Professor Talaat Ahmed is a Research Professor of Plant Molecular Genetics. He obtained his Ph.D. from Yokohama City University, Japan, in 2000. He then worked as a postdoctoral research associate at Chiba University in Japan for two years under a fellowship from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). He also worked as a visiting researcher at the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) and the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), at Tsukuba, Japan.
Dr Talaat Ahmed contributed to the establishment of the Environmental Sciences undergraduate program as well as graduate programs in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences. He also served as the Coordinator of the Biological Sciences Program from 2014 to 2015. In 2018, he moved to the Environmental Science Center, where he established the Plant Biotechnology and Tissue Culture Laboratory.
Professor Talaat Ahmed’s research interests focus primarily on sustainable agriculture and environmental sciences, addressing the challenges of the arid climate in the State of Qatar. One of his main research themes is enhancing food security by improving the resilience and productivity of major crops such as date palm, vegetables, and wheat under environmental stresses, particularly salinity and drought.
His research integrates modern biotechnological approaches, including nanotechnology, genetic engineering, and soil microbiology. In addition, he has a strong interest in environmental stewardship through projects related to soil health, sustainable water reuse for irrigation, and conservation of native Qatari plant species. His research also explores the valorization of local biological resources, such as converting agricultural waste into bioethanol and identifying bioactive compounds in desert plants for potential medical applications.
Professor Talaat Ahmed has achieved significant scientific impact, publishing more than 117 peer-reviewed scientific papers, in addition to numerous international conference papers. He has led and managed national and international research projects with funding exceeding $8.0 million and has contributed to building strategic partnerships with both industry and government sectors.
His scientific and professional contributions have been widely recognized. He serves on editorial boards of reputable scientific journals and acts as a reviewer and expert for international research funding agencies. He also plays an active role in supervising graduate students and building research capacity in agricultural and environmental sciences.