Three-Year Appointment Recognizes Salma S. Syed鈥檚 Contributions to Crystallography and Structural Science
A Khalifa University Research Associate in the Department of Chemistry Salma S. Syed has been selected for the 2026 cohort of the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) Early Career Boards.
The three-year program develops future editorial leaders in crystallography and structural science by involving early-career researchers in peer review, publishing and journal-related activities. Syed will work alongside experienced IUCr editors, supported by an assigned mentor, while contributing her perspective to the international structural science community.
Through the program, Syed will strengthen her peer-review and editorial skills and gain further insight into research integrity and scientific publishing. The appointment also gives Khalifa University a presence within an international program to shape the next generation of scientific publishing.
Recently, her work was presented at the 27th IUCr Congress and General Assembly, held from 11鈥�18 August 2026 in Calgary, Canada. This included an oral presentation and three posters covering structural biology, protein crystallization, nanotechnology and crystallization in space-related environments.
Syed鈥檚 selection follows previous recognition from the IUCr. She received an IUCr Young Scientist Award at the 26th IUCr Congress and General Assembly, held in Melbourne, Australia, in 2023.
In 2024, she received the IUCr鈥揂sian Crystallographic Association Rising Star Award at the 18th Conference of the Asian Crystallographic Association in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The award recognized her research on using nanoparticles to improve protein crystallization, an important step in determining protein structures and supporting the development of therapeutics.
In November 2026, Syed aims to participate in the Oxford鈥揚ittsburgh Workshop 2026: Space Medicine and Human Exploration in the Era of the Moon and Mars, at the University of Oxford. She will present research on protein crystallization and space-based biomedical research, contributing to discussions spanning space medicine, human spaceflight, biotechnology and research conducted in microgravity.
The IUCr Early Career Boards encompasses eight publications: Acta Crystallographica Sections A鈥揊, the Journal of Applied Crystallography and the Journal of Synchrotron Radiation. Members serve on one of three boards covering methods and instrumentation, structural chemistry or structural biology.
Professor David Sheehan, Chair, Chemistry, Khalifa University, said: 鈥淪alma S. Syed鈥檚 appointment to the IUCr Early Career Board reflects the growing international engagement of Khalifa University researchers in crystallography, structural biology and space-enabled research, while extending the University鈥檚 contribution to scientific publishing and the development of emerging research talent. We are extremely proud of her and confident that she will make a valuable contribution to the international crystallography community.鈥�
Salma S. Syed said: 鈥淚t is an honor to join the IUCr Early Career Board and contribute to a global community that has played a vital role in my development as a researcher. The appointment will allow me to strengthen my understanding of peer review and scientific publishing, learn from experienced editors, and bring insights from my research at Khalifa University to international discussions in crystallography and structural science.鈥�
