Professional Experiences

• Chair of the Institutional Review Board (IRB), An-Najah National University, Oct. 2024-still.
• Director of Medical and Health Sciences Research Center, An-Najah National University, May. 2022-still.
• Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine, Jan. 2021-still.
• Head of Research Projects Committee at Doctor of Medicine Program, An-Najah National University. Nov. 2024-still.
• Coordinator and co-founder of Master of Pharmacology Program, An-Najah National University, May. 2020-still.
• Elected board member of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. An-Najah National University (multiple terms).
• Board member of Scientific Centers, An-Najah National University, Oct. 2021-still.
• Committee member and co-founder of the the Master program of Artificail Intelligence in Health Systems.
• CEO An-Najah BioSciences Unit (NBU) CRO, Oct. 2021- Jan. 2023
• Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine, Jan. 2015-2021
• Reviewer at Dove Medical Press.
• Elected Faculty Board Member at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine, Sep. 2017- August. 2018.
• Ph.D. fellowship in the field of Pharmacology, under the program of Molecular Medicine program, Institute of Pharmacology, Heart Research Center Goettingen (HRCG), University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany, April. 2011-November, 2014.
• Lecturer of Pharmacology (full-time), Faculty of Pharmacy, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine. Aug. 2008- 2010.
• Teaching Assistant (part-time), Faculty of Pharmacy, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine. Sep. 2005- Aug. 2006.
• Pharmacist (full-time) at a community pharmacy, Nablus, Palestine. Jul. 2005- Aug. 2006.
• Quality Consultant, Doctors of The world-France (short term contract)  
• Licensed and registered pharmacist in Palestine.

Certification

• Good Clinical Practice (GCP), NIAID/ National Institute of Health (NIH)
• Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) Module 1, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc.
• Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) Module 2Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) Module 2, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc.
• Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) Module 3Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) Module 3, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc.
• Completed a course “Clinical Trial Statistics for Non Statisticians” – Amman, Jordan, arranged by European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC)

Publications

1. N Kittana Calcium Signaling in Cardiac Fibroblasts: Roles in Fibrosis and Therapeutic Implications, Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy, 2025

2. H Natsheh, AM Eid, N Kittana, M Assali, A Mayyala, S Naser, A Jawabreh, ... Transethosomal System for Enhanced Dermal Delivery of Clindamycin. BioNanoScience 15 (2), 1-10, 2025
3. H Natsheh, M Qneibi, N Kittana, N Jaradat, M Assali, B Shaqour, ... Transethosomal system for enhanced transdermal delivery and therapeutic effect of caryophyllene oxide. International Journal of Pharmaceutics 670, 125111. 2025

4. B Shaqour, H Natsheh, N Kittana, N Jaradat, M Abualhasan, AM Eid, ... Modified Release 3D-Printed Capsules Containing a Ketoprofen Self-Nanoemulsifying System for Personalized Medical Application. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering 10 (6), 3833-3841. 2024

5. A Ghallab, D González, E Strängberg, U Hofmann, M Myllys, R Hassan, ...                N Kittana… Inhibition of the renal apical sodium dependent bile acid transporter prevents cholemic nephropathy in mice with obstructive cholestasis Journal of hepatology. 2024

6. A Farhoud, S Tijani, S Abualrub, A Shakhshir, M Hassan, Z Hamdan, N Kittana... Association between statin use and fractures among dialysis patients in the north of the West Bank in 2021 Journal of Orthopaedic Reports 2 (3), 100171. 2023

7. M Assali, N Kittana, I Badran, S Omari. Covalent functionalization of graphene sheets for plasmid DNA delivery: experimental and theoretical study, RSC advances 13 (10), 7000-7008. 2023

8. S Hattab, N Kittana, L Qasarweh, Y Tayem Prevalence and factors associated with polypharmacy among patients treated for psychiatric disorders in Palestine, Palestinian Medical and Pharmaceutical Journal 8 (1), 1. 2023

9. M Assali, N Kittana, S Alhaj-Qasem, M Hajjyahya, H Abu-Rass, W Alshaer, Rula Al-Buqain. Noncovalent functionalization of carbon nanotubes as a scaffold for tissue engineering. Scientific Reports 12 (1), 1-17 (2022)

10. S Hattab, N Kittana, L Qasarweh, M Ahmaro, Y Atatre, Y Tayem. Prevalence and factors associated with polypharmacy among patients treated for psychiatric disorders in Palestine. Palestinian Medical and Pharmaceutical Journal (Pal. Med. Pharm. J.) 8 (1) (2022)

11. The hepatocyte export carrier inhibition assay improves the separation of hepatotoxic from non-hepatotoxic compounds. T Brecklinghaus, W Albrecht, F Kappenberg, J Duda, N Vartak, K Edlund, ...N Kittana…, Chemico-Biological Interactions 351, 109728 (2022)

12. AN Zaid, YA Zaaror, A Qaddumi, A Ratrout, A Ahmad, E Hamad, N Kittana. Formulation, Physical Stability, and the Clinical Effectiveness of Extemporaneous Ivermectin Oral Solution. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding 25 (6), 523-527 (2021).

