Syed Salman Ali Shah is an Assistant Professor at the Center for Water Research, Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, China. He earned his PhD in Environmental and Energy Engineering from Kyungpook National University, South Korea, in 2023, with co-advisement from the Technical University of Denmark. Before joining Beijing Normal University, Dr. Shah was a visiting researcher at the University of British Columbia, Canada, where he worked on fluorine-free omniphobic & Janus membranes for hypersaline wastewater treatment. His research integrates materials science, biocatalysis, and advanced membrane engineering to tackle fouling challenges in water treatment systems, facilitate resource recovery, and enhance energy efficiency. He collaborates internationally with institutions in South Korea, Canada, Denmark, and China, bridging fundamental discoveries in AI/data-driven functional membranes & materials with scalable applications in water treatment.
EDUCATION
2020 – 2023: Ph.D. Environmental and Energy Engineering at Kyungpook National University, South Korea
2022 – 2022: Visiting Researcher at The University of British Columbia, Canada
2018 – 2020: M.S. Environmental and Energy Engineering at Kyungpook National University, South Korea
2012 – 2016: B.Sc. Chemical Engineering at University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Pakistan
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Filtration and Separation, Water Science and Technology, Surfaces, Coatings and Films, Materials Chemistry
Layered Antibiofouling Composite Membrane for Quenching Bacterial Signaling Kibaek Lee, Syed Salman Ali Shah, Hyeona Park, Chung-Hak Lee, Kwang-Ho Choo Membranes, 2022 Bacterial quorum quenching (QQ) media with various structures (e.g., bead, cylinder, hollow cylinder, and sheet), which impart biofouling mitigation in membrane bioreactors (MBRs), have been reported. However, there has been a continuous demand for membranes with QQ capability. Thus, herein, we report a novel double-layered membrane comprising an outer layer containing a QQ bacterium (BH4 strain) on the polysulfone hollow fiber membrane. The double-layered composite membrane significantly inhibits biofilm formation (i.e., the biofilm density decreases by ~58%), biopolymer accumulation (e.g., polysaccharide), and signal molecule concentration (which decreases by ~38%) on the membrane surface. The transmembrane pressure buildup to 50 kPa of the BH4-embedded membrane (17.8 h ± 1.1) is delayed by more than thrice (p < 0.05) of the control with no BH4 in the membrane’s outer layer (5.5 h ± 0.8). This finding provides new insight into fabricating antibiofouling membranes with a self-regulating property against biofilm growth.
Bioactive Membrane with Immobilized Quorum-quenching Bacteria for Antifouling Applications KIM Jinwoo, SSA SHAH, LEE Kibaek, C Kwang-Ho 한국생물공학회 학술대회, 193-193 , 2025 2025
Self-assembled electrocatalytic TiO2 nanowire membrane for multifunctional water purification N Mameda, H Park, J Kim, SSA Shah, S Rahman, P Sherugar, H Lee, ... Journal of Membrane Science, 124422 , 2025 2025 Citations: 8
Polysulfone-reinforced quorum quenching media with silica cage encapsulation: Advancing biofouling control in anaerobic membrane bioreactors SSA Shah, J Kim, H Park, N Mameda, K Lee, HY Ng, KH Choo Journal of Membrane Science 717, 123588 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
Membrane filters for water and wastewater treatment and method of producing the same KH Choo, SSA SHAH US Patent App. 18/565,354 , 2024 2024
