Actinobacteria are of special biotechnological interest since they are known to produce chemically diverse compounds with a wide range of biological activity. Most actinobacteria species have the capability to synthesize many different biologically active secondary metabolites such as antibiotics, herbicides, pesticides, anti-parasitic and enzyme inhibitors. Actinobacteia isolated from Egyptian habitats proved their abilities for production of natural products. The most active metabolites produced were antibiotic and antileukemia production. Presence of Polyketide Synthase Genes proved to be a good marker for bioactive producing compounds by actinobacterial isolates.

Professor of Microbiology at SCU, since 2003. She is recognized in the field of isolation and characteriza-tion of actinobacteria and N2 fixing Frankia; received her BSc in Microbiology with high honor from SCU. After graduation, she got her MSc and then studied abroad at Harvard Univ of art of Sciences and obtained her PhD in cooperation with SCU.