FOUNDER
Nouf Mahmoud, MSc, PhD, EMBA
Associate Professor | Research Scientist | Pharmaceutics | Biomedical sciences | Research Management | Research Innovation | Science Commercialisation | Entrepreneurship | Business Models.
Dr. Nouf, the founder of CROSSTALK LAB, has over twenty years of experience in pharmaceuticals and biomedical sciences, higher education, mentoring, and impactful scientific research. A dynamic force in the field, Dr. Nouf is deeply passionate about supporting young scientists, extracting value from science, and bridging the gap between academia and business through innovative approaches.
Dr. Nouf, the founder of CROSSTALK LAB, is a distinguished professional renowned for impactful international collaborations, teaching, mentoring, and scientific research. Noteworthy engagements include:
* International Collaborations in Scientific Research
Engaging in impactful international collaborations, Dr. Nouf has conducted groundbreaking scientific research and utilized cutting-edge technologies at esteemed institutions worldwide. Notable contributions include pharmaceuticals, biomaterials, nanotechnology, and leadership in Jordan, USA, UK, Italy, France, Germany, China, and Qatar.
* Key Competencies Across Diverse Fields
Dr. Nouf's key competencies are vast and diverse, encompassing higher education, the pharmaceutical industry, quality assurance, research in pharmaceutics, nanotechnology, microbiology, biotechnology, cancer targeting, wound healing, molecular medicine, and toxicology. Dr. Nouf is also proficient in research management, lab management, social sciences, leadership, and research innovation, focusing on science commercialization. The founder has consistently demonstrated proficiency in grant management and acquisition, securing significant funding for impactful research projects.
* Mentoring, Supervision, and Examination
As a mentor, Dr. Nouf has overseen and examined a spectrum of impactful projects, guiding high school, undergraduate, and graduate students and young researchers in research, ideation and scientific writing, academic excellence, and career development. This commitment to mentorship underscores Dr. Nouf's dedication to fostering the academic and professional development of emerging talents.
* Volunteer Contributions to the Scientific Community
Dr. Nouf actively contributes to the scientific community, serving as an ambassador, mentor, and jury member for L'Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Community. Dr. Nouf is a qualified mentor at the Global Talent Mentoring Organization for students and young researchers and a reviewer for various highly impacted international scientific journals.
* Research Innovation
Dr. Nouf leverages entrepreneurial approaches to shift research output into practical solutions, fostering innovation in higher education and the pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors. The founder's expertise extends to developing business models and comprehensive analyses for technology transfer and science commercialization.
OVERVIEW
AWARDS
- "The Women in Leadership” Scholarship | HEC-Paris | France, 2022.
- Fulbright Research Award | The Binational Fulbright Commission | USA, 2021.
- The International Rising Talent | L’Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science | France, 2020.
- L’Oréal UNESCO Award for Women in Science | Levant Region | France, 2019.
- Ali Mango Award for Graduate Studies | the University of Jordan | Jordan, 2019.
EDUCATION
- Executive MBA, Major: Test Your Startup | HEC-Paris | Doha, Qatar; Paris-France, 2023.
Station F Startups Incubator | Paris, France, 05/2022.
UC Berkeley | San Francisco , USA, 10/2022.
Babson College, Northwestern University | San Francisco, USA, 10/2022.
EMBA Capstone: Fostering Innovation and Research Impact Within Higher Education.
- Post-doctoral fellow | Precision Health Program | Michigan State University, MI, USA, 2021.
- Ph.D. | Pharmaceutical Technology | The University of Jordan | Amman, Jordan, 2016.
- MSc. | Clinical Pharmacy | The University of Jordan | Amman, Jordan, 2007.
- B.Sc. | Pharmacy | The University of Jordan | Amman, Jordan, 2003.
