Robert Dib is currently teaching biochemistry and chemistry courses. His research interests in food products and natural bioactive substances make him undertake investigations in several fields of applied sciences. One of them consists in the purification, structure determination, and characterization of natural substances with potent bioactivity, especially saponins. These glycosidic molecules, largely distributed within the plant kingdom, have a wide spectrum of activity which makes them good candidates for potential use as biopesticides, antiparasitic, antitumoral, and/or antinflammatory agents. He is also interested in food-related projects, mainly on olive oil and dairy products. For example, characterizing the Lebanese olive oil which is still lacking extensive studies that show its quality attributes –especially in healthy photochemicals-, probable pesticides load, and distinctive molecular fingerprint for obtaining a “Protected Designation of Origin”. Dr. Dib has also a research background in biochemistry consisting mainly in purification and characterization of proteins and enzymes, proteins-ligands interactions, and heat-stable enzymes of hyperthermophilic bacteria.

Doctorate in Biochemistry, Nantes University, France, 1998

Refereed Journal Articles

Dib R., Chobert J. M., Dalgalarrondo M., and Haertle T. (1996). Secondary structure changes and peptic hydrolysis of β-lactoglobulin induced by diols, Biopolymers, 39, pp. 23-30.

Chobert J. M., Briand L., Dufour E., Dib R., Dalgalarrondo M., and Haertle T. (1997). How to increase β-lactoglobulin susceptibility to peptic hydrolysis, J. Food Biochem., 20, pp. 439-462.

Dib R., Chobert J. M., Dalgalarrondo M., Barbier G., and Haertle T. (1998). Purification, molecular properties and specificity of a thermoactive and thermostable proteinase from Pyrococcus abyssi, strain st 549, hyperthermophilic archaea from deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystem, Federation of European Biochemical Societies, FEBS Letters, 431, pp. 279-284.

Conference Proceedings

Dib R., Caucheteux S., Godfroy A., Barbier G., Chobert J.M., and Haertley T. (1997). Purification and characterisation of extracellular proteinase from Pyrococcus abyssi, strain 549. Marine Micro-organisms for Industry , 19-20 November, Brest, France.