Journal of Camel Practice and Research

My journey into camel science began in September 1990 when I joined a field mission to eastern Sudan to investigate an outbreak of a skin disease in camels. I worked in a French Sudanese Camel Research Project and studied the husbandry and production parameters of camels in the Butana area of eastern Sudan. I was awarded a research grant from the International Foundation for Science (IFS) to fund my Ph.D. research on pox and pox-like diseases in camels. Later in my post-doctoral training,with Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship in Germany from 2001 to 2003 under the guidance of Professor Matthias Buetner, I learnt molecular techniques. In January 2010, I accepted a new position in ACSAD in Syria. This role expanded my expertise in the field of camel development, including production and marketing in Sudan, Algeria, and Morocco. Later, I joined King Faisal University (KFU) in Saudi Arabia in July 2012 and established a research laboratory at the Camel Research Centre that focused on using advanced molecular techniques to diagnose and differentiate camel diseases. Our research aimed to develop multiplex PCR for rapid disease diagnosis, detect MERS-CoV, phylogenetic analysis of camel contagious ecthyma virus, and identify pathogens associated with reproductive health issues in both male and female camels. In July 2016, I moved to the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), where I established a virology laboratory with a BSL-3 facility and implemented specialised diagnostic tests for camels. One of my significant accomplishments at ADAFSA was leading capacity-building and research activities that led to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) designating our veterinary laboratories as a Collaborating Centre for Quality Management in Veterinary Laboratories in 2020 and as a collaborating centre for camel diseases in 2021. Our center’s mission remained to monitor emerging infectious diseases affecting camel health and their zoonotic potential throughout camel-raising countries. The culmination of my decades of work is showcased in the 2021 book-Infectious Diseases of Dromedary Camels, which I co-authored with the late Professor Mansour Hussein. My journey exemplifies how a scholar’s work can expand in scope while deepening in scientific merit, ultimately leaving a lasting legacy in the field of camel science. International leadership I have taken on a prominent leadership role in international scientific Organisations, utilising my extensive expertise to influence global policy and advance research in veterinary medicine. My contributions span some key Organisations, with a particular focus on animal health, disease control, and the study of camelids. I have demonstrated my leadership skills by progressing to a key position within the PPR Global Research and Expertise Network (PPR-GREN), a collaborative initiative of the FAO and WOAH, and I was first elected as a bureau member in 2021. I served as Secretary-General of ISOCARD from 2009 to 2012 and later as Chairman from 2012 to 2015, during which I played a crucial role in advancing the scientific understanding of camelids.