GRANTS
Successfully secured the following grants from national and international institutions: •“Investigating the Impact of Different Glucose and Albumin Concentrations on the Behavior of Human Dermal Fibroblasts and Wound Healing Markers”; Principal Investigator, [08/2023], Qatar University. •“Synthesis and characterization of nanofibers for biomedical applications and specifically in healing chronic wounds”; Principal Investigator, [09/2021], Fulbright Binational Commission. •“Novel nanofibers of gold nanoparticles for treatment of diabetic wounds”; Principal Investigator, [01/2020], The Deanship of Scientific Research at Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan. •“Novel nano-dressing material for wound healing: A golden hope for diabetic patients”; Principal Investigator, [02/2020], The 2020 International Rising Talent L’ORÉAL -UNESCO For Women in Science. •“Gold nanorods conjugated with interlukin-10: a novel dressing nanomaterial for treatment of diabetic wound”; Principal Investigator, [09/2019], The 2019 L’ORÉAL-UNESCO “For Women in Science Levant program” Fellowship. •“Investigating the molecular effects of gold nanoparticles on cancer cell using mass spectroscopy-based metabolite profiling”; Co-Investigator, (4/2019), The Deanship of Scientific Research at the University of Jordan. •“Evaluation of the biological activity of gold nanoparticles as targeted therapy against different breast cancer subtypes: in vitro testing using cancer cell lines and characterization using mass FTIR and circular dichroism spectroscopy”; Co-Investigator, [4/2019], The Deanship of Scientific Research at the University of Jordan. •“Insights into the interaction of gold nanorods with a cationic porphyrin: Synchrotron-based XAFS evidence”; Principal Investigator, [07/2019], Synchrotron-Light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME). •“Insights into the Localization and Distribution of Phospholipid-PEG-Decorated Gold Nanorods into MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells by Cryo Soft X-Ray Nano-Tomography at U41-TXM Beamline”; Principal Investigator, [04/2019], The Deanship of Scientific Research at Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fur Materialien und Energie GmbH, Germany. •“Gold Nanorods Decorated with Phospholipid-Polyethylene glycol as a Novel Platform for Transdermal Vaccination of Tetanus”; Principal Investigator, [12/2018], TWAS-COMSTECH Joint Research Grants, Italy. •“Evaluation of Melanin-mimetic Polydopamine Nanoparticles for Transdermal Drug Delivery: Effect of Surface Chemistry”; Co-Investigator, [10/2018], Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, Amman, Jordan. •“Nano-emulsion- and Gold Nanoparticles Loaded Diclofenac Diethylamine in Bigels: Development, Rheological Characterization”, Co-Investigator, [03/2018], Scientific Research Support Fund, Amman, Jordan. •“Gold Nanorods Loaded into Gels: Colloidal Stability, Rheological Properties, Photothermal Properties and Penetration extent into Excised Human Skin”; Principal Investigator, [01/2018], Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, Amman- Jordan. •“Interaction of Gold Nanorods-Gel Composite with Human Skin Hair Follicles: The Colloidal Stability and Preferential Targeting”; Principal Investigator, [10/2017], The Deanship of Scientific Research at Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan. •“The Surface properties of nano-emulsions for drug delivery through skin”, Co-Investigator, [10/2017], The Deanship of Scientific Research at Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan •“Investigating the Penetration and Distribution of Gold Nanorods into the Skin and Hair Follicles of Excised Human Skin as Function of Particle’s Surface Chemistry Using Synchrotron X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF)”, [04/2017], Principal Investigator. •“Penetration and distribution of gold nanoparticles into skin: effect of nanoparticle size, shape and surface chemistry on hair follicles targeting and antibacterial activity”. Principal Investigator, [9/2014], The Deanship of Scientific Research at the University of Jordan.
