• Our research group focused on the synthesis and development of various well-designed nanomaterials with specific size, shape and applications.
• Our research group focus on the following applications of the prepared nanomaterials:

1. Targeted drug and gene delivery for cancer therapy especially, carbon nanomaterials (CNTs, graphene, carbon nanodots) and other lipid nanoparticles.
2. Brain targeted drug delivery through nasal administration of soft nanoparticles for neurodegenerative diseases.
3. The development of adequate scaffolds based on carbon nanomaterials for the tissue engineering.
4. Nano-antibiotcs for resistant bacteria.

Master Students:

1. Mr. Mustafa Idais (Supevisors: Dr. Mohyeddin Assali, Dr. Naim Kitanna) 
   • Project: Designing a polymeric composite scaffold for tissue engineering and investigating its therapeutic potential.
2. Ms. Alaa Ratrout (Supevisors: Dr. Mohyeddin Assali, Dr. Ahmad Eid) 
   • Project: The development of essential oil nanoemulsion loaded with silver nanoparticles as an effective antimicrobial agent.
      
3. Mr. Ihsan Mazarib (Supevisors: Dr. Mohyeddin Assali, Dr. Hiba Natshah)
   • Project: Design and Investigation of Novel Rivastigmine Nasal Nanocarriers for Improved Treatment of Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.
      
4. Mr. Osama Hammoudi (Supevisors: Dr. Mohyeddin Assali, Dr. Shadi Sawalha)
   • Project: Down-Regulation of Beta-Catenin in Liver Cancer Cells by Short Interfering RNA Complexed with Carbon Nano-Dots Functionalized with Galactose.
5. Mrs. Ronza Al Massaeid (Supevisors: Dr. Mohyeddin Assali, Dr. Shadi Sawalha) 
   • Project: Synthesis and Functionalization of Carbon Nanodots for Targeted Photothermal Therapy of Liver Cancer Cells.

• Project Title: Multi functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes for targeted cancer therapy, Funded by: Beit Jala Pharmaceutical company, Validity: 01/09/2018-01/09/2021, Donation: 20000 $.
• Project Title: Modification of collagen-based engineered tissue by SWCNT variants, Funded by: Ministry of higher education. Validity: 01/04/2018-30/09/2019. Donation: 15000 $. Reference: ANNU-MoHE-1819-Sc010
• Project Title: Covalent functionalization of SWCNTs for effective targeted cancer therapy, Funded by: Faculty of scientific research-An Najah N. University, Validity: 01/09/2019-30/09/2020, Donation: 5000 $, Reference: ANNU-1920-Sc016.

1. Shadi Sawalha, Samer Abdallah, Amal Barham, Hala Badawi, Zeina Barham, Ahmad Ghareeb, Giuseppe Misia, Silvia Collavini, Alessandro Silvestri, Maurizio Prato and Mohyeddin Assali. Green Synthesis of Fluorescent Carbon Nanodots from Sage Leaves for Selective Anticancer Activity on 2D Liver Cancer Cells and 3D Multicellular Tumor Spheroids. Nanoscale Advances, 2023, 5, 5974-5982.
2. Shadi Sawalha, Rinad Hamed, Mohyeddin Assali. Parameters affecting Mehtylene Blue Dye Photodegradation by Carbon dots Prepared from Olive Pomeace. ChemistrySelect, 2023, 8, e202300522.
3. Mohyeddin Assali, Naim Kittana, Ismail Badran, Safa Omari. Covalent functionalization of graphene sheets for plasmid DNA delivery: experimental and theoretical study. RSC Advances, 2023, 13, 7000-7008.
4. Mohyeddin Assali, Nidal Jaradat, Lana Maqboul. The formation of self-assembled nanoparticles loaded with Doxorubicin and D-Limonene for cancer therapy. ACS Omega, 2022, 7, 42096–42104.
5. Shadi Sawalha, Mohyeddin Assali, Muna Raddad, Tasneem Ghneem, Tasneem Sawalhi, Motasem Almasri, Abdulraziq Zarour, Giuseppe Misia, Maurizio Prato, Alessandro Silvestri. Broad-Spectrum Antibacterial Activity of Synthesized Carbon Nanodots from d-Glucose. ACS Applied Bio Materials, 2022, 5, 4860–4872.
6. Mohyeddin Assali, Naim Kittana, Sahar Alhaj-Qasem, Muna Hajjyahya, Hanood Abu-Rass, Walhan Alshaer, Rula Al-Buqain. Noncovalent Functionalization of Carbon Nanotubes as a Scaffold for Tissue Engineering. Scientific Reports, 2022, 12, 1-17.
7. Mohyeddin Assali, Abdel-Naser Zaid. Features, applications, and sustainability of lipid nanoparticles in cosmeceuticals. Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, 2022, 30, 53-65.
8. Mohyeddin Assali, Ramzi Shawahna, Raeda Alhawareen, Haifa Najajreh, Oraib Rabaya, Maryam Faroun, Ahed Zyoud and Hikmat Hilal. Self-assembly of diclofenac prodrug into nanomicelles for enhancing the anti-inflammatory activity. RSC advances, 2021, 11, 22433-22438.
9. Mohyeddin Assali, Naim Kittana, Safa’ Dayyeh and Noureddine Khiar. Dual covalent functionalization of single walled carbon nanotubes for effective targeted cancer therapy. Nanotechnology, 2021, 32, 205101 (11 pages).
10. Naim Kittana, Mohyeddin Assali, Wolfram-Hubertus Zimmermann, Norman Liaw, Gabriela Leao Santos, Abdul Rehman, Susanne Lutz. Modulating the Biomechanical Properties of Engineered Connective Tissues by Chitosan-Coated Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes. International Journal of Nanomedicine. 2021, 16, 989–1000.
11. Mohyeddin Assali, Nihal Zohud. Design of multicomponent indomethacin-paracetamol and famotidine loaded nanoparticles for sustained and effective anti-inflammatory therapy. Drug Development Research, 2021, 82, 448-457.

1. Title: Active Targeting of Liver Cancer by Dual Functionalization of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes. Congress: 10th International Drug Chemistry Conference, Date: 10-13 March 2022, Type: Oral presentation, Place: Antalya, Turkey
2. Title: Functional Nanomaterials for targeted cancer therapy, Congress: International Conference on Advanced Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials, Date: 20-21 November 2019, Type: Oral presentation, Place: Dubai, UAE
3. Title: Antibacterial activity of covalently functionalized graphene sheets. Congress: 6th International Conference on Multifunctional, Hybrid and Nanomaterials. Date: 11-15 March 2019, Type: Poster, Place: Sitges, Spain
4. Title: Covalent Functionalization of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes with Ciprofloxacin to Improve Its Antibacterial Activity. Congress: 1st International Eurasian Conference on Biological and Chemical Sciences (EurasianBioChem 2018). Date: 26-27 April 2018. Type: Oral presentation. Place: Ankara, Turkey