KAUST Research Conference:
Neuroscience Symposium 2025
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
Neuroscience Day 2025 will take place at KAUST on December 1st, 2025, bringing together international researchers and the KAUST community to share discoveries at the intersection of brain circuits, behavior, health, and technology. The program will feature lectures from leading scientists, alongside presentations from KAUST students and postdocs showcasing the next generation of neuroscience research. The day’s sessions will cover emerging tools for monitoring and manipulating neural activity, including genetically encoded sensors and chemical approaches to dissect social and neuropeptide signaling; genetic, cellular, and circuit-level insights into behavior, sensory processing, and the impact of nicotine and cannabis on brain development; and new perspectives on brain health, spanning cerebrovascular dynamics, immune-brain interactions, and therapeutic strategies. The symposium will close with a panel discussion exploring how these diverse advances, from fundamental circuit mechanisms to translational approaches, shape the future of neuroscience.
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
We invite submissions of abstracts for presentation at Neuroscience Day 2025. Researchers at all career stages, including students, postdoctoral fellows, and research scientists, are encouraged to submit their work spanning topics such as neural circuits, behavior, health, and technology.
Accepted abstracts will be considered for inclusion in the e-poster sessions, and selected submissions may also be invited for short oral presentations during the symposium. This provides an opportunity to showcase research to an international audience, exchange ideas with peers, and engage in scientific dialogue with leading experts.
Abstracts may be submitted through this form before October 20
AGENDA
09:00 - 09:10
Session 1. Tools & Technologies in Neuroscience
09:15 - 09:35
09:35 - 09:55
09:55 - 10:15
10:15 - 10:35
10:35 - 10:55
Session 2. Genes, Circuits & Behavior
11:00 - 11:20
11:20 - 11:40
11:40 - 12:00
12:00 - 12:20
12:20 - 12:35
12:40 - 13:30
13:30 - 13:40
13:45 - 13:55
14:00 - 14:15
14:15 - 15:40
Session 3. Brain Health, Immune & Vascular Interactions
15:40 - 16:00
16:00 - 16:20
16:20 - 16:40
16:40 - 17:00
17:00
SPEAKERS
H.E Dr. Munir M. Eldesouki is currently the President of KACST.
His 21 years of experience span the spheres of government, R&D, technology, and Innovation, where he played influential roles at different levels as seasoned researcher, inventor and leader setting national strategies, driving execution and shaping R&D, innovation and ICT & Digital ecosystems of Saudi Arabia.
Previously, H.E. Dr. Eldesouki held various C-level positions in the Saudi government. Where he was the Assistant Minister of ICT, the Deputy Minister of Planning and Development at Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), as well as the Senior Advisor in establishing new government entities and vision 2030 programs. In addition, H.E. Dr. Eldesouki had led several research institutes and programs with international collaborators from the US, UK, Switzerland, Canada, China, South Africa, Belarus and others from both private and public sectors. He also managed a number of national institutes and centers related to innovation, material science, and nanotechnology.
He has also headed or was a member of many national-level committees such as the Executive Committee for the Digital Collaboration Organization, the Digital Economy Task Force under the Saudi G20 2020 Presidency and the 2021 Italian Presidency, and the Governing Board for Global Research Council. In addition to his membership in other national boards including Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Award to honor inventors and talented individuals, Chairman for the Board of Trustees of Almari Award for Scientific Innovation, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in KSA in affiliation with the WEF, and member of the following boards of directors: the Saudi Space Commission, Hevolution Foundation, the King Abdulaziz & his Companions Foundation for Giftedness & Creativity (Mawhiba), the King Salman Science Oasis, the General Organization for Military Industries, the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information, and the Saudi Business Center, and the Saudi Center for Competitiveness.
Piezo1: Sensing Forces to Steer Brain Vascular Dynamics
Professor Osama Harraz
Assistant Professor (University of Vermont )
Abstract:
Biography:
Osama is the Bloomfield Professor in Cardiovascular Research and an Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Vermont. He obtained his BSc and MSc degrees from Alexandria University (Egypt), and his PhD degree from the University of Calgary (Canada). Osama studied ion channels in the brain circulation during his PhD, and he was the recipient of prestigious Vanier Scholarship. Osama completed his postdoctoral training in Vermont, during which he discovered a phospholipid regulator that dictates different signaling modalities in brain capillaries. Established in 2021, the Harraz Lab focuses on brain vascular ion channels and signal transduction pathways, with the overarching goal to understand blood flow regulation and how things go wrong in disease. This research is supported by the NIH, CZI and Bloomfield Professorship.
