Regular biography
Masad J. Damha is a Distinguished James McGill Professor in the Department of Chemistry at McGill University. He holds a B.Sc. (McGill, 1983) and a Ph.D. (McGill, 1988). His research focuses on the chemical synthesis, biochemical properties, and molecular behavior of nucleosides, nucleic acids, and their analogues. His work explores inter- and intracellular communication between nucleic acids and proteins, with applications in biotechnology. Damha teaches courses such as CHEM 302 and CHEM 542. He is affiliated with the International Society of Nucleosides, Nucleotides & Nucleic Acids and the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society.
Scholar-generated biography
Masad J. Damha is a Distinguished James McGill Professor specializing in XNA/DNA/RNA synthesis, gene silencing, and related molecular biology applications. His research focuses on developing chemically modified oligonucleotides for targeted gene silencing, including siRNA and ASO technologies. He also investigates CRISPR-Cas9/Cas12a systems and G4/iM-quadruplex structures, with an emphasis on their biological significance. His work incorporates green chemistry principles to enhance sustainability in nucleic acid synthesis. Damha's research has led to advancements in RNA and arabinonucleic acid (ANA) hybrid structures, as well as novel biosensors for nucleic acid detection.