PUBLICATIONS
•Mahmoud, N. N.; Hamad, K.; Al Shibitini, A.; Juma, S.; Sharifi, S.; Gould, L.; Mahmoudi, M. Investigating Inflammatory Markers in Wound Healing: Understanding Implications and Identifying Artifacts. ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science 2024. •Nouf N Mahmoud, Talah M. Salman, Sabaa Al-Dabash et al. The Impact of Gold Nanoparticles Conjugated with Albumin on Prostate and Breast Cancer Cell Lines: Insights into Cytotoxicity, Cellular Uptake, Migration, and Adhesion Potential, 16 December 2023, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3705687/v1] •Khattabi, A. M.; Al-Dabash, S.; Mahmoud, N. N. Quercetin Loaded Silica and Gold - Coated Silica Nanoparticles: Characterization, Evaluation and Comparison of Their in vitro Characteristics. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 2023, 112 (6), 1698-1704. •Flynn, K.; Mahmoud, N. N.; Sharifi, S.; Gould, L. J.; Mahmoudi, M., Chronic Wound Healing Models. ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science 2023, 6 (5), 783-801. •Hajipour, M. J.; Safavi-Sohi, R.; Sharifi, S.; Mahmoud, N.; Ashkarran, A. A.; Voke, E.; Serpooshan, V.; Ramezankhani, M.; Milani, A. S.; Landry, M. P.; Mahmoudi, M., An Overview of Nanoparticle Protein Corona Literature. Small 2023, 2301838. •Khattabi, A. M.; Al-Dabash, S.; Mahmoud, N. N., Quercetin Loaded Silica and Gold - Coated Silica Nanoparticles: Characterization, Evaluation and Comparison of Their in vitro Characteristics. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 112 (6), 1698-1704 •Shahriar Sharifi, Nouf N. Mahmoud, Elizabeth Voke, Markita P. Landry, and Morteza Mahmoudi. The importance of standardizing analytical characterization methodology for improved reliability of the nanomedicine literature. Nano-micro letters, 2022 14 (1), 172 •Z.Z. Zakaria, N.N. Mahmoud, F.M. Benslimane, H.C. Yalcin, A.-E. Al Moustafa, M. Al-Asmakh. Developmental Toxicity of Surface-Modified Gold Nanorods in the Zebrafish Model. ACS Omega 7, 29598 (2022). •S. Sharifi, A.A. Saei, H. Gharibi, N.N. Mahmoud, S. Harkins, N. Dararatana, E.M. Lisabeth, V. Serpooshan, Á. Végvári, A. Moore, M. Mahmoudi. Mass Spectrometry, Structural Analysis, and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Photo-Cross-Linked Human Albumin Hydrogels. ACS Appl. Bio Mater. 2022, 5, 6, 2643–2663. •N.O Eltai, N.N. Mahmoud, ZZ Zakaria, H Abdelrahman, AE Al Moustafa M. Al-Asmakh. Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activity of Mercaptophenol Functionalized-Gold Nanorods Against a Clinical Isolate of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials, 2022 32 (7), 2527-2537. •Duaa Abuarqoub, N.N. Mahmoud, Rand Zaza, Rana Abu-Dahab, Enam A Khalil, Dima A Sabbah. The In Vitro Immunomodulatory Effects of Gold Nanocomplex on THP-1-Derived Macrophages. Journal of Immunology Research (2022), 2022, Article ID 6031776. •N.N. Mahmoud*, Z. Z. Zakaria, H. Kheraldine, I. Gupta, S. Vranic, M. Al-Asmakh. The Effect of Surface-Modified Gold Nanorods on the Early Stage of Embryonic Development and Angiogenesis: Insight into the Molecular Pathways. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2021), 22, 20. •A. Akour, S. A. AlMuhaissen, M. B. Nusair, A. a. B. Al-Tammemi, N. N. Mahmoud, S. Jalouqa, et al. The untold story of the COVID-19 pandemic: perceptions and views towards social stigma and bullying in the shadow of COVID-19 illness in Jordan. SN Social Sciences (2021),1, 9, 240. •A.M. Khattabi, N.N. Mahmoud, Interaction of folate – Linked silica nanoparticles with HeLa cells: Analysis and investigation the effect of polymer length, Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal 29 (10), 1083-1089. •N.N. Mahmoud, H. Qabooq, S. Alsotari, O.A. Tarawneh, N.H. Aboalhaija, S. Shraim, A.M. Alkilany, E.A. Khalil, R. Abu-Dahab, Quercetin-gold