Omar Shalaby
Associate Teaching Professor of Biology
Profoundly knowledgeable and resourceful Biologist/Zoologist/entomologist with over 30 years of research and university-level teaching experience. A bilingual exceptional communicator with exemplary written and verbal skills in both English and Arabic. Innovative thinker with strong field and laboratory research skills and problem- solving capabilities. FIELD OF SPECIALIZATION: Forensic Entomology — a field to be utilized by law authorities around the world, offers a great potential of studies and research that enable Forensic Entomologists to elevate their capabilities in crimes and drug abuse investigations of homicide and suicide cases.
Teaching Interest and Philosophy
Experiential education immerses students in firsthand discoveries and experiments, rather than merely hearing or reading about others’ experiences. Despite its long history, this teaching philosophy remains underutilized in American higher education. My most significant learning experiences have always involved hands-on activities, making experiential education central to my teaching philosophy. When choosing a college major, I sought something tangible— something I could feel, touch, smell, or hold—and Biology was a natural fit. Pursuing a graduate degree allowed me to reflect on my favorite courses in the biological sciences and the instructors who stood out. Entomology quickly became a favorite because it involved frequent engagement both inside and outside the classroom. After my first entomology class, I realized insects are everywhere—from forests and homes to gardens and aquatic environments. This realization sparked a continuous fascination with observing and collecting insects.
Every student is unique, and teaching techniques must be equally diverse to cater to different learning styles, empowering students to reach their full potential. While teachers facilitate knowledge, it is ultimately driven and generated from within each student. Knowledge without real-world context is easily forgotten, which is why innovative teaching methods like service- learning are crucial. These methods engage students and create environments where knowledge is generated rather than merely transferred, bridging theory and practice by emphasizing student investment in their education.
Being a student isn’t limited to traditional classroom settings. Anyone with a thirst for knowledge, whether they are elementary, high school, or college students, teachers, professors, academic administrators, or community members, can be considered a student.
My teaching philosophy is shaped by personal experiences, educational literature, and research. It evolves through interactions with faculty, staff, students, and the community. Through constant self-evaluation and reflection, I strive to become a better educator. Teachers must serve as role models, mentors, and sources of inspiration. Exceptional teachers possess strong interpersonal communication skills and the ability to blend factual knowledge with real-world experience. Effective future teaching will require educators to be both experts in their disciplines and skilled in providing quality classroom instruction, whether through formal or informal training.
Research Interests
I am a highly knowledgeable and resourceful biologist, zoologist, and entomologist with over 30 years of research and university-level teaching experience. I excel in communication, with exemplary written and verbal skills in both English and Arabic. I pride myself on being an innovative thinker with strong field and lab research skills and exceptional problem-solving abilities.
My passion lies in Forensic Entomology, specifically in studying arthropod succession on vertebrate carrion in various habitats and under different conditions. This includes their biology, ecology, and taxonomy. The goal of my research is to identify the arthropod species that visit carcasses, describe the decomposition process, and determine the succession patterns across different seasons and habitats. This work aims to provide accurate estimations of the time since death or post-mortem interval, which I hope will be utilized by law enforcement agencies worldwide. Forensic Entomology holds significant potential for advancing investigations in crimes and drug abuse cases, particularly in homicide and suicide scenarios. My research has led to the development of a novel method utilizing mitochondrial DNA sequence data to identify forensic-relevant fly species that are likely to feed and oviposit on animal carcasses in various
habitats. The method’s reliability was demonstrated through the analysis of highly degraded specimens and those collected from diverse geographic locations. These projects have provided me with a solid foundation in understanding species interactions and their impact on population dynamics within a community context. I plan to further expand this aspect of my research program.
Started research on maggot therapy for the treatment of venous and diabetic ulcers
Maggot therapy (also known as maggot debridement therapy (MDT), bio debridement or bio surgery)- Is a type of biotherapy involving the introduction of live, disinfected maggots (fly larvae) into the non-healing skin and soft tissue wound(s) of a human or animal for the purpose of cleaning out the necrotic (dead) tissue within a wound(debridement) and disinfection.
Recent Publications
Hedayat A. Abdel Ghaffar; Marie Z. Moftah; Omar A. Shalaby; Alexandre Favereaux and Mohamed Swidan (under Editorial Review-2024) The impact of Different Temperature Conditions on the Development of a forensically Important Fly Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann 1819) in Bur El Arab District, Alexandria, Egypt. Egyptian Journal of Zoology, Egypt ISSN: 2682-3160
Salman Shayya; Omar Shalaby and Frank Stadler (under Editorial Review-2024) Effectiveness and Economic aspects of Maggot Debridement Therapy for Wound Healing in Lebanon. Healthcare in Low- resource Settings-PagePress.
Abdel Ghaffar HA, Moftah MZ, Favereaux A, Swidan M, Shalaby O, El Ramah S, and Gamal R. (2018) Mitochondrial DNA-based identification of developmental stages and empty puparia of forensically important flies (Diptera) in Egypt. J Forensic Sci Med; 4:129-34.
Shalaby, O.A. (2018) Insects as Witness to Man’s Violent Strategies: Application to Forensic Science in Egypt. Research & Reviews: Research Journal of Biology, RRJOB., 6(1): 14-16.
El-Ghaffar,H.A.; Tantawi, T.I.; Gaaboub, I.; Shalaby, O.A. and El Refai, N. (2012) Forensically flies detect the nutritional value of corpses through neuro-chemoreceptive cells-(5thcell). Am. J. Neurosci.,3: 63-70.
El Refai, N.; Shalaby, O.A.; Tantawi, T.I.; Gaaboub, I. and El-Ghaffar, H.A. (2009) Electrophysiological responses of chemoreceptor neurons in Calliphora vicina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) to morphine sulphate and its implications to forensic entomology. Front. Neurosci. Confrence Abstract: Proceedings of the 3rd Mediterranean conference of neuroscience. doi: 10.3389/conf.neuro.01.2009.16.135. (13-16 Dec 2009), Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt.