- Previous Research Strategy.
Following the applicant’s graduation from the department of Biochemistry and Food Science, University of Kordofan and Khartoum, the Dr. Elnour stayed at the department of Biochemistry & processing at the Institute of Gum Arabic & Desertification Studies (IGADS) to engage in research in clinical Biochemistry and nutritional therapy, which are intimately connected with necessary medicine. The leading roles undertaken involve the followings;
- He is serving as a team leader of a research project; funded by the Sudanese Ministry of Science and Technology. He studied the effects of Gum arabic (GA) oral treatment on the renal profile of chronic renal failure patients under regular hemodialysis in El Obeid Teaching This project collaborated between IGADS and the Faculty of Medicine University of Kordofan, Elobied Kidney Diseases and Transplant Center El Obeid Teaching Hospital.
- Developing a new health food supplement from GA and Baobab fruit pulp powder for people with diabetes and hypertensive patients in collaboration with Darsavnna gum Company in Khartoum.
- Collecting and fractionating GA into two fractions for use as an oral treatment for chronic renal failure patients in collaboration with Elobeid Teaching Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kordofan.
Dr. Elnour has realized that he needs to further his professional knowledge and expertise. During his eight years of experience, he has been very interested in life sciences, biological chemistry, and nutritional therapy. Therefore, he thinks he has a unique advantage and has developed a strong ability to perform independent clinical research in his eight-year work experience (Post-MSC).
Interestingly, GA is a natural product recognized as safe by FAO and World Health Organization (WHO) in applications for treating degenerative diseases. The concepts and methodologies of nutritional therapy promise to solve related problems across different fields and positively impact multiple sustainable development goals (SDGs), including SDG-1, SDG-2, SDG-3, SDG-4, SDG-8, SDG-9, SDG-13, and SDG-17. Thus, Dr Elnour’s academic performance was described as outstanding, and as a result, it awarded him a special scholarship for outstanding students throughout his postgraduate career.
Apart from contributing to national and international conferences and workshops, Elnour took part as a fellow in the UK in 2010; Muscat, 2012; Marrakech, 2011; Sudan, March & Sep 2011; Jordan, 2011; Germany in 2009; Malaysia in 2015; 2016; 2017; 2018; the USA in 2021; and the UK 2022 conferences. Besides that, he had always made conscious efforts to improve his practical skills and hands-on abilities. He has achieved straight, as in all the internship-related subjects in his last year of the postgraduate program, winning the outstanding intern student award from Khartoum University, where he has interned. At his college, he served as the chairperson of the Biochemistry Study Group, winning first prizes for his group at various knowledge contests in polymer chemistry, advanced analytical chemistry, advanced research method, and Molecular Biology.
Upon his post-graduation, he took up a teaching position besides his running research projects as a part-time lecturer in Biochemistry and Molecular biology at the Faculty of the Veterinary Science University of West Kordofan. Addition to Lecturer: Offer Biochemistry, food science and natural products courses for undergraduate students at Kordofan University. This gave him the precious opportunity to apply his knowledge and be further exposed to research. Besides working as a senior research scientist at Biochemistry & Processing Department in GA Research Center, he devoted most of his time to advanced self-education in Molecular Biology. For two years, he had been responsible for delivering both theoretical and (pre-) experimental courses in Biochemistry & Techniques of Molecular Biology (PCR & ELISA), biostatistics, and advanced research method at the end of his M. Sc study, as well as after became a head department of Biochemistry & gum processing.
Moreover, he has been the first in his department to propose, design, implement, and introduce different methods into our department to adopt elicitation and bilingual education (Arabic and English) research methods. In a research project in which his Center collaborated with the faculty of medicine, Kordofan University prepared the pool of questions on the capability of GA health benefits in renal failure, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and gastrointestinal diseases. Dr Elnour prepared items concerning five chapters on gum chemistry and three chapters on gum application orally for patients suffering from mentioned diseases.
