Elsayed Elsayed Wagih PhD, DIC, CIDTT (born 21 November 1946) is an Egyptian professor of virology and biotechnology and vice President of the Arab Society for Biotechnology. He was born in Alexandria, Egypt. Wagih is well known for having invented Zymoblot, the fastest available microtechnique to detect gene expression and/or enzyme activity in any biological specimen as well as the ”Mirror Image in vivo electro-blotting technique” that detects virus particles or any foreign protein (Gene Expression) in any tissue. He also discovered two viruses reported under his name in the world data bank of viruses, the first was named "Peanut Chlorotic Ringspot Virus (PCRV)" and the second was called “Peanut Top Paralysis (PTPV)".
Also, a champion in Greek-Roman and free-style wrestling in Egypt for the period from 1965 to 1977. He was the one who made the College of Agriculture enjoy, for the first time at the level of University of Alexandria, the winning, in 1965–1966, of first place in the 74 kg class Greco-Roman Wrestling.
Education
In 1970, he received a B.Sc. in Plant Pathology from University of Alexandria and in 1975, he gained an M.Sc. degree in Plant Bacterial Diseases from the same university. In 1981 he received a PhD degree in Virology from the Imperial College of Science, University of London and was awarded in the same year a DIC from the Royal College of Science, University of London.
Positions held
Since June 26, 1992, Wagih has been working as Professor of Plant Pathology and Biotechnology in the Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, University of Alexandria, Egypt. He is the former Head (2005–2007) of the Department of Plant Pathology and former vice director of research of the Biotechnology Centre, College of Agriculture, University of Alexandria, Egypt . He is also the former Representative of North Africa and a Board Member of the Governing Council of the African Crop Science Society (ACSS) for three successive election periods. He is the vice president of the Arab Society for Biotechnology. He is a member of the High Committee for Promoting University Faculty at the Supreme Council of Egyptian Universities.
Prizes and awards
Wagih has gained several prizes and awards including a prize, in 1970, for the top student in Plant Pathology, awarded by the American Rotary Club of Alexandria, Egypt, a prize, in 1970, for scientific achievement awarded in commemoration of the late Prof. Abass El-Helali, recognised as the father of Plant Pathology in Egypt and Africa as a whole, a prize, in the same year, for the “ideal student” awarded by College of Agriculture, University of Alexandria, a research award (October78-June80) by the British Council, a research award (1983) by the British Council, and the highest award for Scientific research awarded by the 'Egyptian Academy of Science & Technology' for the year 1998. In August 2009, the University of Alexandria has awarded him a certificate of appreciation and a gold medal in recognition of his scientific excellence and outstanding academic performance.
Membership and recognition certificates
In 1981, Wagih was granted the Diploma of Membership to the Royal College of Science (DIC), University of London and in October 1994, the Board of Governors of the New York Academy of Sciences, in recognition of his work in, and support for, science and technology, elected him as an active member of the academy. In January 1995, the Board of Governors of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), elected him to become an International Member of the Association. Later, the Governing Council of the African Crop Science Society (ACSS), in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the society and the Promotion of Crop Production in Africa, granted him its 'Certificate of Recognition' for three successive times, the first of which was in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1997, and once again in Cazablanca, Morocco, in 1999, and lastly, and for the third time, in Lagos, Nigeria, 2001.
Published books
Wagih was the author of a series of the first and most popular and comprehensive books on Biotechnology in Egypt and the rest of the Arabic–speaking countries. Out of the many books he published which were all centred on Biotechnology, the following are the most relevant ones: “Mad-Cow Disease and Human Cloning” (157.pp.), “Cancer in The Service of Biotechnology” (320pp.), “Biotechnology and Its Applications in Agriculture” (400pp.), "Genetic Engineering", Part I and Part II (2300pp., in press) and "Encyclopedia of Genetic Engineering" (1500pp.).