Studied Agriculture in Cairo University 1966. He undertook postgraduate studies in Auburn University, USA, where he obtained his M.Sc in aquaculture, and Ph.D in aquaculture (breeding & genetics).
Appointed as Director of the Central Laboratory for Aquaculture Research (CLAR) from February 1992 – May, 1997. He joined ICLARM (now WorldFish Center) in 1998 as a Senior Aquaculture Scientist until he retired by the end of 2009.
Has extensive experience in aquaculture development through a wide range of projects and studies, both as leader and contributor, for the Ministry of Agriculture (Egypt), FAO, UNDP, GEF, AOAD, Dutch Embassy (Egypt), Egyptian Fish Council (EFC), Industrial Modernization Center (IMC), Strategic Research Unit (National Water Research Center), Advisory Panel on Water Management (Egypt-The Netherlands), CRSP, AARDO and others.
Dr. El Gamal has represented Egypt in the International Network on Genetics in Aquaculture (INGA) from its establishment until 1998. He served on the steering committee of the Lake Manzala Engineered Wetland Project (Egypt-UNDP/GEF) throughout the project. Dr. El Gamal has served as an active member of the Research Council for Fishery Resources of the Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research & Technology.
Dr. El Gamal supervised several master and doctoral programs in the area of aquaculture and he served as an external examiner for several graduate programs at national or international levels. In the area of scientific publication, Dr. El Gamal continues to referee manuscripts for key international scientific journals. Dr. El Gamal lectured on fish breeding and genetics in Azhar University (Egypt) for several years during the 1980s and1990s.
Of particular importance to Dr. El Gamal is teaching in training courses to national and international trainees. He has served as an invited lecturer on courses and at meetings in several countries in the region. As a result, Dr. El Gamal has been involved in the training of participants from more than 100 countries.
Dr. El Gamal co-authored a 2-volume textbook on aquaculture and solely authored a book on biodiversity of aquatic organisms and another book on cage piloting in River Nile.