Dr Wael Houssen

Biography

Wael Houssen is a chemical biologist whose research is centered on the biosynthesis of natural products. His group explores natural compounds with significant medicinal properties, with a particular interest in  the enzymatic machinery responsible for their assembly.

The Houssen's Lab identifies, engineer and recruit biosynthetic enzymes as powerful tools for organic synthesis, enabling new and efficient routes to bioactive molecules. The group employs a synergistic approach combining in silico design, synthetic chemistry and in vitro biosynthesis to generate libraries of bespoke challenging-to make compounds. 

These compounds serve not only as potential drug leads but also as chemical probes to investigate the molecular mechanisms of drug action within the cell. Dr. Houssen’s research bridges the gap between chemical biology and drug discovery, contributing valuable insight into both fundamental biosynthesis and translational biomedical science.

Current positions:

• 2024-: International Partnership Lead, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen.
• 2022-: Lead of the Immunotherapy and Immunomodulation section, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen (https://www.abdn.ac.uk/ims/research/microbiology-and-immunity/).
• 2022-: Reader, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen.

External Memberships

• Member of the EPSRC Peer Review College.
• Member of the European Science Foundation (ESF) College of Expert Reviewers.
• Member of the American Peptide Society.
• Member of the RSC Chemical Biology and Bioorganic Group (CBBG) committee. 
• Member of EPSRC Engineering peer review prioritisation panel, June 2022.
• Member of the RSC Aberdeen and North Scotland local section committee.

Prizes and Awards

• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) fellow (2019-2024).
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK).
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
• University of Aberdeen Principal’s Prize for Research and Engagement (2019).
• Development Co-operation prize from the Royal Museum for Central Africa, Belgium (2000). 

Research Overview

My research is in the broad areas of chemical and synthetic biology as applied to drug discovery. It involves the identification and biochemical characterization of new enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of modified cyclic peptides. These compounds have high therapeutic potential but are challenging to be synthesised using chemical approaches. I overexpress these enzymes in a bacteria that can be cultured in the lab, engineer and recruit them to produce bespoke modified macrocyclic peptides in vitro. These peptides are in silico designed to interact with challenging targets underlying severe or life threatening diseases e.g. Covid-19, cancer, diabetes and autoimmune disorders. I use variety of assays to test the affinity of these peptides to their targets and use the results to improve the design process.

Our research is very multidisciplinary and involves elements of biochemistry, chemical biology, in silico drug design, peptide solid phase synthesis, genome mining and synthetic biology.

We also have special interest in exploring the therapeutic potential of peptides from animal venoms e.g. scorpions and apply our expertise to produce them and derivatives thereof in quantities sufficient for biological testing.

You can watch this research and Tour our lab in this video. On this lab tour, you'll see how scientists are turning toxins from nature’s fiercest creatures into potential therapeutics against global health threats like COVID-19. 

Lab Facilities

My Lab is very well-equipped for molecular biology (PCR, high pressure homogeniser, DNA and protein gel electrophoresis), peptide synthesis (automated microwave peptide synthesiser), chromatography (Agilent HPLC with DAD), Protein purification (two Biorad NGC medium-pressure liquid chromatography systems), microbial fermentation (autoclavable glass bioreactors and shaking and static incubators) and in silico drug design (a dedicated Linux station connected to our supercomputing facility and different software packages). 

Lab Members

Our lab is proudly multinational, with members originating from a variety of countries including UK, Egypt, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain, Iraq, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Sweden, India and Mexico, reflecting the global nature of modern scientific research and collaboration. This cultural and academic diversity strengthens the lab's innovative capacity and fosters a dynamic, inclusive environment for interdisciplinary research.

Lab leader:

Wael Houssen

Postdocs:  

Mohamed Elzayat

PhD students:

Sanad Alfadhel

Joelle Mergola-Greef

Meshari Alfurayh

Former Lab Members:

Arturo Landeros de la Isla

Alessandro Colombano

Claudia Clemente

Nicholas Johnson

Luca Dalponte

Mohannad Idress

Cristina Alexnadru-Crivac

Ahmad Ghazal

Miranda Andrews

Kirstie Rickaby

Anna Müller

Marvin Larbi

Akshay Babu 

Interns/Guests

Taj Muhammad

Mohamed Nafie

Paloma van Setten

Antonella Niro

Some of the Most Cherished Moments.... 

My mission is to empower tomorrow's scientists to shape a better world. Through love, care and passion, I nurture curious minds, spark innovation and support every step in the journey. Below are some of my most cherished moments with the group 

Knowledge Exchange

Public Outreach

I am an active STEM Ambassador and have organised a variety of outreach activities at schools across Aberdeen, aiming to inspire young people through the wonders of chemistry and chemical biology. My sessions incorporate a wide range of innovative tools, including 3D-printed models, virtual reality, and genetically engineered cells that express colourful proteins. For example, I’ve used these engineered cells to  draw images on agar plates- please have a look at my Microbial Art below.

My outreach efforts are inclusive and designed for children of all ages, from nursery pupils to secondary school students, including those with special educational needs. I also engage wider audiences by delivering public lectures at events such as PechaKucha nights.

Below are photos from some of these events.

Disclaimer: All photos of children are shared with written parental/guardian consent.

My Microbial Art

This brochure contains a selection of puzzles designed to both challenge, educate and entertain- enjoy

Engagement with policy makers and impact on policy

• I was invited by the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity to conduct a study on the current use and application of digital sequence information on genetic resources in academia and industry, May 2019. This study is available at https://www.cbd.int/doc/c/fef9/2f90/70f037ccc5da885dfb293e88/dsi-ahteg-2020-01-03-en.pdf
• A policy brief based on the above study is available at https://www.dosi-project.org/wp-content/uploads/070-DSI-Policy-brief-V4-WEB.pdf
• I was invited to present my research work at the House of Commons as part of the 2018 STEM for Britain.

Our Lab in the Media Spotlight...

Funding and Grants

Recent Awards

Non-course Teaching Responsibilities

• Coordinator of the BT5013 MSc Small Molecule Drug Discovery course.

• Design and delivery of the annual EASTBIO Masterclass “Introduction to Chemistry for Biologists”.

• Committee member for three PhD students from University of Louisiana at Monroe, USA (2011, 2015 and 2020).