Dr. Jihane Soueid was selected as a recipient of the 2025 IBRO Rising Stars Award, a prestigious early-career recognition by the International Brain Research Organization. This award supports promising neuroscience research across the globe and will help advance Dr. Soueid’s work on tauopathies and neurodegenerative disorders at the American University of Beirut.
Author: js61
We were proud to participate in the 11th Biomedical Research Day held at the American University of Beirut (AUB) — a vibrant event celebrating scientific innovation and collaboration.
Our lab was represented by three of our talented team members:
🧠 Daniel presented a poster on our ongoing project investigating the combined effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and heavy metal exposure. His work highlighted the potential synergistic impact of environmental toxins on neurotrauma outcomes.
🧬 Ghida showcased our research on Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), focusing on molecular insights into this rare neurodegenerative disorder. Her poster generated strong interest and fruitful discussions.
🏆 Alaa presented her previous work conducted in the laboratory of Dr. Wassim Abou Kheir (AUB), and we’re thrilled to share that she won the prize for Best Poster Presentation—a testament to her scientific rigor and presentation skills!
We’re incredibly proud of our team for their dedication, curiosity, and excellence. Events like these are vital opportunities to share knowledge and build connections.
In our lab, we are working to perfect a series of behavioral tests in mice designed to evaluate anxiety-like behavior, memory performance, and locomotor activity. These tests are essential tools in neuroscience research, enabling us to better understand brain function, model neurological disorders, and assess the effects of genetic or environmental manipulations.
Each test provides distinct insights, and when used in combination, they offer a more comprehensive behavioral profile. We are currently fine-tuning our protocols to ensure reproducibility, reduce variability, and minimize stress on the animals—key steps toward high-quality and ethical research.
Exciting Grant Announcement!
We are thrilled to share that our lab has been awarded a 3-year AUBMC-Medical Practice Plan (MPP) grant to support our research on Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP).
🧬 Project Title:
Genetic characterization of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy in the Lebanese population and disease modeling using CRISPR-technology in vitro, and zebrafish Tol2 transgenesis
This project will enable us to uncover the genetic underpinnings of PSP in the Lebanese population and establish innovative in vitro and in vivo disease models using CRISPR and zebrafish technologies. We are deeply grateful for this support and excited about the road ahead!
Stay tuned for updates!
On March 19, 2025, the NCL team proudly co-organized Brain Awareness Day, welcoming visitors to our lab! We enthusiastically shared our research on the nervous system, sparking curiosity and fostering a deeper appreciation for neuroscience. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect, inspire, and share our passion for understanding the complexities of the brain.
A big thank you to everyone who joined us! 🧠💡
New grant! (December 2024) Dr. Soueid has been awarded a seed grant from the Faculty of Medicine- AUB to start investigating PSP in the Lebanese population. This project is in collaboration with Dr. Hassan Doumiati (neurologist at AUBMC).
We will be presenting our projects at the 7th European Zebrafish Principal Investigators Meeting in Paris, April 2-5 2025.
