He moved on to his doctorate studies at BGU, focusing on the role of the biliprotein picocyanin C and the influence of environmental factors on its metabolism, under the supervision of Professor Amos Richmond.
In 1984, upon completing his postdoctoral studies and returning to Israel, Boussiba joined the Microalgal Biotechnology Laboratory (MBL) at Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research BIDR, BGU.
In a conference which took place in Australia in June 2014, Professor Boussiba received a special award of appreciation from this society, for his continual and outstanding contribution to the field of applied phycology research.
In 2009 he was elected for an ad-hoc committee nominated by the National Science Academy of the United States, aimed at examining the sustainable development of algal fuels and oils,[4] in which he served for two years.
Results showed that there are special proteins (lectins) present on the zeospheres of the fungi which recognize specific sugar moieties upon the algal cell wall.
Prof. Boussiba's researches, spanning over ten years of work, were the basis for the establishment of an astaxanthin production plant from the Haematococcus microalgae in Kibbutz Ketura in the Arava valley – Algatech, which has been active since 2002.
[11] Cloning of Bti bacterial genes into the Anabaena cyanobacteria for eradication of tropical diseases: The Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) group of bacteria is an important agent used for biological pest control.
Bt is a Gram positive, aerobic bacterium which during its sporulation stage produces an endotoxin protein crystal with high toxicity and specificity against various insect larvae.
In recent years Prof. Boussiba's researches are focusing on genetic methods for improving microalgae in aim to produce valuable products such as carotenoids and PUFA – polyunsaturated fatty acids.
He recently (2010–2013) managed the GIAVAP project- Genetically improved Algae for Valuable Products,[15][16] in which ten European and two industrial companies from Israel and from abroad took part.
At the end of 2015 his lab received an additional grant of 1.7 million sheqels over three years from the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture, for developing an innovative system for vaccinating poultry against the Newcastle Disease, using genetically modified microalgae.