The University President

Name: Saad Muhammad Du'ajim

Specialization: Biology

Specific Specialization: Parasitic Infections Immunity

Academic Rank: Associate Professor

Current Position: Acting President of King Khalid University since 18/09/1445 AH

Brief Biography: A scholar and specialist in parasitic immunology and molecular biology, focusing on the diagnosis of endemic parasitic diseases in Saudi Arabia and the development of vaccines for certain parasitic diseases.

Career Objectives: To achieve a long-term career in academic, educational, and administrative roles at the departmental and university levels, while contributing to specialized research and applying educational and technical skills in university teaching. To stay updated with developments in higher education administration and acquire administrative skills in the academic field.

Academic Background:

Appointed as a Lecturer in the Department of Life Sciences on 21/09/1420 AH (29/12/1999 AD).
- Master’s Thesis Title: "Studies on Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Selected Areas of Saudi Arabia."
- Supervisor: Professor Hussein Ser Al-Khatim Hussein (may he rest in peace).
Awarded a scholarship from King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia, for doctoral studies at the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom on 21/12/1422 AH (2002 AD).
- Doctoral Thesis Title: "Production and Study of Certain Antigens of the Parasite Causing Malaria and Their Testing Using Various Immunological Methods."
- Supervisor: Prof. David Arnot
Appointed as Assistant Professor in the Department of Life Sciences on 07/05/1427 AH.
Promoted to Associate Professor in the Department of Biology, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha on 02/08/1431 AH.
Promoted to Professor in the Department of Biology, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha on 02/08/1436 AH.

Administrative Positions at the University:

Vice President for Educational and Academic Affairs from 08/08/1438 AH to present.
Acting Vice President for Educational and Academic Affairs from 05/07/1438 AH to 07/08/1438 AH.
Acting Vice President from 03/03/1438 AH to 04/07/1438 AH.
Vice President for Female Colleges at King Khalid University from 29/08/1437 AH to 07/08/1438 AH.
Acting Vice President for Female Colleges from 10/01/1436 AH to 28/08/1437 AH.
Dean of Admission and Registration at King Khalid University from 10/10/1432 AH to 10/01/1436 AH.
Head of Public Relations Office for Admission and Registration at the Deanship of Admission and Registration for the academic year 1428/1429 AH.
Vice Dean of Admission and Registration at King Khalid University from 01/07/1429 AH to 09/10/1432 AH.
Appointed to work in the Deanship of Admission at the university from 01/03/1429 AH to 30/06/1429 AH.
Head of the Department of Biology, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha from 01/08/1428 AH to 30/06/1429 AH.
Director of the College of Science Administration at King Khalid University from 21/09/1420 AH to 17/04/1422 AH.

University Teaching:

Fundamentals of Parasitology (Bachelor’s degree).
Fundamentals of Immunology (Bachelor’s degree).
Histology (Bachelor’s degree).
Fundamentals of Life Sciences for Health Science Students (Bachelor’s degree).
Introduction to Life Sciences (Bachelor’s degree).
Graduation Research Project (Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees).
Advanced Invertebrates (Master’s degree).
Selected Topics (Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees).
Biotechnology (Master’s degree).

Skills and Research Experience in Specialized Fields:

Good experience in handling various molecular biology equipment and products in the fields of parasitology and immunology, and the necessary computer programs involved in bioinformatics.
Isolation and purification of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).
Gene cloning, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), primer design, short nucleotide design for gene construction, plasmid isolation and purification, DNA cutting and pasting with restriction enzymes and ligases, electrophoresis, DNA separation in agarose gel, etc.
Protein isolation and purification: including the production of fusion proteins used for purification and diagnosis, protein purification, protein precipitation, SDS-PAGE electrophoresis, Western blotting for protein detection, ELISA and IFA for immunodiagnosis, etc.
Good experience in in vitro cultivation of malaria parasites, Leishmania, and Schistosoma worms.

Research Activities and Interests:

Study of endemic parasitic diseases affecting humans and economically important animals in Saudi Arabia.
Molecular and serological diagnosis of parasites in their intermediate and final hosts.
Biotechnology and genetic engineering research, using these technologies to study parasitism phenomena and design vaccines against endemic parasitic diseases affecting humans in Saudi Arabia.
Research in basic and applied immunology.
Participation in establishing specialized research units for advanced biotechnology-based research.