Preservation and reactivation strategies for quorum quenching media to combat membrane biofouling T Iqbal, H Park, SSA Shah, J Kim, N Mameda, K Lee, KH Choo Journal of Membrane Science 703, 122856 , 2024 2024 Citations: 5
Membrane reciprocation and quorum quenching: An innovative combination for fouling control and energy saving in membrane bioreactors J Kim, E Bae, H Park, HJ Park, SSA Shah, K Lee, J Lee, HS Oh, PK Park, ... Water Research 250, 121035 , 2024 2024 Citations: 31
The impact of sunlight on fouling behaviors and microbial communities in membrane bioreactors H Park, SSA Shah, G Korshin, I Angelidaki, KH Choo Journal of Membrane Science 672, 121443 , 2023 2023 Citations: 22
Polyelectrolyte-silica composite quorum quenching biomedia as new antifouling agents for anaerobic membrane bioreactor treatment SSA Shah, H Park, HJ Park, J Kim, I Angelidaki, C Lee, J Kim, KH Choo Chemical Engineering Journal 452, 139568 , 2023 2023 Citations: 22
The relationship between quorum sensing dynamics and biological performances during anaerobic membrane bioreactor treatment SSA Shah, H Park, HJ Park, J Kim, N Mameda, KH Choo Bioresource technology 363, 127930 , 2022 2022 Citations: 18
Probiotic strategy for biofouling control through direct injection of quorum-quenching bacteria into membrane bioreactors NN Shu, H Park, SSA Shah, N Mameda, HJ Yoo, J Min, I Angelidaki, ... Chemical Engineering Journal 438, 135572 , 2022 2022 Citations: 22
Layered antibiofouling composite membrane for quenching bacterial signaling K Lee, SSA Shah, H Park, CH Lee, KH Choo Membranes 12 (3), 296 , 2022 2022 Citations: 12
Live membrane filters with immobilized quorum quenching bacterial strains for anti-biofouling SSA Shah, K Lee, H Park, KH Choo Journal of Membrane Science 641, 119895 , 2022 2022 Citations: 29
Quorum quenching, biological characteristics, and microbial community dynamics as key factors for combating fouling of membrane bioreactors SSA Shah, L De Simone, G Bruno, H Park, K Lee, M Fabbricino, ... npj Clean Water 4 (1), 19 , 2021 2021 Citations: 36
Porous shell quorum quenching balls for enhanced anti-biofouling efficacy and media durability in membrane bioreactors T Iqbal, SSA Shah, K Lee, KH Choo Chemical Engineering Journal 406, 126869 , 2021 2021 Citations: 35
Highly robust and efficient Ti-based Sb-SnO2 anode with a mixed carbon and nitrogen interlayer for electrochemical 1, 4-dioxane removal from water N Mameda, H Park, SSA Shah, K Lee, CW Li, V Naddeo, KH Choo Chemical Engineering Journal 393, 124794 , 2020 2020 Citations: 79
Isolation and characterization of novel indigenous facultative quorum quenching bacterial strains for ambidextrous biofouling control SSA Shah, KH Choo Bioresource technology 308, 123269 , 2020 2020 Citations: 40
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Highly robust and efficient Ti-based Sb-SnO2 anode with a mixed carbon and nitrogen interlayer for electrochemical 1, 4-dioxane removal from water N Mameda, H Park, SSA Shah, K Lee, CW Li, V Naddeo, KH Choo Chemical Engineering Journal 393, 124794 , 2020 2020 Citations: 79
Isolation and characterization of novel indigenous facultative quorum quenching bacterial strains for ambidextrous biofouling control SSA Shah, KH Choo Bioresource technology 308, 123269 , 2020 2020 Citations: 40
Quorum quenching, biological characteristics, and microbial community dynamics as key factors for combating fouling of membrane bioreactors SSA Shah, L De Simone, G Bruno, H Park, K Lee, M Fabbricino, ... npj Clean Water 4 (1), 19 , 2021 2021 Citations: 36
Porous shell quorum quenching balls for enhanced anti-biofouling efficacy and media durability in membrane bioreactors T Iqbal, SSA Shah, K Lee, KH Choo Chemical Engineering Journal 406, 126869 , 2021 2021 Citations: 35
