Abdel Halim Harrath عبد الحليم حراث

I am a Professor within the Department of Zoology, College of Science at King Saud University, Riyadh Saudi Arabia. I have expertise in the field of systems biology, in particular, how internal and external factors, including environmental factors, impact the structure and function of cells and tissues of the body (genes and proteins) and ultimately affect human health. 

My research portfolio encompasses a wide range of disciplines, including Cell Physiology, Molecular Biology, Cell and Developmental Biology, Toxicology, and Pharmacology. These areas of study are driven by a keen interest in the fetal programming of diseases and the influence of both internal and external factors on the health of future generations. Our research team employs a combination of classical tools, such as histopathology and transmission electron microscopy, along with modern techniques, including immunofluorescence staining, RT-PCR, and western blot, as well as other experimental approaches. This comprehensive approach allows us to investigate the underlying mechanisms by which certain cues impact the structure and function of various body systems. Interestingly, we recently started focusing on the use of some advanced techniques, such as RNAseq, single sequencing, genotyping, and epigenetic tools, to understand the implications of oxidative stress, apoptosis, and autophagy in some cellular and tissular disruptions, including female fertility, cancer, and endometriosis diseases. Moreover, the study of the protective effects of some plant extracts, seed components, as well as newly synthesized molecules in the control of different biological disruptions may serve to improve human health. 

I have secured several grants three of them were funded by the National Science, Technology and Innovation that was initiated by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (None of these grants is overlapping with the current application):

Project Number: 13-ENV1321-02 (2019-2023). 

• Project title: Involvement of oil-related environmental pollutants in the development of ovarian disorders, infertility and ovarian cancer: actions and mechanisms.
• Principal Investigator: Prof. Abdel Halim HarrathFunding organism: The National Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation (NPST)
• Budget: 1.837.000SR

Project Number: 13-MED1022-02

• Principal Investigator: Lahssen El Blidi
• Project title: Towards pharmacological chaperone therapy for the treatment of genetic lysosomal disorders
• Funding organism: The National Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation (NPST)
• Funding organism: The National Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation (NPST)
• Budget: 1.556.000SR

Google scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=jsO92IIAAAAJ&view_op=li…

Prof. Abdel Halim HARRATH
King Saud University 
Zoology Department, College of Science
P.O.  Box  2455,  Riyadh  11451 
Saudi  Arabia 
Tel: +966 11 46 75 915
Cell phone: +966 535 862 799
https://fac.ksu.edu.sa/hharrath/home
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Halim_Harrath
https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=33473682&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile_pic

My academic career has been involved in several fields of biology and we can consider me as a hybrid. I  have participated in a large-scale multidisciplinary of biology related to both basic and applied research projects. My Ph.D studies were centered around the comprehension of the mechanisms of reproduction and developmental  biology using the freshwater planarian Schmidtea mediterranea as a model.

My postdoctoral studies were balancing between two different fields of research: a) Reproduction and developmental biology and, b) Evolutionary biology. The last research axis which is mainly focusing on the biosystematics and molecular phylogenetics of planarians has been developed under the supervision of Prof. Marta Riutort (University of Barcelona, Spain) and Dr. Ronald Sluys (University of Amsterdam, Netherlands). I then moved to the King Saud University where I gradually focused my work, with respect to the first field of basic research, in a new direction of applied research: "The fetal programming research". We are particularly interested in the effect of some environmental perturbations, mainly nutrition and pollution, on gametogenesis and pregnancy, and thus on the heath of the new generations. Indeed, the gametogenesis and the early fetal development are critical determinants of adult physiology. In fact, some cases of adulthood diseases can be attributed to an adverse embryonic environment that leads to permanent changes in growth, metabolism and the vasculature of various organs, which predisposes the child to adulthood diseases. We are also interested to expand knowledge about the mechanisms of actions and areas of applications of selected candidate molecules of plant extracts in control of gametogenesis, in particular female reproductive processes. For that, rats and rabbits represent excellent models for studying and testing new drugs. Using these models, we try to examine in vivo and in vitro effects, mechanisms and areas of possible application of plant and seed components in control of different female reproductive processes such as ovarian cell proliferation, ovarian cell apoptosis, ovarian follicle growth and maturation and embryo development.

