PhD
Prof. Ullah obtained his PhD from the University of Graz in 2001. He then assumed postdoctoral positions at McMaster University and the University of Guelph, Canada, before starting his academic career as an assistant professor with KFUPM in 2007, where he has been a professor of organic chemistry since 2015. His research is mainly centered on the organic synthesis, designed-based drug development, and environmental chemistry. He has authored more than 150 papers in reputed journals and is the recipient of the Diligence, Dedication, and Performance Award by Pfizer Ann Arbor, USA, in 2005 and the Excellence in Research Awards, KFUPM, in the years 2019 and 2024.
Academic and Research Roles
Professor of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Former Senior Research Scientist at Naeja Pharmaceutical Research and Development Inc. (Canada) and Pfizer Ann Arbor, USA, where he contributed to pharmaceutical research and drug development.
Research Interests
Organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry.
Catalytic organic reactions for developing novel therapeutic compounds.
Drug design and discovery, particularly in collaboration with pharmaceutical industry partners.
Environmental chemistry, including synthesis of polymeric adsorbents for wastewater treatment.
Editorial and Professional Activities
Recognition and Awards
Recipient of Excellence in Research Awards (2019, 2024) at KFUPM.
Recipient of the Pfizer Ann Arbor Diligence, Dedication, and Performance Award (2005) for pharmaceutical research contributions
Authored more than 150 peer-reviewed journal articles in medicinal chemistry, drug design, and related fields
Holds 24 U.S. patents for novel pharmaceutical compounds and drug delivery technologies.
Recent high-impact publications include:
Transition metal nanoparticles as nanocatalysts for cross-coupling reactions (Coord. Chem. Rev., 2023).
Photoreforming of waste polymers for sustainable hydrogen and chemicals feedstock (Chem. Rev., 2023).
Medicinal chemistry studies on enzyme inhibitors, cholinesterase inhibitors, and anticancer compounds (Eur. J. Med. Chem., Arab. J. Chem., Bioorg. Chem.)