Dr Elnour, audited and self-studied many courses for graduate students and joined in their experiments. He has mastered the experimental skills in advanced instrumental analysis (FFM, AAS, GC-MS, and MC), Molecular Biology, and gel electrophoresis techniques. He is currently undertaking his research project study on GA to evaluate the potential and health benefits of treating gastrointestinal, hypertension, cancer, diabetes, and chronic renal failure diseases. By giving the relationship between the side effects of drugs and nutritional therapy using GA solution as an inhibiting co-stimulating pain of patients and its severity level. This led to the significance of the research project because the nutritional therapy by GA solution of mentioned diseases can explicate through the activation of anti-hypertensive action to control the risk of a factor of Alzheimer’s with hypertension disease.
- Present Research Strategy.
Requisite to the success of Elnour’s research, he has adeptness in many techniques and his ability to work collaboratively with other scientists on the extraction of leading bioactive compounds (antioxidants) from GA and its applications for anticancer and anti-inflammatory agent’s projects. When revolving around anticancer and anti-inflammatory, his research has included a biochemical analysis by UHPLC, GC-MS/MS, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy. It has required the extraction and characterization of bioactive compounds for their role in cell lines inhibitors and the ability to work with animal models (In-vivo) and cell culture (In-vitro) method.
Currently, Dr Elnour is finishing a project on the role of GA’s bioactive compounds extracted in ultra-sonication-assisted extraction techniques. This is a synthesis and biological evaluation of new inhibitors of methanolic crude extract and their active fractions of Acacia complex groups of gum relevant to the development of natural anticancer agents to treat human breast carcinoma (MCF-7), colon adenocarcinoma (HCT-116), and prostate cancer (PC3) human cell lines properties of the extract using in-vitro method and anti-inflammatory agents (in-vivo). We designed this project to understand GA methanolic extract’s fundamental processes and its mode of action. Modules studied include; Optimization Design, Antioxidant extraction, Bioactive compounds, Experimental Design, Chemical structure, Cytotoxicity evaluation, Biochemistry, and Pharmacology.
The link between antioxidants and cancer treatment such as MCF-7, HCT-116, and PC3 cell lines has been documented, yet the mechanism of action remains unknown. A natural antioxidant extracted for GA mimics such as Iso-vitamin C (42.37%), Crypton (5.86%), hydroquinone (4.86%), triacetic acid lactone (2.67%), 2,4-Di-tert-butylphenol (2.67%), cyanidin cation (2.05%), apigenin 7-glucoside (1.9%), benzoic acid (1.83%), (+)-α-tocopherol (1.58%), methyl catechol (1.42%), and 2,6-dimethylol-p-cresol (2.16%) respectively, which are used in the inhibition of cancer cells and anti-inflammatory, These bioactive compounds have been shown about 150 mg/kg dosage developed a mean and maximum percentage inhibition of 23.63% and 23.54% respectively, during the 24h observation of the acute inflammatory test.
- Future Research Interests.
The breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cell line is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women globally. The American Cancer Society reported about 268,600 new cancer cases corresponding to a 30% increase in 2022, whereas 685,000 are the estimated deaths in the USA only. The WHO estimated that 84 million people would die from cancer between 2005 and 2015. Thus, it makes up a severe public health problem in developed and developing countries. Given the role of GA bioactive compounds as a natural inhibitor of MCF-7 cell lines, the candidate would like to extend the above comparisons to include; organ-on-a-chip technology (OOAC), which is a project to have a global market of $6.13 billion by 2025, as well as other cell lines techniques. Furthermore, we propose to monitor the responses of professional methods of OOAC such as medicines and efficient practice of medicine in the next decade using this new tool, organ-on-a-chip.
Apoptosis has increased in a high concentration of reactive oxygen species it reduces formation in patients but when the antioxidant is present as it delocalized the reactive oxygen species (ROS) molecules in human cells. Therefore, we would like to investigate the effect of an antioxidant (bioactive compounds) extracted from GA on MCF-7 using the gut-on-a-chip model methodology.
Gut-on-a-chip: The Luminal (Upper) chamber is lined with enterocytes, and the lower chamber represents a draining vessel (bound with endothelial). This experiment will use polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to fabricate a gut-on-a-chip device with two chambers. Chips are usually made of but are not limited to, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) because of its transparency, ability to support the use of pneumatic valves, low toxicity, and high permeability to O2 and CO2, and the strength to be manufactured by techniques like soft lithography.
The upper channel (chamber) will represent the lumen of the gut, and a lower chamber drains a blood vessel. Both chambers will be approximately 300 µm high and fabricated using a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) master, where the channel shape will cut using a Universal Systems Laser Cutter (USLC). We will place a porous polycarbonate membrane between the two PDMS parts housing the chambers before bonding. Furthermore, a syringe pump will deliver media to the cells in the channels. We have made an intelligent partnership with a highly reputational university in the USA, and therefore, we would be very grateful to begin in our institution.
Likewise, the Dr Elnour is interested in the relationship between GA leading bioactive compounds application and the gut on-a-chip model, including apoptosis induction. I propose an analysis that would include the selection of gut-on-a-chip by various mechanisms, such as USLC.
Beyond the gut-on-a-chip project, Dr Elnour is interested in investigating the assay that employs flow cytometric analysis of propidium iodide-stained apoptotic nuclei, resulting in a broad peak hypodiploid particles from the sharp diploid DNA peak of healthy cells. This assay will help determine whether the cells are in the necrotic or apoptotic state, which is fundamental in tumor regression analysis.
- Interest in Science and the Media.
Dr Elnour has a deep passion for science communication, primarily through the written word. He has pursued this passion at International University Malaysia (IIUM) as a contributing writer to the Department of Biotechnology Focus magazine, where he wrote news and scientific articles on cutting-edge science at the Biotechnology Department. Dr Elnour would like to continue to author science articles for the popular press. Therefore, he is currently researching a report on GA as a leading source of probiotics to reduce obesity among ethnicity in Asia and the African population. Finally, Dr. Elnour is also interested in the role science plays in mainstream media and in how to promote communication between scientists and the public. There are many job opportunities for students interested in science and writing or the press.
Industrial placement
- 22/12/2015-to date: Research development (RD) and innovations at Perfect Life Food Containing Homogenized Ingredients Manufacturing Company (PLFCHIMC) in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates: The candidate has studied the use of Acacia gums (AGs) as a prebiotic in collaboration with PLFCHIMC. Currently, he is working as a consultant in the RD &I department, collaborating with the Biotechnology Department (BED); IIUM. For renowned research groups in biological studies, including the beating breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer, and developing a natural formula for boosting the innate immune system for Metabolic syndrome patients to fight the COVID-19 pandemic (two scientific articles have been submitted concerning these issues).
- 16/06/2005-to date: Research and development at Darsavnna Gum Company, Khartoum (DGCK): The candidate work has involved the antioxidant extraction derivatives used to investigate human cell lines’ biosynthesis and develop novel inhibitors for beating cancer. Several publications that resulted in this work have been published. The candidate has a comprehensive study on developing a new health food supplement from AGs and baobab fruit pulp powder for diabetes and hypertensive patients in collaboration. In 2007, he designed and implemented a research project collaborating with El Obeid Teaching Hospital on using AGs (mechanical powder) to treat patients with severe constipation and renal failure.
- Consultation with PLFCHIMC in Kuwait. Our work involved the antioxidant extraction derivatives used to investigate the human cell lines’ biosynthesis to develop novel cancer inhibitors. Several publications resulted from this work.
- Studying the use of GA as a prebiotic in collaboration with DGCK. Worked as part of Professor Nureddin Ashammakhi, University of California Los Angeles Nanosystems Institute international renowned research group in organs on a chip model Technology and cancer research.
- A comprehensive study of developing a new health food supplement from GA and baobab fruit pulp powder for diabetes and hypertensive patients in collaboration with Darsavnna Gum Company in Khartoum.
- Designing and implementing a research project in collaboration with El Obeid Teaching Hospital on using GA (mechanical powder) for treating patients with severe constipation.
