Dr. Mohamed Hafez Abdel-Fattah
- Investigate plant-microbe interactions at the molecular level using multi-omics approaches (genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics).
- Identification and biochemical characterization of protein effectors encoded by fungal plant pathogens (i.e. necrotrophic effectors encoded by wheat leaf spot fungal pathogens).
- Developing molecular diagnostic tools for detection, quantification and differentiation between important pathogens infecting major crops in Canada.
- Screen for virulence changes and molecular mechanisms underlying fungicide tolerance among major fungal plant pathogens affecting cereal crops in Canada.
- Investigate the impact of different crop management options (like fungicide applications, crop rotations, residue management, row spacing, water volume, … etc) on disease severity and yield.
Current research and/or projects
Effector based screening for leaf spot complex in Canada
Investigating crop management options to lessen the impact of fusarium head blight in wheat.
Education and awards
Education:
- Ph.D. in Microbiology, (2012).
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
- M.Sc. in Microbiology, (2004)
Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt. - B.Sc. in Microbiology, (1997)
Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
Awards, scholarships and fellowships:
- 2022: University of British Columbia Science Co-op Spervisor Recognition Award.
- 2019: Best oral presentation, the 40th annual meeting of the Plant Pathology Society of Alberta (PPSA), Lacombe, AB, Canada.
- 2017-2018: Postdoctoral fellowship from MITACS (Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems) and Manitoba pulse growers association. Project: Characterizing the Fusarium spp. that affect major crops in Manitoba.
- 2012-2015: Postdoctoral fellowship, University of Montreal and Genome Quebec/Canada. Project: Improving bioremediation of polluted soils through environmental genomics.
- 2011: Best poster presentation, the 61st Canadian Society of Microbiologists (CMS) conference, St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. Cedarlane Student Symposium Award.
- 2008-2012: Ph.D. Scholarship (4 years) from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (Egypt) and the Egyptian Cultural and Educational Bureau (ECEB), Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
International experience and/or work
- Assistant professor (2015 - 2017), Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez University, Suez, Egypt.
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Assistant lecturer (2004 - 2008), Biological Sciences Department, Faculty of Education, Suez Canal University (Suez branch), Suez, Egypt
Additional links
Key publications
Hafez, M., Gourlie, R., McDonald, M., Telfer M., Carmona, M.A., Sautua, F.J., Moffat, C.S., Moolhuijzen, P.M., See, P.T., Aboukhaddour, R. (2023). Evolution of the ToxB gene in Pyrenophora tritici-repentis and related species. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 37(3), pp.327-337.
Aboukhaddour, R., Hafez, M., McDonald, M., Moffat, C., Navathe, S., Friesen, T.L., Strelkov, S.E., Oliver, R.P., Tan, K.C., Liu, Z. and Moolhuijzen, P., Huyen Phan, Pao Theen See, Peter Solomon (2023). A revised nomenclature for ToxA haplotypes across multiple fungal species. Phytopathology, 113-1180-1184
Gourlie, R., McDonald, M., Hafez, M., Ortega-Polo, R., Low, K.E., Abbott, D.W., Strelkov, S.E., Daayf, F. and Aboukhaddour, R. (2022). The pangenome of the wheat pathogen Pyrenophora tritici-repentis reveals novel transposons associated with necrotrophic effectors ToxA and ToxB. BMC biology, 20(1), pp.1-21
Hafez, M., Despins, T., Nakajima, K. and Aboukhaddour, R. (2022). Identification of a novel ToxA haplotype of Pyrenophora tritici-repentis from Japan. Phytopathology, 112(8), pp.1597-1602
Hafez, M., Gourlie, R., Telfer, M., Schatz, N., Turkington, K., Beres B., and Aboukhaddour R. (2022). Diversity of Fusarium spp. associated with wheat node and grain in representative sites across the western Canadian Prairies. Phytopathology, 112(5), pp.1003-1015
Hafez M., Abdelmagid A,, Adam A., and Daayf F. (2021). Fusarium root rot complex in soybean: Molecular characterization, trichothecene formation and cross-pathogenicity. Phytopathology, 111(12), pp. 2287-2302
Abdelmagid, A., Hafez M., Lawley, Y., Rehal, P.K. and Daayf, F. (2021). First report of pod and stem blight and seed decay caused by Diaporthe longicolla on soybean in western Canada. Plant Disease, March 2022 1061
Hafez, M., Gourlie, R., Despins, T., Turkington, T.K., Friesen, T.L. and Aboukhaddour, R., (2020). Parastagonospora nodorum and related species in western Canada: Genetic variability and effector genes. Phytopathology, 110(12), pp.1946-1958
Abdelmagid, A., Hafez, M., Soliman, A., Adam, L.R. and Daayf, F. (2020). First report of Fusarium sporotrichioides causing root rot of soybean in Canada and detection of the pathogen in host tissues by PCR. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology, 43(4), pp.527-536
Hafez, M., Abdelmagid, A., Adam, L.R. and Daayf, F. (2020). Specific detection and identification of Fusarium graminearum sensu stricto using a PCR-RFLP tool and specific primers targeting the translational elongation factor 1α gene. Plant Disease, 104(4), pp.1076-1086
Kamel, S., Cherif, M., Hafez, M., Despins, T. and Aboukhaddour, R. (2019). Pyrenophora tritici–repentis in Tunisia: race structure and effector genes. Frontiers in plant science, 10, Article 1562
ORCID