The Department of Biology at the College of Science, University of Mosul, held the PhD dissertation defense on Tuesday, 2 June 2026, entitled:

“Isolation and Characterization of Antimicrobial Substances and Neutralizing Agents Produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolated from Clinical Cases and Environmental Samples”

presented by the PhD candidate Ibtihal Idrees Kanaan Suleiman, from the Microbiology Branch.

The session was attended by the Dean of the College of Science, Prof. Dr. Hiam Adel Ibrahim, the Head of the Department of Biology, and a number of faculty members.

The dissertation aimed to isolate secondary metabolites produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa obtained from clinical and environmental samples using Soxhlet extraction. Chemical compounds were characterized and their molecular weights determined using GC–MS analysis. The study also investigated the effect of these metabolites on plasmid curing of antibiotic resistance genes, including tetracycline-resistance plasmid pRK415 and kanamycin-resistance plasmid pET30a.

Furthermore, the research examined the impact of these metabolites on gene expression related to virulence factors and biofilm formation in both Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli. In addition, the synergistic effects of the secondary metabolites with selected antibiotics against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were evaluated.

The examination committee was chaired by Prof. Dr. Amira Mahmoud Mohammed Al-Rawi, with membership of Prof. Dr. Mahdi Saleh Abdulrahman, Prof. Dr. Anmar Ahmed Dawood Suleiman, Asst. Prof. Dr. Younis Saadi Saeed Hussein, and Asst. Prof. Dr. Alaa Hussein Taha Mahmood, while the supervision was conducted by Prof. Dr. Ryan Mazen Faisal Al-Abbadi.

At the conclusion of the defense, and on behalf of the Dean of the College of Science, the Head of the Department of Biology, Prof. Dr. Amjad Abdulhadi, presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Prof. Dr. Mahdi Saleh Abdulrahman from the College of Science, University of Duhok, in recognition of his scientific efforts and active participation in the dissertation committee.

Media and Government Communication Division

Tuesday, 2 June 2026