nanorods incorporated into nanofibers: development, optimization and cytotoxicity, RSC Advances (2021) 2021, 11, 19956-19966. •R. Abu-Dahab, N.N. Mahmoud, M. Abdallah, L. Hamadneh, S. Hikmat, Cytotoxicity and Cellular Death Modality of Surface-Decorated Gold Nanorods against a Panel of Breast Cancer Cell Lines. ACS Omega (2021), 6, 24, 15903–15910. •A. H. Al-Nadaf, L. A. Dahabiyeh, S. Jawarneh, S. Bardaweel, N. N. Mahmoud, Folic Acid-Hydrophilic polymer Coated Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Target Doxorubicin Delivery, Pharmaceutical Technology and Development (2021) 26 (5), 582-591. •N.N. Mahmoud, H. Aqabani, S. Hikmat, R. Abu-Dahab. Colloidal stability and Cytotoxicity of Polydopamine-conjugated Gold Nanorods Against Prostate Cancer Cell Lines, Molecules (2021) 26 (5), 1299. •L. Dahabiyeh, N.N. Mahmoud, M. A. Al Natour, L. Safo, D-H Kim, E. A. Khalil and R. A. Phospholipid-Gold Nanorods Induce Energy Crisis in MCF-7 Cells: Cytotoxicity Evaluation Using LC-MS-Based Metabolomics Approach, (2021) Biomolecules 11 (3), 364. •N.N. Mahmoud, R. Abu-Dahab, D. Abuarqoub, M. Abdallah, E.A. Khalil. Interaction of Gold Nanorods with Cell Culture Media: Colloidal Stability, Cytotoxicity and Cellular Death Modality, Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology 60 (2020) 101965. •R. Hamed, N.N. Mahmoud, S. H. Alnadi, A. Z. Alkilani, G. Hussein. Diclofenac Diethylamine Nanosystems-Loaded Bigels for Topical Delivery: Development, Rheological Characterization, and Release Studies. Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy (2020) 46 (10), 1705-1715. •S. Sinoqrot, N.N. Mahmoud, L. H. Ibrahim, S. Al-Dabash, H. Raschke, R. Hergenroeder. Tuning the Surface Chemistry of Melanin-Mimetic Polydopamine Nanoparticles Drastically Enhances their Accumulation into Excised Human Skin. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering 6 (8) (2020) 4424-4432. •K. M. Hamad, N. N. Mahmoud, S. Al-Dabash, L. A. Al-Samad, M. Abdallah, A. G. Al-Bakri, Fluconazole Conjugated-Gold Nanorods as an Antifungal Nanomedicine with Low Cytotoxicity Against Human Dermal Fibroblasts, RSC Advances 10 (2020) 25889-25897. •N.N. Mahmoud, R. Hamed, E.A. Khalil, Colloidal stability and rheological properties of gold nanoparticle–loaded polymeric hydrogels: impact of nanoparticle’s shape, surface modification, and concentration, Colloid and Polymer Science 298 (2020) 989-999. •N.N. Mahmoud, D. Abuarqoub, R. Zaza, D.A. Sabbah, E.A. Khalil, R. Abu-Dahab, Gold Nanocomplex Strongly Modulates the PI3K/Akt Pathway and Other Pathways in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cell Line, International journal of molecular sciences 21(9) (2020) 3320. •N.N. Mahmoud, A. Albasha, S. Hikmat, L. Hamadneh, R. Zaza, Z. Shraideh, E.A. Khalil, Nanoparticle size and chemical modification play a crucial role in the interaction of nano gold with the brain: extent of accumulation and toxicity, Biomaterials Science 8(6) (2020) 1669-1682. •A.H. Al-Nadaf, L.A. Dahabiyeh, S. Bardaweel, N.N. Mahmoud, S. Jawarneh, Functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles by lactose and hydrophilic polymer as a hepatocellular carcinoma drug delivery system, Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology 56 (2020) 101504. •N.N. Mahmoud, R. Abu-Dahab, L.A. Hamadneh, D. Abuarqoub, H. Jafar, E.A. Khalil, Insights into the Cellular Uptake, Cytotoxicity, and Cellular Death Modality of Phospholipid-Coated Gold Nanorods toward Breast Cancer Cell Lines, Molecular Pharmaceutics 16(10) (2019) 4149-4164. •N.N. Mahmoud, L.M. Al-Kharabsheh, E.A. Khalil, R. Abu-Dahab, Interaction of Gold Nanorods with Human Dermal Fibroblasts: Cytotoxicity, Cellular Uptake, and Wound Healing, Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) (2019) 9(8). •N.N. Mahmoud*, A.A. Alhusban, J.I. Ali, A.G. Al-Bakri, R. Hamed, E.A. Khalil, Preferential Accumulation of Phospholipid-PEG and Cholesterol-PEG Decorated Gold Nanorods into Human Skin Layers and Their Photothermal-Based Antibacterial Activity, Scientific Reports 9(1) (2019) 5796. •N.N. Mahmoud*, S. Hikmat, D. Abu Ghith, M. Hajeer, L. Hamadneh, D. Qattan, E.A. Khalil, Gold nanoparticles loaded into polymeric hydrogel for wound healing in rats: Effect of nanoparticles’ shape and surface modification, International Journal of Pharmaceutics 565 (2019) 174-186. •N.N. Mahmoud*, D.A. Sabbah, R. Abu-Dahab, D. Abuarqoub, M. Abdallah, Ameerah, E.A. Khalil, Cholesterol-coated gold nanorods as an efficient nano-carrier for chemotherapeutic delivery and potential treatment of breast cancer: in vitro studies using the MCF-7 cell line, RSC Advances 9(22) (2019) 12718-12731. •A.G. Al-Bakri, N.N. Mahmoud, Photothermal-Induced Antibacterial Activity of Gold Nanorods Loaded into Polymeric Hydrogel against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm, Molecules 24(14) (2019). •M. Ayyash, A.A. Shehabi, N.N. Mahmoud, A.G. Al-Bakri, Antibiofilm properties of triclosan with EDTA or cranberry as Foley Catheter lock solutions, Journal of Applied Microbiology 127(6) (2019) 1876-1888. •R. Hamed, A. Farhan, R. Abu-Huwaij, N.N. Mahmoud, A. Kamal, Lidocaine Microemulsion-Laden Organogels as Lipid-Based Systems for Topical Delivery, Journal of Pharmaceutical Innovation (2019). •O. Altarawneh, A. Madi, R. Hamed, R. Qirem, W. Qerem, A. Alhusban, S. Sunoqrot, N.N. Mahmoud, A, Ata, and I, lsheikh. In vitro Characterization and Evaluation of Commercialized Paracetamol Products in Jordan. Dissolution Technologies 26(1) (2019) 36-44. •N.N. Mahmoud, A.M. Alkilany, E.A. Khalil, A.G. Al-Bakri, Nano-Photothermal ablation effect of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Functionalized Gold Nanorods on Staphylococcus aureus and Propionibacterium acnes, Scientific Reports 8(1) (2018) 6881. •N.N. Mahmoud, M. Harfouche, A.M. Alkilany, A.G. Al-Bakri, R.A. El-Qirem, S.A. Shraim, E.A. Khalil, Synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence study of gold nanorods and skin elements distribution into excised human skin layers, Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 165 (2018) 118-126. •N.N. Mahmoud, M. Harfouche, A.M. Alkilany, A.G. Al-Bakri, E.A. Khalil, Correlation between ICP-OES and Synchrotron-XRF in Detecting the Penetration of Gold Nanorods into Excised Human Skin Layers, Microscopy and Microanalysis 24(S2) (2018) 538-539. •N.N. Mahmoud, A.M. Alkilany, D. Dietrich, U. Karst, A.G. Al-Bakri, E.A. Khalil, Preferential accumulation of gold nanorods into human skin hair follicles: Effect of nanoparticle surface chemistry, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 503 (2017) 95-102. •N.N. Mahmoud, A.M. Alkilany, E.A. Khalil, A.G. Al-Bakri, Antibacterial activity of gold nanorods against Staphylococcus aureus and Propionibacterium acnes: misinterpretations and artifacts, International Journal of Nanomedicine 12 (2017) 7311-7322. •N.N. Mahmoud, K.M. Al-Qaoud, A.G. Al-Bakri, A.M. Alkilany, E.A. Khalil, Colloidal stability of gold nanorod solution upon exposure to excised human skin: Effect of surface chemistry and protein adsorption, The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology 75 (2016) 223-231. •A.M. Alkilany, N.N. Mahmoud, F. Hashemi, M.J. Hajipour, F. Farvadi, M. Mahmoudi, Misinterpretation in Nanotoxicology: A Personal Perspective, Chemical Research in Toxicology 29(6) (2016) 943-948. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=8vuSEiYAAAAJ&hl=en