A faculty member from the Marine Sciences Center participated as a member of the thesis defense committee for a master’s thesis as part of the joint scientific collaboration among the units of the University of Basra.
Dr. Najm Mohsen Aziz, a faculty member at the Marine Sciences Center/University of Basra, served as a member of the thesis defense committee for a master’s thesis by graduate student Mohammed Majid Shaker
of the College of Marine Sciences, titled *A Molecular Study of Genes Associated with Wide Salinity Tolerance in the Shrimp *Metapenaeus
 This study aims to understand the molecular basis that grants the shrimp Metapenaeus affinis its exceptional ability to tolerate wide variations in salinity. This is achieved by identifying the genes responsible for regulating osmotic pressure and adapting to salt stress, linking gene expression to salinity changes in the surrounding environment, and understanding the adaptive mechanisms that enable this species to survive in environments with varying salinity levels.
The Dean of the College of Marine Sciences at the University of Basra presented a letter of thanks and appreciation to Dr. Najm Mohsen Aziz for his efforts in reviewing and evaluating the dissertation and enriching the discussion with valuable scientific information.