COOPERATION Systems Biology Group Lab, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy Institute of Animal Genetics & Reproduction", Animal Production Research Centre Nitra, Slovakia Evolution and Development Departmenti di Genètica, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED) à l’Université d’Amsterdam

Harrath, A.H., strup O.b, Rafay J.de, Koničková I.d, Laurincik J.c, Sirotkin, A.V. 2017. Metabolic state defines the response of rabbit ovarian cells to leptin. In press, Reproductive Biology. VLCKOVA, R., SOPKOVA, D., ANDREJCAKOVA, Z., VALOCKY, I., KADASI, A., HARRATH, A. H., PETRILLA, V. & SIROTKIN, A. V. 2017. Dietary supplementation of yucca (Yucca schidigera) affects ovine ovarian functions. Theriogenology, 88, 158-165. Harrath, A.H., Semlali A., Mansour L., Aldahmash W., Al Omar S.Y, Al Anazi M.S., Nyengaard J., Alwasel S. 2017. Dynamics of cytokine-like activity in the hyperplasic ovary of ex-fissiparous planarians. Biological bulletin 232 (1): 1-15. Sirotkin A.V., Alexa R., Kádasi A., Štochmaľová A., Harrath A., Grossmann R. 2017. The soy isoflavone daidzein directly affects porcine ovarian cell functions and modifies the effect of FSH. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr 101(1):127-135 BIZZARRI, M., CUCINA, A., DINICOLA, S., HARRATH, A. H., ALWASEL, S. H., UNFER, V. & BEVILACQUA, A. 2016. Does myo-inositol effect on PCOS follicles involve cytoskeleton regulation? Medical Hypotheses, 91, 1-5. DINICOLA, S., FABRIZI, G., MASIELLO, M. G., PROIETTI, S., PALOMBO, A., MININI, M., HARRATH, A.H., ALWASEL, S. H., RICCI, G., CATIZONE, A., CUCINA, A. & BIZZARRI, M. 2016. Inositol induces mesenchymal-epithelial reversion in breast cancer cells through cytoskeleton rearrangement. Experimental Cell Research, 345, 37-50. DINICOLA, S., PASQUALATO, A., PROIETTI, S., MASIELLO, M. G., PALOMBO, A., COLUCCIA, P., CANIPARI, R., CATIZONE, A., RICCI, G., HARRATH, A. H., ALWASEL, S. H., CUCINA, A. & BIZZARRI, M. 2016. Paradoxical E-cadherin increase in 5FU-resistant colon cancer is unaffected during mesenchymal-epithelial reversion induced by gamma-secretase inhibition. Life Sciences, 145, 174-183. GAMMOUDI, M., SALVENMOSER, W., HARRATH, A. H., TEKAYA, S. & EGGER, B. 2016. Ultrastructure of spermatogenesis and mature spermatozoa in the flatworm Prosthiostomum siphunculus (Polycladida, Cotylea). Cell Biology International, 40, 277-288. GAMMOUDI, M., SALVENMOSER, W., TEKAYA, S. & EGGER, B. 2016. Ultrastructure of the ovary and oogenesis in the flatworm Prosthiostomum siphunculus (Polycladida, Cotylea). Cell Biology International, 40, 1174-1186. KHALED, I., FERJANI, H., BEN AHMED, R. & HARRATH, A. H. 2016. Effects of oil-related environmental pollutants on gonads of the freshwater leech Limnatis nilotica (Annelida, Hirudinea). Invertebrate Reproduction & Development, 60, 263-270. KLIOSNKY, D., … HARRATH, A. H….. 2016. Guidelines for the Use and Interpretation of Assays for Monitoring Autophagy (3rd edition) (vol 12, pg 1, 2015). Autophagy, 12, 443-443. PASTA, V., DINICOLA, S., GIULIANI, A., HARRATH, A. H., ALWASEL, S. H., TARTAGLIA, F., CUCINA, A. & BIZZARRI, M. 2016. A Randomized Pilot Study of Inositol in Association with Betaine and Boswellia in the Management of Mastalgia and Benign Breast Lump in Premenopausal Women. Breast Cancer-Basic and Clinical Research, 10. PASTA, V., DINICOLA, S., GIULIANI, A., HARRATH, A. H., ALWASEL, S. H., TARTAGLIA, F., CUCINA, A. & BIZZARRI, M. 2016. A randomized trial of Boswellia in association with betaine and myo-inositol in the management of breast fibroadenomas. European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 20, 1860-1865. SIROTKIN, A. V., HARRATH, A. H. & GROSSMANN, R. 2016. Comparison of the effects of human and chicken ghrelin on chicken ovarian hormone release. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B-Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, 201, 59-63. SIROTKIN, A. V., HARRATH, A. H. & GROSSMANN, R. 2016. The role of metabolic state and obestatin in control of chicken ovarian hormone release. Poultry Science, 95, 1939-1942. SIROTKIN, A. V., MERTIN, D., SUVEGOVA, K., LAURICIK, J., MOROVIC, M., HARRATH, A. H. & KOTWICA, J. 2016. Mink aging is associated with a reduction in ovarian hormone release and the response to FSH and ghrelin. Theriogenology, 86, 1175-1181. SIROTKIN, A. V., MESZAROSOVA, M., HARRATH, A. H. & GROSSMANN, R. 2016. Obestatin Directly Controls Chicken Ovarian Cell Functions. Journal of Biological Regulators and Homeostatic Agents, 30, 665-674. SIROTKIN, A. V., ORAVCOVA, M., SLAMECKA, J., HARRATH, A. H. & RAJSKY, M. 2016. Interrelationships between reproductive cycle, age, body weight and steroid hormones in roe deer females (Capreolus capreolus). Folia Zoologica, 65, 59-64. Pasta, V., Gullo, G., Giuliani, A., Harrath, A.H., Alwasel, S., Tartaglia, F., Cucina, A. & Bizzarri, M. 2015. An association of boswellia, betaine and myo-inositol (Eumastόs®) in the treatment of mammographic breast density: a randomized, double-bind study. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 9(22):4419-26. Harrath, A.H., Alwasel, s., Khaled, i., Mansour, l., Sirotkin, a.v. and Faramawi, f. 2015.  Pregnancy exposure to atmospheric pollutants and placental weight in a Tunisian population". Fresen. Environ. Bull, 24 (11): 4184-4189”. Sirotkin, a.v., Kardošová, d., Alwasel, S. & Harrath, a.h. 2015. Neuropeptide Y can directly control ovarian cell proliferation and apoptosis. Rep. Biol. 15(4):257-60. Al Omar, S.Y, Daoud, A., Alarifi, s., Harrath, A.H., Mansour, l., Alwasel, s., 2015. Evaluation of cytotoxic, oxidative stress, proinflammatory and genotoxic effect of silver nanoparticles in human lung epithelial cells. Environ. Toxicol. 30 (2): 149-160. Sirotkin, a.v., Alexa, r., Dekanová, d., Kádasi, a., Štochmaľová, a., Grossmann, r., Alwasel, s. & Harrath, a.H. 2015. The mTOR system can affect basic porcine ovarian cell functions and mediate the effect of ovarian hormonal regulators. Int J Pharmacol, 11 (6), 570-578. Ben Ali, M., guesmi, F., Harrath, A.H., Alwasel, s., Hedfi, A., Ncib, S., Landoulsi, A., aldahmash, B., Ben-Attia, M. 2015. Investigation of Antiulcer and Antioxidant Activity of Juniperus phoenicea (Cupressaceae) Essential Oil in an Experimental Rat Model. Biol. Pharm. Bull., 38 (11): 1738-1746. SIROTKIN, A. V., ALEXA, R., KISOVA, G., HARRATH, A. H., ALWASEL, S., OVCHARENKO, D. & MLYNCEK, M. 2015. MicroRNAs control transcription factor NF-kB (p65) expression in human ovarian cells. Funct Integr Genomics, 15, 271-5. HARRATH, A. H., SEMLALI, A., MANSOUR, L., AHMED, M., SIROTKIN, A. V., AL OMAR, S. Y., ARFAH, M., AL ANAZI, M. S., ALHAZZA, I. M., NYENGAARD, J. R. & ALWASEL, S. 2014. Infertility in the hyperplasic ovary of freshwater planarians: the role of programmed cell death. Cell Tissue Res,. 358, 607-20 Sirotkin, a.v. & HARRATH, A. H.,. 2014. Phytoestrogens and their effects. Eur J Pharmacol, 741: 230-236. ALI, D., YADAV, P. G., KUMAR, S., ALI, H., ALARIFI, S. & HARRATH, A. H. 2014. Sensitivity of freshwater pulmonate snail Lymnaea luteola L., to silver nanoparticles. Chemosphere, 104, 134-40. AHMED, M., ALI, D., HARRATH, A. H., HUSSAIN, T., AL-DAGHRI, N., ALOKAIL, M. S., ALADAKATTI, R. H. & GHODESAWAR, M. A. 2014. Ultrastructural and hormonal changes in rat cauda epididymal spermatozoa induced by Boswellia papyrifera and Boswellia carterii. C R Biol, 337, 250-7. ALWASEL, S. H., HARRATH, A. H., ALDAHMASH, W. M., ABOTALIB, Z., NYENGAARD, J. R., OSMOND, C., DILWORTH, M. R., AL OMAR, S. Y., JERAH, A. A. & BARKER, D. J. 2014. Sex differences in regional specialisation across the placental surface. Placenta, 35, 365-9. HARRATH, A. H., GAMMOUDI, M., MANSOUR, L., AHMED, M., SIROTKIN, A. V., AL OMAR, S. Y., IBRAHIM, K. E. & ALWASEL, S. H. 2014. Investigation of the ultrastructure of Dendrocoelum constrictum (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida) spermatogenesis and mature spermatozoa. C R Biol, 337, 