2006, Eilat, Israel
5. ECCB “5th European Conference on Computational Biology”, 21-24 Jan 2007, Eilat, Israel (Poster)   
6. The 12th Annual Meeting of the Israeli Society for Research, Prevention and Treatment of Atherosclerosis, 18-21Oct 2007, Eilat, Israel
7.  17th European Symposium on QSAR in "Omics" and System Biology, 21-26 Sep 2008, Uppsala, Sweden (Poster)
8.  The Fifth International Symposium on Computational Methods in Toxicology and Pharmacology Integrating Internet Resources (CMTPI 2009), 4-8 Jul 2009, Istanbul, Turkey (Poster)
9.  The 14th Annual Meeting of the Israeli Society for Research, Prevention and Treatment of Atherosclerosis, 15-18 Oct 2009, Eilat, Israel (Oral presentation – Young Investigators Grant Proposal Presentations)
10.  The 15th Annual Meeting of the Israeli Society for Research, Prevention and Treatment of Atherosclerosis, 14-17 Oct 2010, Eilat, Israel (Oral presentation – Young Investigators Grant Proposal Presentations)
11. 18th European Symposium on Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships, 19-24 Sep 2010, Rhodes, Greece (Poster)
12.  The 16th Annual Meeting of the Israeli Society for Research, Prevention and Treatment of Atherosclerosis, 15-18 Sep 2011, Eilat, Israel
13.  19th European Symposium on Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships, 26-30 Aug 2012, Vienna, Austria (Poster)
14.  The 17th Annual Meeting of the Israeli Society for Research, Prevention and Treatment of Atherosclerosis, 18-21 Oct 2012, Eilat, Israel
15.  The 2nd Annual World Congress of Food Science & Technology, 22-25 Sep 2013, Hangzhou, China (Invited lecture – Glabridin and other flavonoids protect PON1 from linoleic acid hydroperoxide inhibition via a specific interaction: a fluorescence quenching and molecular docking study)
16.  The Oxidative stress conference, 3rd-6th Oct 2014, Oropesa Spain, (lecture – The synthesis and analysis of S-Nitrosylated Paraoxonase 1).
17. Parkinson's disease and movement disorder, 11-13 Aug 2015, Frankfurt Germany,  (invited lecture –  Analysis of volatile organic compounds in rats with dopaminergic lesion: possible application for early detection of Parkinson’s disease.).