Dr. Abdellatif Ait Lahcen is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Sensors Lab, in the Electrical Engineering Department, CEMSE, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). 

Education and Early Career

Before joining the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on March 2019 as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, I was performing my research at the department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Cadiz (Spain) as well as in the laboratory of Process Engineering and Environment at Hassan II University of Casablanca in Morocco. I received my Master degree from Faculty of Science Ain-Chock, Hassan II University of Casablanca (Morocco) and my PhD degree in Analytical Chemistry on March 2018 from the same university under the supervision of Prof. Aziz Amine. I was a member of a research group working on the development of novel electrochemical (bio) sensors based on nanostructured materials and molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for environmental applications. During my PhD program, I was involved in the European Project “Sensing toxicants in Marine waters makes Sense using biosensors” (SMS) Grant Agreement N°613844. I also participated in many collaborative research projects with the University of the Western Cape (South Africa), the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology in Barcelona (Spain), the University of Cadiz (Spain), the University of Sousse (Tunisia) and the University of Rome Tor Vergata (Italy).

I authored and co-authored 16 scientific papers in highly rated journals and more than 28 oral/poster communications in national/international conferences. I am a member of the Society for Molecular Imprinting (SMI) and the International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE). Currently, I am serving the scientific community as a reviewer for many Elsevier prestigious journals such as Biosensors and Bioelectronics (IF: 9.518), Trends in Analytical Chemistry TrAC (IF: 8.428), Chemical Engineering Science (IF: 3.372), Microchemical (3.206).

Research Interests

Dr. Ait Lahcen is interested in the development of novel, rapid and low-cost biomimetic sensors based on MIPs and highly conducting nanostructured materials, characterization and application of the electrochemical sensors in environmental monitoring, food safety and clinical diagnosis.

Publications

Fast route for the synthesis of decorated nanostructured magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers using an ultrasound probe

Abdellatif Ait Lahcen, Juan José García-Guzmán, Jose Maria Palacios-Santander, Laura Cubillana-Aguillera, and Aziz Amine.

Ultrasonics sonochemistry (2019). 53, 226-236.

Study of solvent effect on the synthesis of magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers based on ultrasound probe: Application for sulfonamide detection

Abderrahman Lamaoui, Abdellatif Ait Lahcen, Juan Jose García-Guzmán, Jose Maria Palacios-Santander, Laura Cubillana-Aguilera, Aziz Amine

Ultrasonics sonochemistry, 58, (2019) 104670.

Recent Advances in Electrochemical Sensors Based on Molecularly Imprinted Polymers and Nanomaterials.

Abdellatif Ait Lahcen, and Aziz Amine.

Electroanalysis 31.2 (2019): 188-201.

Label-free electrochemical sensor based on spore-imprinted polymer for Bacillus cereus spore detection

Abdellatif Ait Lahcen, Fabiana Arduini, Florigio Lista, and Aziz Amine Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical 276 (2018): 114-120. 

Synthesis and electrochemical characterization of nanostructured magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers for 17-β-estradiol determination

Abdellatif Ait Lahcen, Abd Almonam Baleg, Priscilia Baker, Emmanuel Iwuoha, and Aziz Amine.

Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical 241 (2017): 698-705

Molecularly imprinted polymer-decorated magnetite nanoparticles for selective sulfonamide detection

Alejandro Zamora-Gálvez*, Abdellatif Ait-Lahcen*, Luiza A. Mercante, Eden Morales-Narváez, Aziz Amine, and Arben Merkoçi

Analytical chemistry 88, no. 7 (2016): 3578-3584.

Areas of Expertise and Research Interests

• Synthesis, characterization, and applications of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers
• Development of Electrochemical Sensors
• Conducting Nanostructured Materials
• Environmental Monitoring

Education Profile

• PhD –in Analytical Chemistry, Hassan II University of Casablanca (Morocco).
• MSc – In Chemistry and Valorization from Hassan II University of Casablanca.
• Bachelor in Chemistry, Ibn Zohr University of Agadir

Awards and Distinctions

• Young Scientist Award by Elsevier ‘Materials Science and Surface Technology ‘, Istanbul, Turkey 2019 
• Best oral communication, Second edition of doctoral day, Faculty of Science & Technology, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Morocco 2017
• Outstanding Contribution in Reviewing for Elsevier Biosensors and Bioelectronics Journal