Khaled Alkassem

After my graduation from Arab International University in 2010 as a pharmacist, I worked for two years in pharmaceutical industry, namely Orient Pharma. This brought my attention to other career paths, including expansion of my knowledge and specializing in pharmaceutics and instrumental analytics. For this matter, I contacted Prof. Neubert whom I met during the International Winter School held in AIU. In 2012, I started my diploma study at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, focusing on developing a novel method for analysis of main compounds present in a Chinese medicinal mushroom (Ganoderma). During 9 months, I gained valuable hands-on experience in various analytical techniques; I isolated a group of ganoderic acids using column chromatography and semi-preparative HPLC, followed by their analysis with capillary electrophoresis. I graduated with top ranking of 1.0, which opened the doors of more career options. Through cooperation with Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, I was offered there a position as a research assistant with the purpose of isolating more pure compounds, for exhibiting promising skin healing properties. In 2014, I was awarded a scholarship from DAAD to obtain a PhD degree in Pharmacy at the same university, with the aim of treating vitamin D deficiency using a semisolid formulation containing the mentioned medicinal mushroom. In addition to my workplace in the institute of Pharmacy, I develop cream formulations in Skinomics, a company specialized in dermal applications and research. Furthermore, I cooperated with the university hospital in Halle where I perform skin penetration experiments, and with Leibniz Institute where almost all of my mass spectrometry measurements (LC-MS) take place. I took part in many seminars including holding a speech at Kiel University (2015) about the isolation of compounds from natural products, and attending chromatography seminars organized by Thermo Fischer, a leading company in the industry.