Decoding Neural Diversity: Developmental Programs Linking Stem Cells to Behavior
Professor Mubarak Hussain Syed
Assistant Professor (University of New Mexico )
Abstract:
Biography:
Mubarak Syed, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of New Mexico. His research focuses on how neural stem cells generate diverse neurons and circuits that underlie complex behaviors such as navigation and sleep. Trained in genetics, developmental biology, and neuroscience, he earned his PhD at the Max Planck Institute in Germany. He completed postdoctoral research with Chris Doe at the University of Oregon, investigating temporal patterning in neural stem cells. At the University of New Mexico, his lab integrates developmental and behavioral neuroscience to uncover how brain architecture and complexity emerge during development. Beyond research, he is committed to mentoring through initiatives such as JKScientists and Pueblo Brain Science, supporting students from marginalized and resource-limited communities. He has received numerous awards, including the NSF-CAREER, Sloan, McKnight Scholar, and Society of Developmental Biology Elizabeth Hay Young Investigator Award.
Jibran Khokhar
Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Translational Neuropsychopharmacology Western University
Vaping Nicotine and Cannabis: Impacts on Brain Development, Behaviours and Circuits
Professor Jibran Khokhar
Laboratory for Chemical Technology, Ghent University, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
Abstract:
Biography:
Dr. Khokhar completed his undergraduate training at Queen’s University, and his Ph.D. in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Toronto and CAMH, under the supervision of Dr. Rachel Tyndale. He then completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at Dartmouth College with Dr. Alan Green Dr. Khokhar held a CIHR Post-doctoral Fellowship as well as NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Dr. Khokhar was recently hired as an Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Translational Neuropsychopharmacology in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the Schulich School of Medicine at Western University. Since starting his independent research group the lab has published 65 papers and received nearly $6 million in funding from federal and industry sources. Dr. Khokhar research revolves around establishing the behavioural and neural correlates of various types of vulnerabilities to substance use, starting from genetic risk to effects on development. He is also very interested in the pharmacokinetics of various routes of drug exposure, and has established tools and methods to study emerging routes of administration such as vaping and edibles.
Genetically encoded voltage indicators for optical monitoring of brain activity
Ahmed Abdelfattah (Assistant Professor of Neuroscience )
Brown University
Abstract:
Biography: Ahmed Abdelfattah is an Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at Brown University. His research focus is on developing light-responsive, genetically encoded tools for reading and modulating brain activity at high spatiotemporal resolution. He applies these tools to generate a mechanistic description of how the brain carries out its functions through mapping functional connections and monitoring the activity of individual cells and neural circuits. Dr. Abdelfattah received his PhD degree in Chemistry from the University of Alberta. He then completed his postdoctoral research at the HHMI Janelia Research Campus where he engineered new chemigenetic probes for imaging brain activity. Dr. Abdelfattah is the recipient of numerous awards including the NIH New Innovator Award, the Searle Scholar Award, and the Rita Allen Scholar Award, and currently holds the Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Endowed Professorship in Brain Science.
From Neural Signatures to Clinical Tools: Exploring Drug Cue Reactivity in Addiction with Preliminary AI Integration
Professor Muhammad Parvaz
Abstract:
Biography:
Dr. Parvaz's research focuses on cognitive-affective interactions underlying motivational deficits, reinforcement learning impairments, and inhibitory control disruptions in neuropsychiatric disorders. Leveraging behavioral, computational, psychophysiological, and neuroimaging methodologies, he aims to elucidate disease mechanisms and develop clinically relevant biomarkers to expedite the translation of laboratory findings into clinical interventions. His current research specifically examines neurobehavioral plasticity during the initiation and remission phases of substance use disorders, including developing assays to evaluate pharmacological, cognitive-behavioral, and neuromodulation interventions for craving reduction. Additionally, he investigates cognitive-affective dysregulation and associated risk factors in adolescence that contribute to psychopathologies such as substance use disorders, eating disorders, and psychosis. These projects utilize comprehensive, multimodal approaches combining exposomic (environmental) assessments, clinical interviews, cognitive-behavioral tasks, molecular assays (MR spectroscopy, inflammatory biomarkers), psychophysiological recordings (EEG), and circuit-level analyses (fMRI) to define precise phenotypes and predict clinical trajectories.
