We are delighted to introduce Professor Sharmarke Mohamed (Khalifa University of Science and Technology, UAE) and Dr Ghazala Sadiq (The Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, UK) as the latest members of the CrystEngComm Editorial Board!
Professor Sharmarke Mohamed
(ORCiD 0000-0002-5195-2533)
Sharmarke Mohamed is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Khalifa University (KU), acting as Principal Investigator in the Green Chemistry & Materials Modelling Laboratory. He founded and currently heads the KU Chemical Crystallography Laboratory, offering crystallographic services to KU researchers while forging new collaborations with premier global labs in solid-state chemistry. He also holds the role of Theme Leader for the Center for Catalysis and Separations (CeCaS). Sharmarke graduated with a First Class MSci in Chemistry (2007) and PhD in Chemistry (2011) degrees from University College London, mentored by Prof. Sarah (Sally) L. Price FRS and Prof. Derek A. Tocher. His research, spanning chemical crystallography, computational chemistry, and green chemistry, is reflected in over 70 publications and three patents. At CrystEngComm, Sharmarke oversees the commissioning of computational chemistry manuscripts, striving to elevate the journal’s presence in the Middle East and Asia. Sharmarke joined the Editorial Board in 2025, following service on the Editorial Advisory Board of the journal since 2021, and was honored to be recognized as an Outstanding Reviewer in 2019 for his rigorous and timely reviews for the journal. His brief stint in the pharmaceutical industry led to intellectual property on novel solid forms of generic drugs and contributed to the current U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s guidance of what constitutes a “pharmaceutical cocrystal”.
Sharmarke’s service to the UAE chemical sciences community is extensive. He co-founded the Emirates Crystallographic Society in 2020, acting as Vice President and UAE Councillor to the European Crystallographic Association. As Chair of the American Chemical Society (ACS) UAE Chapter (2023–2024), Sharmarke oversaw a 55% increase in ACS membership from the UAE. He also established KU’s first ACS International Student Chapter in 2022, mentoring a senior chemistry student to become the UAE’s sole COP28 ACS Ambassador in 2023.
Beyond his academic pursuits, Sharmarke cherishes time with his two boys, tries to hone his multilingual skills, enjoys playing padel and seizes opportunities to travel and learn new cultures, whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Sharmarke has given his thoughts on working with the RSC and on the Editorial Board of CrystEngComm in particular:
“The RSC is home to some of the best journals in chemistry and it is my pleasure to be a part of the Editorial Board of CrystEngComm, where I hope to contribute to expanding the reach and visibility of the journal in the Middle East and Asia.”
Dr Ghazala Sadiq
(ORCiD 0000-0001-6638-8464)
Ghazala is part of the Scientific Leadership Team at the CCDC. Ghazala manages the Pfizer Solid Form Design Centre Team where part of her role includes applying the latest knowledge-based informatics techniques to drug development compounds. Ghazala also leads the Crystal Form Consortium, a collaborative venture bringing together scientists from major pharmaceutical industries around the world. Working to leverage the vast wealth of structural knowledge in the CSD, the Consortium’s primary goal is to provide structural informatics tools and insights to address challenges relating to polymorphism, stability, and solid form selection during different stages of the drug development process. She has a keen interest in Crystal Engineering, covering a range of topics including polymorphism, co-crystal design, fundamentals of intermolecular interactions, crystallisation, and the importance of molecular self-assembly in the nucleation of crystalline phases.
Ghazala’s thoughts on working with the RSC on the Editorial Board of CrystEngComm:
“It’s a real privilege to join the CrystEngComm editorial board. The journal plays a key role in advancing crystal engineering, and I look forward to working with the RSC to help shape its continued success”.
