Abaynesh Yihdego Gebreyohannes, Ph.D.

Alumni

​Postdoctoral Fellow

Social Profile:

Research Interests

​My research interest is the design and development of multi-functional nanocomposite membranes, stimulus-responsive membrane bioreactors, integrated membrane process and enzyme immobilization for water/wastewater treatment, energy generation, and waste valorization.

Selected Publications

  • Phosphotriesterase-Magnetic Nanoparticle Bioconjugates with Improved Enzyme Activity in a Biocatalytic Membrane Rea... 
    AbayneshY. Gebreyohannes, R. Mazzei, M. Yahia, G. Vitola, E. Porzio, G. Manco, M. Barboiu,...
    Bioconjugate Chem., 29 (6), pp 20012008. IF: 4.485 (ACS), (2018)
  • Nanoscale tuning of enzyme localization for enhanced reactor performance in a novel magnetic-responsive biocatalyti... 
    Gebreyohannes A. Y, M. R. Bilad, T. Verbiest, C. Courtin, E. Dorenze, L.Giorno, E.Curcio, ...
    Journal of Membrane Science, 487(0), 209-220. IF:6.578 (Elsevier), (2015)
  • Development of a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane for nanofiltration 
    M. Mertens, T. Van Dyck, C. Van Goethem, A. Y. Gebreyohannes and Ivo F.J. Vankelecom
    Journal of Membrane Science, Vol 557, Pages 24-29. IF:6.578 (Elsevier), (2018)
  • Effect of operational parameters on the performance of a magnetic responsive biocatalytic membrane reactor 
    Gebreyohannes A. Y, L. Giorno, I.F.J. Vankelecom, T. Verbiest, P. Aima
    Chemical Engineering Journal, 308, 853-862. IF:6.735 (Elsevier), (2017)
  • Pectinases immobilization on magnetic nanoparticles and their antifouling performance in a biocatalytic membrane re... 
    Gebreyohannes A. Y, R. Mazzei, T. Poerio, P. Aimar, I. Vankelecom, L. Giorno
    RSC Advances, IF:2.936, (2016)
  • Treatment of Olive Mill Wastewater by Forward Osmosis 
    Gebreyohannes A. Y., E. Curcio, T. Poerio, R. Mazzei, G. Di Profio, E. Drioli and L. Gior...
    Separation and Purification Technology, 147(0), 292-302 , (2015)
  • Micropollutant rejection of annealed polyelectrolyte multilayer based nanofiltration membranes for treatment of con... 
    S. Mehran Abtahia, L. Marbelia, A. Y. Gebreyohannes, P. Ahmadiannamini , C. Joannis-Cassan...
    Sep & Pur. Tech. 209, 470481. IF: 3.927, (2019)
  • Membrane development for improved performance of a magnetically induced vibration system for anaerobic sludge filtr... 
    Mertens M., Bilad M., Gebreyohannes A. Y, Marbelia L., Vankelecom I.
    Sep and Pur. Tech, 200, 120-129, (2018)
  • Trends and current practices of olive mill wastewater treatment: Application of integrated membrane process and its... 
    Gebreyohannes A. Y, R. Mazzei, L. Giorno
    Separation and Purification Technology, 162, (2016)
  • Removal of Emerging Micropollutants by Activated Sludge Process and Membrane Bioreactors and the Effects of Micropo... 
    A.T. Besha, Gebreyohannes A. Y, R.A. Tufa, D.N. Bekele, E. Curcio, L. Giorno
    Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.20..., (2017)

Education

  • Multi-PhD in Membrane Engineering ( Erasmus Mundus Doctorate in Membrane Engineering; EUDIME) from UNICAL, Italy; KU Leuven Belgium; University of Paul Sabatier, Toulouse III, France.
  • MSc in Environmental Santitation with great distinction from Gent University, Belgium.
  • BSc in Chemical Engineering, Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia.

Professional Profile

  • Oct 2016 - July 2019: Postdoctoral fellow at KU Leuven, Belgium.
  • Dec 2014 - Sep 2016: Postdoctoral fellow at Italian National Research Council, Institute for Membrane Technology- ITM-CNR, Italy.
  • Feb 2011 - till present: Lecturer at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
  • Sep 2010 - Jan 2010: Lecturer at Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia.
  • July 2008 - Sep 2010: Assistant lecturer II at Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia.
  • July 2007 - July 2008: Assistant lecturer I at Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia.

Scientific and Professional Membership

  • ​African Membrane Society (AMSic)
  • European Membrane Society (EMS)
  • Ethiopian Society of Chemical Engineers (ESCHE)

Awards

  • ​EFCE-EMS joint Excellence Award in Membrane Engineering 2018 awarded during the Euromembrane 2018, Valencia, Spain, July 2018.
  • Winner of the best exploitation plan for research technology and knowledge transfer presented to industrial experts and investors, KU Leuven, October 2018- April 2019.
  • FWO- travel grant to attend Euromembrane2018, July 9-13, 2018, Valencia, Spain
  • FWO travel grant to attend the Second African Membrane Society congress, July 29-Aug 2, 2018, Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Excellent poster prize during the 10th international congress on membrane and membrane technology (ICOM2014) held from 20-25 July 2014, Suzhou, China
  •  EMDJ fellowship for Multiple European Union Doctorate in Membrane Engineering, Erasmus Mundus Fellowship grant No FPA 2011-0014, Nov 2011- Oct 2014.
  • Best membrane related thesis of the year 2010 organized by TNAV-BMG (Belgian water technology networks) and Belgiam Membrane Group.
  • Second best thesis for the Arcelor Mittal Environmental prize.
  • VLIR-IOUS scholarship, Sep 2008- Sep 2010.

KAUST Affiliations

Research Interests Keywords

​Nanocomposite membranes Membrane fouling Enzyme immobilization Magnetic nanoparticles Integrated membrane process