American University of Beirut

 Lab of Dr. Ghassan Matar

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Link to Dr.Matar's​ FMIS Profile

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Rese​arch Area

Mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance and genetics of biofilm formation

Research P​rojects

  • Mechanisms of resistance in ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae
  • Mechanisms of resistance to carbapenems in Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter and assessment of combination therapy and use of inhibitors.
  • Mechanisms of resistance to newly emerging colistin resistance and assessment of treatment options in Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter
  • Assessment of the inhibitory effect of biofilm forma in vivo

Selected Publications

Evaluating the Efficacies of Carbapenem/β-Lactamase Inhibitors against Carbapenem-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria in vitro and in vivo
Bassam El Hafi, Sari S. Rasheed, Antoine G. Abou Fayad, George F. Araj and Ghassan M. Matar
Frontiers in Microbiology. In review.


Molecular Characteristics of Colistin Resistance in Gram-negative Bacilli and Utility of Antimicrobial Combination Therapy
Dana Itani, Sereen Iweir, Arax Tanelian, Antoine G. Abou Fayad, Mariam Miari, Nathaline Haidar-Ahmad, Bassam El-Hafi, Souha S. Kanj, Zeina A. Kanafani, Ziad Daoud, George F. Araj and Ghassan M. Matar
Frontiers in Microbiology. In review.


PulseNet Lebanon: An overview of its activities, outbreak investigations, and challenges
Sukayna M. Fadlallah, Marwa Shehab, Katia Cheaito, Nathaline Haidar-Ahmad, Bassam El Hafi, Majd Saleh, Zeina Nasser, Rima El Hajj, Nada Ghosn, Walid Ammar, and Ghassan M. Matar.
 Foodborne Pathogens and Disease. Accepted 2019 Feb 16. In press.

Increased blaOXA-23-like prevalence in Acinetobacter baumannii at a tertiary care center in Lebanon (2007-2013)
Souha S. Kanj, Ralph Tayyar, Marwa Shehab, Bassam El-Hafi, Sari S. Rasheed, Kohar Annie B. Kissoyan, Zeina A. Kanafani, Rima H. Wakim, Nada Kara Zahereddine, George F. Araj, Ghassan Dbaibo and Ghassan M. Matar
The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries. 2018 Apr 30; 12(4):228-234.


Molecular characterization, toxin detection and resistance testing of human clinical Clostridium difficile isolates from Lebanon
Fabian K. Berger, Sari S. Rasheed, George F. Araj, Rami Mahfouz, Hussein H. Rimmani, Walid R. Karaoui, Ala I. Sharara, Ghassan Dbaibo, Sören L. Becker, Lutz von Müller, Markus Bischoff, Ghassan M. Matar and Barbara Gärtner. 
International Journal of Medical Microbiology. 2018 Apr; 308(3):358-363.

Editorial: Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter: From Drug Resistance to Pathogenesis
Ghassan M. Matar
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. 2018 Mar 13; 8:68.

Multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter species: a seven-year experience from a tertiary care center in Lebanon
Zeina A. Kanafani, Nada Zahreddine, Ralph Tayyar, Jad Sfeir, George F. Araj, Ghassan M. Matar and Souha S. Kanj.
Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control. 2018 Jan 22; 7:9.

Sites of colonization in hospitalized patients with infections caused by extended-spectrum beta lactamase organisms: a prospective cohort study  Zeina A. Kanafani, Sukayna M. Fadlallah, Sarah Assaf, Khalil Anouti, Kohar Annie B. Kissoyan, Jad Sfeir, Tamara Nawar, Mohamad Yasmin and Ghassan M. Matar
Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control. 2017 May 15; 6:46.

Molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella species from clinical specimens and food Items in Lebanon
Sukayna M. Fadlallah, Marwa Shehab, Katia Cheaito, Majd Saleh, Nada Ghosn, Walid Ammar, Rima El Hajj and Ghassan M. Matar
The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries. 2017 Jan 30; 11(1):19-27.

Genotypic and virulence characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes recovered from food items in Lebanon
Nathaline Haidar-Ahmad, Kohar Annie B. Kissoyan, Sukayna M. Fadlallah, Rima El-Hajj, Majd Saleh, Nada Ghosn, Ghassan M. Matar
The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries. 2016 Aug 02; 10(7):712-717.

The inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation by micafungin and the enhancement of antimicrobial agent effectiveness in BALB/c mice
Kohar Annie B. Kissoyan, Wael Bazzi, Usamah Hadi and Ghassan M. Matar
Biofouling. 2016 Aug; 32(7):779-86.

Assessment of combination therapy in BALB/c mice injected with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae strains
Noor A. Salloum, Kohar Annie B. Kissoyan, Sukayna M. Fadlallah, Katia Cheaito, George F. Araj, Rima H. Wakim, Souha S. Kanj, Zeina A. Kanafani, Ghassan Dbaibo and Ghassan M. Matar.
Frontiers in Microbiology. 2015 Sep 22; 6:999.

Approaches to treatment of emerging Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli infections highlighting the O104:H4 serotype
Elias A. Rahal, Sukayna M. Fadlallah, Farah J. Nassar, Natalie Kazzi and Ghassan M. Matar
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. 2015 Mar 18; 5:24.

Effect of rifampicin and gentamicin on Shiga toxin 2 expression level and the SOS response in Escherichia coli O104:H4
Sukayna M. Fadlallah, Elias A. Rahal, Ahmad Sabra, Kohar Annie B. Kissoyan and Ghassan M. Matar
Foodborne Pathogens and Disease. 2015 Jan 14; 12(1):47-55.



Research Grants

​​​Tit​l​e: Genotyping of HIV
Role: Principal Investigator
Source: Grant by the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention
Year: 1994 ​– 1996 ​
​​​​Tit​l​e: Establishment of Infectious Diseases Laboratory
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Source: Grant by US Department of Defense
Year: 2008-2011​
​​​​​Tit​l​e: Ministry of Health (MOH) Lebanon funds for supporting PulseNet (in collaboration with CDC/WHO)
Role: Principal Investigator​
Source: Grant by MOH, Lebanon
Year: 2009 - Present
Tit​l​e: WHO-AGISAR Geneva: Detection of Antimicrobial Resistance in Foodborne Pathogens in Lebanon
Role: Principal Investigator
Source: LGrant by WHO-AGISAR, Switzerland
Year: 2011 – 2014​
​​​​​Tit​l​e: Medical Practice Plan (MPP), Faculty of Medicine, and University Research Board (URB), AUB, Research Projects
Role: Principal Investigator
Source: Grants by Faculty of Medicine-MPP / URB, Lebanon
Year: 1994 - Present​
Tit​l​e:Lebanese National Council for Research (LNCSR) Research Projects​
Role: Principal Investigator
Source: Grants by LNCSR, Lebanon​
Year: 1994 – 2013​
​​

Awards

2016
​Appointed as Chair of ASM Ambassador Program Leadership Circle
​2014
​A​​​ppointed as member of the ASM Ambassador Program leadership Circle 
​2013 
​Appointed as American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Ambassador to Lebanon
​2011
​Appointed as Resource Advisor in WHO-AGISAR (Advisory Group for the Integrated surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance, Geneva)
​2009
​CDC/WHO/MOH PulseNet International (Lebanon) Project Coordinator​
​1990
​Awarded the Fulbright Scholarship,Centers for Disease Control and Prevention​
​​

​​Thesis Projects​ (​Last 5 Years)​

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