Specialized Courses in the Field:

Completed a two-month course in molecular epidemiology of parasitic diseases at the Pasteur Institute in Tunisia in 1997.
Completed a one-month course in clinical immunology at the Pasteur Institute in Tunisia in 1999.
Completed a course at the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, on safety procedures for transporting infected samples between countries and cities in 2005.
Completed an advanced course at the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, on radiation avoidance during molecular biology experiments in 2004.

Conferences and Meetings:

Attended the Second Saudi Science Conference held in Jeddah from 24-26/1/1425H (15-17/3/2004) - (participation with a research paper).
Attended the British Society for Parasitology and Malaria Conference held in Manchester, United Kingdom, from 4-6/2/1424H (6-9/4/2003) - (participation with a poster).
Attended the Fourth International Conference on Leishmaniasis from 8-12/2/1430H (3-7/2/2009) held in Lucknow, India - (participation with a poster).
Conducted a scientific contact at the Research Center of King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh with the Molecular Virology and Infectious Diseases Research Unit from 25/7/1430H (18/7/2009) for two weeks.
Attended the Second Quality in Higher Education Conference from 6-8/11/1430H (25-27/10/2009) in Riyadh, titled: "Internal Quality Systems in Higher Education Institutions: Reality and Aspirations."
Attended the International Exhibition and Conference on Higher Education from 11-14/2/1431H (26-29/1/2010).
Attended and participated in the Second International Conference on Biological and Environmental Sciences at Mansoura University, Egypt, from 29/3/1431H to 4/4/1431H (15-20/3/2010) - (participation with a research paper).
Chaired the scientific committee for the workshop "Molecular Biology: Principles and Applications" held at the College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, from 1-3/4/1430H (28-30/3/2009).
Attended and participated in the conference "Advances in Malaria Pathophysiology, Biology, and Drug Development" held in New York, USA, on 25/6/1435H (25/4/2014) organized by the New York Academy of Sciences.
Attended and participated in the Eighth International Veterinary Conference from 5/2/1436H (27/11/2014) to 7/2/1436H (30/11/2014) organized by Suez Canal University in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt - (participation with a research paper).
Attended the biannual meetings for Deans of Admissions and Registration in Saudi universities from 1432H to 1436H.
Attended the annual meetings for Deans of Admissions and Registration in Arab countries from 1432H to 1436H.
Attended the annual meetings for Deans of Admissions and Registration in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries from 1432H to 1436H.
Attended the International Exhibition and Conference on Higher Education annually from 1431H to 1438H.
Attended and completed the special course for scholarship students organized by the College of Dawah and Media at Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University from 22/12/1421H to 3/1/1422H.

Membership in Scientific Societies:

Saudi Biological Society.
British Society for Parasitology.
Saudi Society for Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.
Saudi Society for Biotechnology.

Committee Memberships:

In addition to participating in numerous subcommittees within the university (student affairs, schedules, e-transactions, quality and development, faculty affairs), Dr. Saad Dujam has held the following positions:

College of Science:

Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Academic Schedules from the academic year 1427/1428 AH to 1436 AH.
Member of the Permanent Committee for Academic Schedules for the academic year 1428/1429 AH.
Member of the Quality Assurance and Academic Accreditation Committee for the academic year 1427/1428 AH.
Member of the Development Committee at the College of Science for the academic year 1427/1428 AH.
Founder and Chairman of the Research Ethics Committee at the College of Science, established in the academic year 1428/1429 AH.
Secretary of the Final Examinations Committee for the second semester of the academic year 1427/1428 AH.
Member of the Committee for Graduate Program (Master's) Preparation in the Department of Biology for the academic year 1428/1429 AH.
Member of the Committee for Graduate Program (PhD) Preparation in the Department of Biology for the academic year 1428/1429 AH.
Member of the Founding Committee of the Advanced Materials Research Center at the College of Science, King Khalid University in 1428 AH.
Member of the H1N1 Influenza Awareness Committee at the university by administrative decision No. 497/55 dated 16/10/1430 AH (5/10/2009 AD).