Skin-brain axis for tactile sensations
Ishmail Abdus-Saboor
Associate Professor of Biological Sciences (Columbia University and HHM)I
Abstract:
Biography:
Ishmail is a tenured Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University in the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute. He is also a Freeman Hrabowski Scholar at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He received a B.S. degree in animal science from North Carolina A&T State University in 2006 and a Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2012, where he was supervised by Prof. Meera Sundaram. He completed postdoctoral training at Weill Cornell-Qatar, then University of Pennsylvania. Ishmail’s research focuses on bridging the body and brain to discover mechanisms that control pain and somatosensory behaviors.
Engineering Chemical Tools to Study Neuropeptide Modulation of Physiology and Behavior
Professor Ismail Ahmed, PhD
University of Utah, Department of Neurobiology
Abstract:
Chemistry has significantly broadened the range of tools available to study biological processes, enabling the development of precise molecular tools that can be activated in a targeted fashion. A powerful example is the development of a "caged" oxytocin analog, which is functionally inactive until triggered by light. This tool offers unprecedented spatiotemporal control over oxytocin activity, allowing researchers to explore its effects across various tissues with high precision.
Oxytocin is crucial for maternal physiology, social behaviors, and the regulation of uterine contractions and is implicated in multiple neuropsychiatric disorders. However, traditional approaches lack the resolution needed to activate oxytocin receptors with precision within the brain and peripheral tissues. Here, we developed and validated caged oxytocin analogs, which remain inactive until UV light exposure prompts their release. Using this tool, we examined the effects of local versus global oxytocin release on calcium wave propagation in mouse mammary tissue, controlled uterine contractions, and verified its utility in the hippocampus and auditory cortex through in vitro electrophysiology. Additionally, we demonstrated that uncaging oxytocin could accelerate maternal behavior onset in mice. These findings underscore the potential of optopharmacological control of caged peptides as a robust, precise method for modulating neuropeptide signaling across the brain and body.
Biography:
Dr. Ismail Ahmed, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurobiology at the University of Utah, conducts innovative research at the intersection of chemical biology and neuroscience. His work focuses on the complex ways neuropeptide signaling influences behavior and physiology in health and disease. Central to his research are neuropeptides like oxytocin and vasopressin, which he examines to understand their roles in regulating social and maternal behaviors and to explore their therapeutic potential for neuropsychiatric disorders with social deficits, such as depression and autism.
To achieve these insights, Dr. Ahmed engineers a suite of advanced chemical and molecular tools designed to monitor and manipulate neuropeptide functions in real time. These tools are essential for dissecting how neuropeptides impact brain function, modulate neural computations, and drive complex behaviors. His laboratory integrates these custom tools with traditional behavioral and pharmacological methods, positioning his research at the forefront of neurotechnology and neuromodulation.
How does metabolic state impact neuronal function and energy use in the brain?
Zahid Padamsey
Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar
Abstract:
Biography:
Dr. Zahid Padamsey is an Assistant Professor of Research in Cell and Developmental Biology at Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar (WCM-Q). His research investigates how diet regulates brain energy use and function, in the context of metabolic and neurological disease. His lab uses state-of-the-art imaging, electrophysiology, and oxygen-sensing techniques in vivo and in vitro to link cellular energetics with circuit computation and behavior. Prior to joining WCM-Q, Dr. Padamsey established his research laboratory at the Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the Medical Research Council Career Development Award (UK), the Royal Commission 1851 Fellowship (UK), and the Junior Research Fellowship (University of Oxford). He holds an MSc and DPhil (University of Oxford) and an Honors BSc (University of Toronto).
KAUST Centers of Excellence
KAUST Launches Four Pioneering Centers of Excellence to Address Key National and International Priorities
KAUST CORE LABS
KAUST hosts a wide range of sophisticated instruments and world-class facilities that students can access, including the Prototyping and Product Development Core Lab, and laboratories involving robotics and embedded systems, sensors, intelligent autonomous systems and biotechnology. Specific labs will be identified based on the curriculum and individual projects.
A NEW ERA FOR KAUST
Our unrelenting commitment to research, innovation and talent has seen KAUST establish itself as one of the leading research universities in the world, ranking #1 for citations per faculty globally, with a reputation for impact-driven research that contributes to the betterment of the world. This new era of KAUST builds on our many successes, achievements and strong foundations, and our new strategy represents an evolution that brings us closer to the interests of the Kingdom.
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King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Thuwal 23955-6900
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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