CUD professor to collaborate on Quran-inspired research project

Dubai, June 27, 2015: Dr. Marwan Shaban, Associate Professor at Canadian University Dubai (CUD) is to collaborate on a ground-breaking research project inspired by a miracle portrayed in the Holy Quran.

The research, which will be conducted in partnership with the University of Malaysia Perlis, will look into the antiseptic qualities of pumpkin, with a view to developing a new, organic form of pesticide that can replace traditional chemical treatments.  

The project is inspired by the Quranic account of Jonah, who, after being expelled from the belly of a whale, benefitted from the nutritional and healing properties of the pumpkin to aid in his recovery.

Dr. Shaban explained, “Our aim is to explore this miracle, portrayed in the Quran, through modern science, and to see if ultimately we can use the pumpkin to develop a natural product that can serve as an alternative to current insecticides.” 

With research interests in Arabic and Quranic studies, Dr. Shaban has produced a number of publications focusing on nature in the Quran, including the plant world, the insect kingdom, and the rivers featuring in the Holy Quran.

This latest project came about following a presentation Dr.  Shaban made on the subject at the University of Malaysia Perlis, a public higher education institution in Malaysia that specializes in engineering disciplines.

Dr. Shaban continued, “The research will apply nanotechnology techniques to test the effect of the pumpkin properties on insects, and to explore if they could be synthesized to create a new bio product that would function as an effective pesticide, but without the unwanted side effects that often come with chemical solutions.”

The research project is due to start in July and will see CUD faculty collaborate with academics in the Institute of Nano Electronic Engineering at the University of Malaysia Perlis.