Deanship of Admission and Registration:

Deputy Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Academic Schedules for the academic year 1428/1429 AH.
Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Academic Schedules at King Khalid University from the academic year 1430/1431 AH to 1436 AH.
Chairman of the Scientific Committee for the Workshop on "Molecular Biology: Principles and Applications," held at King Khalid University in Abha from 1-3/4/1430 AH (28-30/3/2009 AD).
Chairman of the Supreme Admissions Committee at King Khalid University from the academic year 1432/1433 AH to 10/1/1436 AH.
Member of the University’s Supreme Academic Committee from the academic year 1431/1432 AH to present.
Member of the Permanent Student Affairs Committee at King Khalid University from the academic year 1428/1429 AH to 1435/1436 AH.
Member of the Permanent E-Transactions Committee at King Khalid University from the academic year 1430/1431 AH to 1433/1434 AH.
Member of the Permanent Development and Quality Committee at King Khalid University from the academic year 1430/1431 AH to 1433/1434 AH.
Member of the Permanent Curriculum and Course Plans Committee at King Khalid University from the academic year 1432/1433 AH to 1435/1436 AH.
Member of the Permanent Parallel Education Committee at King Khalid University from the academic year 1432/1433 AH to 1435/1436 AH.
Member of the Student Fund Board of Directors at King Khalid University from the academic year 1432/1433 AH to 1435/1436 AH.

Vice Presidency for Girls' Colleges Affairs:

Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Faculty Cooperation and Teaching Load from 1/9/1437 AH to present.
Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Promotions to Higher Ranks from 1/9/1437 AH to present.
Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Monitoring Girls' Colleges from the academic year 1435/1436 AH to 1437/1438 AH.
Chairman of the Permanent Committee for University Transport from the academic year 1435/1436 AH to present.
Member of the Permanent Contracting Committee for the academic years 1434/1435 AH and 1435/1436 AH.
Member of the Advisory Committee to the University President for the academic year 1433/1434 AH.
Member of the Permanent Committee for Urgent Buildings for Girls' Colleges for the academic year 1435/1436 AH.
Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Monitoring Girls' Colleges Performance from the academic year 1435/1436 AH.
Chairman of the Contracting Committee for India for the academic year 1434/1435 AH.
Chairman of the Contracting Committee for Egypt for the academic year 1435/1436 AH.
Member of the Contracting Committee for Jordan for the academic year 1433/1434 AH.
Member of the Career Day Committee in Australia for the academic year 1434/1435 AH.
Chairman of the University Colleges Restructuring Committee for the academic year 1437/1438 AH.

University Vice Presidency:

Permanent Committee for University Budget Study from 3/3/1438 AH to 4/7/1438 AH.
Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Bid Examination from 3/3/1438 AH to 4/7/1438 AH.
Permanent Committee for Operations and Maintenance from 3/3/1438 AH to 4/7/1438 AH.
Chairman of the University Colleges Restructuring Committee for the academic year 1437/1438 AH.
General and direct supervision over the following departments:
- General Department of Operations and Maintenance.
- General Department of University Safety and Security.
- General Department of Information Technology.
- Follow-up Department.
- Department of Engineering Affairs.
Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Monitoring and Follow-up on Educational Equipment Observations in all colleges.
Secretary of the University Council from 3/3/1438 AH to 4/7/1438 AH.
Member of the Permanent E-Transactions Committee.
Supreme Strategic Plan Committee.
Committee for Monitoring and Completing Observations on University Branches and Colleges in the Provinces.
Permanent Investment Committee.
Member of the Permanent Administrative and Financial Affairs Committee.
Chairman of the University Affairs Discussion Committee at the Ministry of Finance from 3/3/1438 AH to 4/7/1438 AH.
Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Operations, Safety, and University Security Services from 3/3/1438 AH to 4/7/1438 AH.

Vice Presidency for Educational and Academic Affairs:

Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Curriculum and Course Plans from 5/7/1438 AH to present.
Chairman of the Permanent Student Affairs Committee from 5/7/1438 AH to present.
Member of the University’s Academic Committee from the academic year 1431/1432 AH to present.
Member of the Graduation Ceremony Committee from the academic year 1432/1433 AH to present.
Member of the Supreme Strategic Plan Committee for the academic year 1437/1438 AH.
Member of the Deans’ Advisory Committee for the academic year 1437/1438 AH.
Secretary General of the University Council from 3/3/1438 AH.
Chairman of the University Colleges Restructuring Committee for the academic year 1437/1438 AH.
Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the Graduation Ceremony from the academic year 1437/1438 AH to present.
Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Organizing and Activating Academic Advising Mechanisms.
Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Supervising the 14th Book and Information Exhibition at King Khalid University in 2017 and to present.
Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Monitoring the Implementation of Global Programs for the College of Sharia and Fundamentals of Religion.
Member of the Committee for Identifying Reasons for Low University Output.
Deputy Chairman of the Academic Committee.
Member of the Founding Committee for the King Khalid University Endowment Project.
Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Studying and Furnishing the Central Library Building at the University City in Al-Fara'a.
Member of the Committee for Establishing Principles and Mechanisms for Extraordinary Salary Increases for Non-Saudi Faculty Members and Granting Them Annual Bonuses.
Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Disbursing Scarcity Allowance to Saudi Faculty Members and Equivalents to present.
Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Faculty Cooperation and Teaching Load from the academic year 1437/1438 AH to present.
Member of the University Admissions Supreme Committee from the academic year 1439/1440 AH.
Participation in numerous subcommittees within the university (student affairs, schedules, e-transactions, quality, development).
Committees:
Chairman of the Life Sciences Department Council from 15/08/2007 to 05/07/2008.
Member of the Biology Department Council since 07/07/2008.
Member of the Faculty of Science Council from 15/08/2007 to 05/07/2008.
Member of the University Council since 2011.
Member of the Advisory Deans' Committee to date.
University and Community Service:
A) University Service:
Director of the Faculty of Science Administration at King Khalid University from 29/12/1999 to 09/07/2001.
Chairman of the Life Sciences Department at the Faculty of Science, King Khalid University from 15/08/2007 to 05/07/2008.
Assigned to the Deanship of Admission at the university from 09/03/2008.
Appointed as Deputy Dean of Admission and Registration at King Khalid University from 06/07/2008 to 10/10/2011.
Head of the Public Relations Office for the Admission and Registration Deanship for the academic year 2007/2008.
Appointed as Dean of Admission and Registration.
Appointed as Deputy Dean of the Girls’ Colleges.
Assigned to the University Agency.
Assigned to the University Agency for Educational and Academic Affairs.
Participated in numerous sub-committees at the university (student affairs, schedules, electronic transactions, quality, development, and faculty affairs).
Represented the university in numerous meetings within the Ministry of Higher Education and Education and outside the university with various government entities.
B) Community Service:
Managed the introductory meeting for the Abha Award slogan for the academic year 2006/2007 titled "Raise Your Head, You Are Saudi," held at the Faculty of Science on Tuesday, 08/12/2006.
Participated in a scientific exploration trip to Wadi Aya, 80 km northeast of Abha, on 17/09/2006 with the scientific team from the Prince Sultan Research Center for Environmental and Tourism Studies.
Delivered a scientific lecture at an event in the Al-Namas area on 27/02/2007 about the Arabian leopard titled "The Natural History of the Arabian Leopard."
Reviewer for research and proposals at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Umm Al-Qura University, Taif University, and Taibah University.
Director of the Saudi School in Edinburgh for the year 2002, cycle 22.
Financial Manager for all Saudi students' clubs and schools in the UK and Ireland for the year 2003, cycle 23.
Financial Officer for the Saudi Students’ Club in Edinburgh for the year 2004.
Member of the committee preparing and judging the cultural competition for students for the academic year 2006/2007 affiliated with the Abha Award for Higher Education.
Monitor of the control committee at the Khamis Mushait Measurement Center for the academic year 2007/2008.
Chairman of the control committee at the Khamis Mushait Measurement Center for the academic year 2008/2009 to 2009/2010.
Deputy Chairman of the Khamis Mushait Measurement Center for the academic year 2009/2010 to 2014/2015.
Chairman of the Abha Measurement Center from 2011 to 2014/2015.
Chairman of the King Faisal University Students' Distance Education Testing Center in Abha for the academic year 2009/2010 to 2014/2015.
Chairman of the Talented Students' Testing Center in Khamis Mushait for the year 2011.
Member of the Steering Committee for the Saudi Electronic University in Abha from the academic year 2013/2014 to 2014/2015.
Chairman of numerous awareness committees regarding university admissions for many governorates and centers in the Asir region from 2010 to 2014/2015.
Workshops and Courses in Quality and Academic Accreditation in Higher Education:
Attended a workshop on quality improvement at the program level at King Faisal University in Al-Ahsa on 23-24 January 2007.
Attended a training workshop on preliminary self-assessment organized by the Academic Evaluation and Development Center at the university on Wednesday, 18/04/2007.
Attended a training program on "Development Programs for Staff in Educational Institutions Regarding Effective Teaching Methods to Achieve Appropriate Learning Outcomes" organized by the National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment in coordination with the British Council, held in Riyadh from 18-20 February 2008.
Attended and completed a workshop on academic measurement and evaluation organized by the Academic Evaluation and Development Center at the university on 04/11/2007.
Attended and completed a workshop on teaching and learning organized by the Academic Evaluation and Development Center at the university on 29/10/2007.
Attended the second quality conference in higher education from 06-08/11/2009 in Riyadh, titled "Internal Quality Systems in Higher Education Institutions: Reality and Aspirations."
Attended a workshop on evidence collection (key indicators and standard criteria) in Jeddah from 07-08 November 2009.
Attended a workshop on e-learning (teaching and learning skills program) in Abha from 19-25 October 2009.
Attended a workshop in Dubai.
Attended a workshop to achieve Vision 2030 in the strategic plan of King Khalid University in 2016.
Attended a risk management workshop at King Khalid University in 2016.
Attended workshops on the role of the academic sector in the comprehensive national strategy for the environment held at the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture on 23/05/2017 in Riyadh.
Attended numerous workshops associated with the International Exhibition for Higher Education from 25-28/01/2010 to date.
Attended a workshop on quality assurance and e-accreditation from 11-12 April 2010 in Jeddah.
Attended the second quality conference in higher education from 25-27/11/2009 in Riyadh.
Attended a training program (External Reviewer Training) in Riyadh from 22-25/03/2011.
Chairman of the preliminary self-assessment committee for the fifth standard of the National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment (Admissions and Student Affairs Management).
Chairman of the preliminary self-assessment committee for the fourth standard of the National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment (Teaching and Learning).
Attended a workshop in Dubai in 2017 to align the university's strategic plan with Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program 2020.
Attended and completed the special course for scholarship students organized by the Faculty of Islamic Call and Media - Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University from 17/03/2001 to 26/03/2001.
Attended a workshop to prepare the comprehensive national strategy for the environment at the Ministry of Environment in Riyadh on 23/05/2017.
Attended a specialized workshop on sustainability in higher education in Riyadh on 23/10/2017.
Attended a workshop titled "Aligning Education Outcomes with the Labor Market and Challenges Facing Localization" in Riyadh on 07/02/2018.
Attended a workshop at the Ministry of Environment in Riyadh on 29/09/2018.
Attended a workshop on the role of agencies in obtaining programmatic and institutional accreditations in Dubai on 11/11/2018.
Attended a workshop at the General Authority for Education Evaluation in Riyadh on 10/12/2018.
Attended a workshop on aligning education outcomes with the labor market in accounting disciplines in Riyadh on 25/12/2018.
Workshops and Courses in Computer Skills and E-Learning:
Attended a workshop on e-learning and instructional design for e-courses from 15/04/2007 to 17/04/2007 at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Dammam.
Completed a course on faculty members' skills in e-learning held at King Khalid University from 20/04/2007 to 24/04/2007.
Attended the fourth course on e-learning and instructional design for e-courses held at the University of Medicine in Medina from 03/09/2007 to 05/09/2007.
Attended and completed a computer skills course organized by the E-Learning Center at the university as part of the Faculty Members' Skills Development Program from 28/10/2007 to 22/11/2007.
Attended as a representative of the Deanship of Admission and Registration to link the academic system with the Blackboard e-learning system for a week.
Chairman of the study team for evaluating e-learning at the university in 2014 from the Deanship of the Institute for Research and Consulting Studies.

Funded Research:

Title of Funded Research: Study and PCR-Based Analysis of Mutations in Genes Associated with Resistance to the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum to Chloroquine in Saudi and Expatriate Malaria Patients in the Asir Region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Funding Entity: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology

Budget: 140,000 SAR

Year of Support: 2008

Role: Principal Investigator

Title of Funded Research: Toxoplasmosis in Pregnant Women in the Asir Region: Prevalence Study and Evaluation of Diagnostic Methods

Funding Entity: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology

Budget: 446,800 SAR

Year of Support: 2008

Role: Research Assistant

Title of Funded Research: Molecular Biological Studies for the Classification of Intermediate Hosts of Schistosoma from Freshwater Snails and Diagnosis of Their Infection with Schistosoma Parasite in the Southwestern Regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Funding Entity: King Saud University University's Agency for Knowledge Exchange and Technology Transfer National Science and Technology Plan Program

Budget: 1,424,000 SAR

Year of Support: 2009

Role: Research Assistant

Title of Funded Research: Genetic Changes in TLR Immune Receptors in Malaria-Endemic Areas in the Southern Region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Funding Entity: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology

Budget: 840,000 SAR

Year of Support: 2014

Role: Principal Investigator

Title of Funded Research: Prevalence of Babesia Parasite in Slaughterhouse Animals in Abha and Khamis Mushait Using PCR

Funding Entity: Deanship of Scientific Research, King Khalid University (Grant No. 152 / 2012-2013)

Budget: 150,000 SAR

Year of Support: 2014

Role: Principal Investigator

Tel: +966 172 414722

E-mail: saaddajem@kku.edu.sa