13. M Assali, N Kittana, S Dayyeh, N Khiar. Dual covalent functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes for effective targeted cancer therapy. Nanotechnology 32 (20), 205101 (2021)

14. N Kittana, S Hattab, S Idkaidek. Quality assessment of online medical information on oral contraceptive pills in ara-bic language websites, a cross-sectional study. Palestinian Medical & Pharmaceutical Journal 6 (2) (2021)

15. N Kittana, M Assali, WH Zimmermann, N Liaw, GL Santos, A Rehman. S Lutz. Modulating the Biomechanical Properties of Engineered Connective Tissues by Chitosan-Coated Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes. International Journal of Nanomedicine 16, 989-1000 (2021)

16. N Kittana, A Hamamri, L Zighan, I Salama, S Hattab. Pharmacotherapy of kidney transplant rejection: A narrative review on current therapy and future aspects. Kuwait Medical Journal (2021).

17. N Kittana, S Hattab, M Hasasnah. Quality of online information on type 2 diabetes mellitus in Arabic language websites. Palestinian Medical & Pharmaceutical Journal 5 (2), 97-106

18. Assali M, Almasri M, Kittana N, Alsouqi D. Covalent Functionalization of Graphene Sheets with Different Moieties and Their Effects on Biological Activities. ACS Biomater. Sci. Eng. 2019, 6, 1, 112-121.

19. Albrecht W, Kappenberg F, Brecklinghaus T, ... Kittana N, … Hengstler J. Prediction of human drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in relation to oral doses and blood concentrations. Arch Toxicol 93, 1609–1637 (2019).

20. M Assali, N Kittana, SA Qasem, R Adas, D Saleh, A Arar, O Zohud. Combretastatin A4-camptothecin micelles as combination therapy for effective anticancer activity. 2019 Jan, RSC Advances 9 (2), 1055-1061.

21. Kittana N, Assali M, Abu-Rass H, Lutz S, Hindawi R, Ghannam L, Zakarneh M, Mousa A. Enhancement of wound healing by single-wall/multi-wall carbon nanotubes complexed with chitosan. Int J Nanomedicine. 2018 Nov 8;13:7195-7206. doi: 10.2147/IJN.S183342. eCollection 2018

22. Assali M, Zaid AN, Kittana N, Hamad D, Amer J. Covalent functionalization of SWCNT with combretastatin A4 for cancer therapy. Nanotechnology. 2018 Jun 15;29(24):245101. doi: 10.1088/1361-6528/aab9f2. Epub 2018 Mar 27.

23. Zaid AN, Shtayah R, Qadumi A, Ghanem M, Qedan R, Daibes M, Awwad SA, Jaradat N, Kittana N. Stability of extemporaneously prepared rosuvastatin oral suspension.. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2017 Oct 1;74(19):1579-1583 . doi: 10.2146/ajhp160235.

24. Naim Kittana: Angiotensin converting enzyme 2-Angiotensin 1-7/1-9 system: novel promising targets for heart failure treatment. Fundamental and Clinical Pharmacology, 08/2017; doi: 10.1111/fcp.12318

25. Naim Kittana, Suhaib Hattab, Azza Ziyadeh-Isleem, Nidal Jaradat, Abdel-Naser Zaid: Montelukast, current indications and prospective future applications. Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine 08/2016;  DOI:10.1080/17476348.2016.1207533

26. Abdel Naser Zaid, Naim Kittana, Ayman Mousa, Nadia Ghazal, Rana Bustami: Bioequivalence assessment of two pregabalin capsules in healthy Mediterranean Arab volunteers. International journal of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics 07/2016;  DOI:10.5414/CP202552

27. Mohyeddin Assali, Maysa Joulani, Raghad Awwad, Muath Assad, Motasem Almasri, Naim Kittana, Abdel Naser Zaid: Facile Synthesis of Ciprofloxacin Prodrug Analogues to Improve its Water Solubility and Antibacterial Activity.