Membrane reciprocation and quorum quenching: An innovative combination for fouling control and energy saving in membrane bioreactors J Kim, E Bae, H Park, HJ Park, SSA Shah, K Lee, J Lee, HS Oh, PK Park, ... Water Research 250, 121035 , 2024 2024 Citations: 31
Live membrane filters with immobilized quorum quenching bacterial strains for anti-biofouling SSA Shah, K Lee, H Park, KH Choo Journal of Membrane Science 641, 119895 , 2022 2022 Citations: 29
The impact of sunlight on fouling behaviors and microbial communities in membrane bioreactors H Park, SSA Shah, G Korshin, I Angelidaki, KH Choo Journal of Membrane Science 672, 121443 , 2023 2023 Citations: 22
Polyelectrolyte-silica composite quorum quenching biomedia as new antifouling agents for anaerobic membrane bioreactor treatment SSA Shah, H Park, HJ Park, J Kim, I Angelidaki, C Lee, J Kim, KH Choo Chemical Engineering Journal 452, 139568 , 2023 2023 Citations: 22
Probiotic strategy for biofouling control through direct injection of quorum-quenching bacteria into membrane bioreactors NN Shu, H Park, SSA Shah, N Mameda, HJ Yoo, J Min, I Angelidaki, ... Chemical Engineering Journal 438, 135572 , 2022 2022 Citations: 22
The relationship between quorum sensing dynamics and biological performances during anaerobic membrane bioreactor treatment SSA Shah, H Park, HJ Park, J Kim, N Mameda, KH Choo Bioresource technology 363, 127930 , 2022 2022 Citations: 18
Layered antibiofouling composite membrane for quenching bacterial signaling K Lee, SSA Shah, H Park, CH Lee, KH Choo Membranes 12 (3), 296 , 2022 2022 Citations: 12
Self-assembled electrocatalytic TiO2 nanowire membrane for multifunctional water purification N Mameda, H Park, J Kim, SSA Shah, S Rahman, P Sherugar, H Lee, ... Journal of Membrane Science, 124422 , 2025 2025 Citations: 8
Preservation and reactivation strategies for quorum quenching media to combat membrane biofouling T Iqbal, H Park, SSA Shah, J Kim, N Mameda, K Lee, KH Choo Journal of Membrane Science 703, 122856 , 2024 2024 Citations: 5
Polysulfone-reinforced quorum quenching media with silica cage encapsulation: Advancing biofouling control in anaerobic membrane bioreactors SSA Shah, J Kim, H Park, N Mameda, K Lee, HY Ng, KH Choo Journal of Membrane Science 717, 123588 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
Bioactive Membrane with Immobilized Quorum-quenching Bacteria for Antifouling Applications KIM Jinwoo, SSA SHAH, LEE Kibaek, C Kwang-Ho 한국생물공학회 학술대회, 193-193 , 2025 2025
Membrane filters for water and wastewater treatment and method of producing the same KH Choo, SSA SHAH US Patent App. 18/565,354 , 2024 2024
GRANT DETAILS
Engineered Membrane Development for Water Decontamination, 08/23–08/26. Special Talent Introduction and Scientific Research Project, Beijing Normal University (Principal Investigator)
Overseas Training Support Project, International Collaboration, BK21 Four, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, South Korea, Year 2022 (Principal Investigator)
Biogasification and crystallization process-based sewage integrated resource recovery technology development, 09/20–08/23, NRF South Korea (Participant)
RESEARCH OUTPUTS (PATENTS, SOFTWARE, PUBLICATIONS, PRODUCTS)
US Patent
Application. 18/565,354, “Membrane Filters for Water and Wastewater Treatment and Method of Producing the
Korean Patent
Patent No. 10-2554943-0000, “Membrane for Water Treatment and Methods of Producing the Same,” July 2023.
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
2018 – 2018: Executive Engineering at Qarshi Industries Pvt. Ltd., Pakistan
2017 – 2018: Process Engineer at Agritech (Formerly Pak-American Fertilizers LTD)