Dr Abdalla Z Mohamed
an Assistant Professor
Dr Abdalla Z Mohamed
Dr Abdalla Z Mohamed
About
Dr. Abdalla is an Assistant Professor at United Arab Emirates University. He holds a Doctorate from University of Queensland, Australia.
Current research
Dr. Abdalla's research focuses on understanding the complex relationships between brain structure, brain function, cognition, and behavior across both healthy and clinical populations. His work integrates multimodal neuroimaging techniques (MRI and PET), computational modeling, and behavioral assessments to investigate psychiatric and neurological conditions, including traumatic brain injury, stress-related disorders, and cognitive aging. A central goal of his research is to advance precision medicine in mental health by identifying objective biomarkers that improve early detection, enhance diagnostic accuracy, and support treatment monitoring. Dr. Abdalla is particularly committed to addressing bias and underrepresentation in neuroimaging research. He is actively involved in developing large-scale, population-relevant datasets in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to ensure that neuroscience findings are more inclusive and globally representative. His work contributes to bridging the gap between research and clinical application by developing data-driven approaches that can inform healthcare practice and policy. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, Dr. Abdalla aims to translate advances in neuroscience into clinically meaningful tools that improve patient outcomes and promote equitable brain health research worldwide.
Future research vision
Dr. Abdalla aims to advance the field of neuroimaging and clinical neuroscience by developing data-driven, precision medicine approaches to brain health. His long-term goal is to establish a leading research program that integrates multimodal neuroimaging, computational modeling, and behavioral science to better understand and treat psychiatric and neurological disorders. A key priority is the development of large-scale, population-representative brain datasets in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to address global disparities in neuroscience research. Through this work, he seeks to improve the inclusivity and generalizability of scientific findings and contribute to more equitable healthcare outcomes. Dr. Abdalla is also committed to translating research into clinical practice by identifying biomarkers that support early diagnosis, personalized treatment, and improved monitoring of brain-related conditions. In parallel, he aims to foster interdisciplinary collaborations across academia, healthcare, and industry to accelerate innovation in brain health. Beyond research, he is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of scientists and building sustainable research capacity in the region. His broader vision is to contribute to a globally connected neuroscience community that advances both scientific discovery and real-world impact on mental health and well-being.
Key publications

Mohamed AZ, et al (2026). The ASPIRE Research Institute Dataset: Building a Foun-dation for Brain Research in the United Arab Emirates. Scientific Data, 13:186.

Mohamed AZ, et al. (2024). Functional MRI of the brainstem for assessing its autonomic functions: from imaging parameters and analysis to functional atlas. J Magn Reson Imaging, 60(5):1880-1891.

Mohamed AZ, et al. (2023). Objective measurement of sleep in the chronic fatigue syndro-me patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 69, 101771.

Mohamed AZ, et al. (2022). Traumatic brain injury fast-forwards Alzheimer’s pathology: evidence from amyloid positron emission tomography imaging. Journal of Neurology, 269 (2), 873-884.

Mohamed AZ, et al. (2021). White-matter alterations are associated with cognitive dys-function decades following moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury and/or post-traumatic stress disorder. biological psychiatry cnni. 6(11), 1100-1109.

Mohamed AZ, et al. (2019). Tauopathy in non-demented veterans with long-term post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging, 46(5):1139-1151.

Mohamed AZ, Cumming P, et al. (2018). Amyloid pathology fingerprint differentiates post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Neuroimage Clinical, 19, 716-726.

Key awards

2026 Service Stipend to participate in the OHBM 2026 Conference, Palais 2 l’Atlantique in Bordeaux, France.(Registration fees: USD$1023)

2025 Trainee Stipend Award ISMRM & ISMRT Annual Meeting & Exhibition, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. (Registration fees)

2020 Highlighting Abstract Alzheimer’s Association International Conference,  AAIC - Neuroscience Next, Online/Virtual (with media coverage).

2020 Highest Ranked Abstract 2020 Biological Psychiatry Australia Conference, online/Virtual. (Monetary reward: AU$250)

2020 Trainee Stipend Award ISMRM & ISMRT Annual Meeting & Exhibition,  online/Virtual. (Registration fees: US$475)

2019 Recipient - Queensland Brain Institute Student Travel Grant (AU$3500)

2019 Trainee Stipend Award ISMRM & ISMRT Annual Meeting & Exhibition, Montreal, Canada. (Registration fees: US$475 + Cash Award US$320)

2019 Recipient - UQ PhD Top-Up Scholarship (AU$5000/year)

2017 Winner QBI Annual Art in Neuroscience Image and Video Contest, Scientific Category winner (AU$100/year)

2016 - 2020 Recipient - University of Queensland PhD Scholarship (AU$26,288/year)

2013 - 2016 Recipient - Kyung Hee University President Scholarship (US$13,000/year)

2012 Distinction with Honour Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University

2009 -2012 Recipient - Excellence Scholarship from Cairo University for Tuition Fees

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