28. Jatho A, Hartmann S, Kittana N, Mügge F, Wuertz CM, Tiburcy M, Zimmermann WH, Katschinski DM, Lutz S.: RhoA Ambivalently Controls Prominent Myofibroblast Characteritics by Involving Distinct Signaling Routes. PLoS ONE 10/2015; 10(10):e0137519. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0137519

29. Anita Ongherth, Sebastian Pasch, Christina M Wuertz, Karolin Nowak, Naim Kittana, Cleo A Weis, Aline Jatho, Christiane Vettel, Malte Tiburcy, Karl Toischer, Gerd Hasenfuss, Wolfram-Hubertus Zimmermann, Thomas Wieland, Susanne Lutz: p63RhoGEF regulates auto- and paracrine signaling in cardiac fibroblasts. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology 09/2015;  DOI:10.1016/j.yjmcc.2015.09.009

30. A N Zaid, Ghosh A Abu, N Kittana: Weight Uniformity of Scored Tablet Halves Manufactured by Palestinian Pharmaceutical Companies. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding 08/2013; 14(3):257-260.

31. Rowa' Al-Ramahi, Abdel N Zaid, Na'em Kettana, Waleed Sweileh, Doa' Al-Jabi: Attitudes of consumers and healthcare professionals towards the patient package inserts - a study in Palestine. 03/2012; 10(1):57-63. DOI:10.4321/S1886-36552012000100010

32. Naim J Kittana, Maha S Shomaf, Abdulazim S Salhab: Chemoprevention of Induced Colonic Aberrant Crypt Foci in Rats by the Combination of Meloxicam and Grapefruit Juice. Jordan Medical Journal 12/2009; 43(434):316-323.

Conferences, Posters and Talks

1. Naim Kittana, Mohyeddin Assali, Hanood Abu-Rass, Susanne Lutz, Rama Hindawi, Lina Ghannam, Marah Zakarneh, Ahmad Mosa: Implementation of single-wall/multi-wall carbon nanotubes complexed with chitosan in hound healing. 6th International Conference on Multifunctional, Hybrid and Nanomaterials (HYMA2019). 11-15 March 2019, Sitges, Spain. (Poster)

2. Naim Kittana and Susanne Lutz: Live Cell Calcium Imaging in Primary Cardiac Fibroblasts. International Eurasian Conference on Biological and Chemical Sciences (EurasianBioChem 2018) April 26-27, 2018 Ankara, Turkey. (Talk)

3. Aline Jatho, Naim Kittana, Kerstin Schenk, Beate Ramba, Wolfram-Hubertus Zimmermann, Susanne Lutz: RhoA Controls Myofibroblast Characteristics. American Heart Association's Basic Cardiovascular Sciences 2014 Scientific Sessions: Pathways to Cardiovascular Therapeutics; 07/2014. (Poster)

4. N. Kittana, W. Albrecht, A. Jatho, C. Würtz, K. Schenk, B. Ramba, S. Lutz (2014) Calcium Complexly Regulate Connective Tissue Growth Factor in Cardiac Fibroblasts. The 80^th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (DGPT), Hannover, Germany. (Talk)

5. N. Kittana, W. Albrecht, A. Jatho, B. Ramba, S. Lutz (2014). Ang II-Induced Calcium Signaling Complexly Regulates CTGF in Cardiac Fibroblasts. Poster at the 12^th Dutch-German Joint Meeting of the Molecular Cardiology Working Groups (DGJM), Groningen, Netherlands. (Poster prize)

6. N. Kittana, A. Jatho, A. Ongherth, N. Krüger, C. Würtz, K. Schenk, B. Ramba S. Lutz (2013). Multiple Signaling Pathways Regulate Connective Tissue Growth Factor Expression and Secretion in Cardiac Fibroblasts. The 11^th Dutch-German Joint Meeting of the Molecular Cardiology Working Groups (DGJM), Heidelberg, Germany. (Poster)

7. N. Kittana, A. Jatho, C. Würtz, K. Schenk, B. Ramba S. Lutz (2012). Role of Tubulin in the Regulation of CTGF Expression & Secretion in Cardiac Fibroblasts: Possible Role in Cardiac Fibrosis. The 10^th Dutch-German Joint Meeting of the Molecular Cardiology Working Groups (DGJM), Kerkrade, Netherlands. (Poster)

8. Naim J. Kittana, Maha S. Shomaf, Abdulazim S. Salhab (2008): Chemoprevention of Meloxicam, Grapefruit Juice and Combination Against the Formation of Colonic Aberrant Crypt Foci in Rats Induced by 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine. Annual Meeting of American College of Clinical Pharmacology, USA. (Poster)