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Mouhamed Alsaqati

Dr Mouhamed Alsaqati

Honorary Research Fellow

Overview

Mouhamed Alsaqati obtained his PhD in Physiology and Pharmacology from the University of Nottingham. He has been working as a senior research associate in the Neuroscience and Mental Health Innovation Institute at Cardiff University in academic partnerships with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company. Dr Alsaqati is now working as a neuropharmacology lecturer in in the School of Pharmacy at the Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

Research

Dr Alsaqati is interested in learning the molecular mechanism underlying the in the pathogenesis of various brain disorders including neuropsychiatric, neurodegenerative and pain disorders. He uses patient derived pluripotent stem cells and differentiates them into neural linage cells. Then the functional phenotype of these cells can be tested using a number of functional assays including patch-clamping and the multi-electrode arrays (MEAs), which is a platform that tests the neuronal excitability, synchronicity and connectivity. He uses the combination of genetics, cellular and electrophysiological components to understand the mechanism underlying the neuropsychiatric disorders. Following identifying the molecular mechanism of the disorders, he employs my pharmacological and genetic (CRISPR) tools to rescue their aberrant phenotypes.

His research can serve as a fundamental translational platform for patients with neurological disorders as drugs used to rescue the atypical functional phenotype in human neuronal cellular models can be applied in human or animal brains of relevant diseases to correct their aberrant behaviours.

Teaching

Dr Alsaqati teaches MPharm student neuropharmacology modules. He supervises third and fourth year MPharm dissertation topics that broadly fall within the neuropharmacology and cellular biology remit.

He is contributing to the following modules:

In Newcastle/ Pharmacy:

  1. PHM1102:
  • Carbohydrate, lipids, membrane
  • Immune system
  • Respiratory System
  • Normal Pulmonary Physiology
  • Renal System Function and Physiology

2. PHM2101:

  • Physiology and Pharmacology of Inflammation & Autoimmunity

3. PHM2102:

  • Large intestine, Constipation, Diarrhoea and Lactose Intolerance
  • Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics

4. PHM2103

  • Pathophysiology and pharmacology of asthma

5. PHM3103:

  • Anxiety and insomnia: pathophysiology and pharmacology
  • Parkinson's pathophysiology and pharmacology

In Cardiff:

1. BI2432

  • Fundamental Neuroscience

2. MEDIC Y1 - SSC

Biography

Neuropharmacology lecturer (2022- present), the School of Pharmacy, Newcastle University

Honorary Research Fellow (2022- present), Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute (NMHRI), Cardiff University, Cardiff

Postdoctoral Research Associate (2016- 2022), Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute (NMHRI), Cardiff University, Cardiff

Postdoctoral Research Associate (2014 – 2016), BRACE-funded laboratory, Alzheimer`s Research, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff

PhD (2010 – 2014) School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham

Honours and awards

Outstanding Oral Presentation Prize - Neuroscientist Day, June 2019

DPMCN/NMHRI/NCMH Poster Competition Prize, Post-doc category, December 2017

Outstanding Presentation Prize - GW4 Early Career Neuroscientist Day, September 2015

Early researcher of excellence AWARD - the University of Nottingham, April 2014

Professional memberships

Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA) - 2013

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Ambassador

Committees and reviewing

Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (NMHRI) Public Engagement Committee

Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (NMHRI) Management committee