513-20. SIROTKIN, A. V., DEKANOVA, P., HARRATH, A. H., ALWASEL, S. H. & VASICEK, D. 2014. Interrelationships between sirtuin 1 and transcription factors p53 and NF-kappaB (p50/p65) in the control of ovarian cell apoptosis and proliferation. Cell Tissue Res, 358, 627-32. SIROTKIN, A. V. & HARRATH, A. H. 2014. Phytoestrogens and their effects. Eur J Pharmacol, 741, 230-6. AHMED, M., AL-DAGHRI, N., HARRATH, A. H., ALOKAIL, M. S., ALADAKATTI, R. H., GHODESAWAR, M. A. & ALWASEL, S. 2013. Potential ultrastructural changes in rat epididymal cell types induced by Boswellia papyrifera and Boswellia carterii incense. C R Biol, 336, 392-9. ALWASEL, S. H., HARRATH, A., ALJARALLAH, J. S., ABOTALIB, Z., OSMOND, C., AL OMAR, S. Y., KHALED, I. & BARKER, D. J. 2013a. Intergenerational effects of in utero exposure to Ramadan in Tunisia. Am J Hum Biol, 25, 341-3. ALWASEL, S. H., HARRATH, A. H., ALJARALLAH, J. S., ABOTALIB, Z., OSMOND, C., AL OMAR, S. Y., THORNBURG, K. & BARKER, D. J. 2013b. The velocity of fetal growth is associated with the breadth of the placental surface, but not with the length. Am J Hum Biol, 25, 534-7. HARRATH, A. H., AHMED, M., SAYED, S. R., SAIFI, M. A. & ALWASEL, S. H. 2013. An ultrastructural study of oogenesis and cell dynamics during cocoon shell secretion in the subterranean freshwater planarian Dendrocoelum constrictum (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida). Tissue Cell, 45, 39-46. HARRATH, A. H., SLUYS, R., ALDAHMASH, W., AL-RAZAKI, A. & ALWASEL, S. 2013. Reproductive Strategies, Karyology, Parasites, and Taxonomic Status of Dugesia Populations from Yemen (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida: Dugesiidae). Zoological Science, 30, 502-508. PAVLOVA, S., KLUCSKA, K., VASICEK, D., RYBAN, L., HARRATH, A. H., ALWASEL, S. H. & SIROTKIN, A. V. 2013. The involvement of SIRT1 and transcription factor NF-kappaB (p50/p65) in regulation of porcine ovarian cell function. Anim Reprod Sci, 140, 180-8. ALWASEL, S. H., ABOTALIB, Z., ALJARALLAH, J. S., OSMOND, C., AL OMAR, S. Y., HARRATH, A., THORNBURG, K. & BARKER, D. J. 2012. The breadth of the placental surface but not the length is associated with body size at birth. Placenta, 33, 619-22. HARRATH, A. H., ALWASEL, S., ZGHAL, F. & TEKAYA, S. 2012. Ultrastructure of spermatogenesis and mature spermatozoon of the freshwater planarian Schmidtea mediterranea (Platyhelminthes, Paludicola). C R Biol, 335, 87-95. Sirotkin, V., Kádasi, a., Baláži, a., Baková, z.,  Harrath, a.h., Makarevich, a.v.,  Kolesárová, a., Chrenek, p., Kotwica, j. & Tóth, t. 2012. Influence of petrochemical Industry environmental contaminants on animal ovarian cells. J Micro Biotechnol Food Sci (JMBFS), 2 (3), 517-525. ALWASEL, S. H., ABOTALIB, Z., ALJARALLAH, J. S., OSMOND, C., ALKHARAZ, S. M., ALHAZZA, I. M., HARRATH, A., THORNBURG, K. & BARKER, D. J. 2011. Secular increase in placental weight in Saudi Arabia. Placenta, 32, 391-4. LAZARO, E. M., HARRATH, A. H., STOCCHINO, G. A., PALA, M., BAGUNA, J. & RIUTORT, M. 2011. Schmidtea mediterranea phylogeography: an old species surviving on a few Mediterranean islands? BMC Evolutionary Biology, 11, 274. ALWASEL, S. H., ABOTALIB, Z., ALJARALLAH, J. S., OSMOND, C., ALKHARAZ, S. M., ALHAZZA, I. M., HARRATH, A., THORNBURG, K. & BARKER, D. J. 2011. Sex differences in birth size and intergenerational effects of intrauterine exposure to Ramadan in Saudi Arabia. Am J Hum Biol, 23, 651-4. HARRATH, A. H., ALWASAL, S. H., ALHAZZA, I., ZGHAL, F. & TEKAYA, S. 2011. An ultrastructural study of oogenesis in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea (Platyhelminthe, Paludicola). C R Biol, 334, 516-25. HARRATH, A. H., SLUYS, R., ZGHAL, F. & TEKAYA, S. 2009. First report of adelphophagy in flatworms during the embryonic development of the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea (Benazzi, Baguna, Ballester, Puccinelli & Del Papa, 1975) (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida). Invertebrate Reproduction & Development, 53, 117-124.