The Story of Dr. François Tsombu

A Journey That Redefined Plant Science in UAE

My story with Dr. François began in 2022. At that time, he was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sharjah under the leadership of Dr. Ali El=Keblawi — talented, humble, and already showing the kind of scientific hunger that separates true researchers from the rest.

What caught my attention wasn’t only his academic background, but his remarkable versatility. François was not confined to one discipline, one technique, or one mindset. He moved effortlessly between plant science, soil research, native species resilience, hydroponics, biochar applications, and even the chemistry behind medicinal plants. Every challenge became a new field for him to master.

That versatility is exactly what makes him exceptional.

When he joined us at the Fujairah Research Centre, he didn’t “fit” into a role — he expanded it. What we planned as a plant research position grew into a scientific platform bridging agriculture, biodiversity, ecosystem resilience, food security, and applied innovation. His ability to switch from a lab experiment to a complex field study, from a scientific paper to a policy recommendation, made him truly unique.

Very quickly, François became the only qualified botanist expert in the entire Emirate of Fujairah, a reference for local authorities, the Palace, and every environmental or agricultural topic connected to native plants. His findings and discoveries have the potential to transform how we understand plant survival, nutrition, and adaptation in arid climates — not just in the UAE, but across the Middle East.

From Moringa resilience to Tephrosia adaptation, from salinity stress studies to soil enhancement, from biochar applications to mushroom substrate innovation — he delivered projects that others would reasonably take years to achieve.

But beyond the scientific output, what stands out most is his consistency.He delivers. Every project, every time.

Today, when I look back at that first meeting in 2022, I realize something important: I didn’t just meet a young postdoc. I met a researcher whose versatility, discipline, and scientific vision would become one of the pillars of our Centre.

François brings Talent and Impact , every single day.