Dr. Mootaz Salman

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Mootaz Salman is a Group Leader in Cellular Neuroscience at the University of Oxford and a MRC Career Development Fellow. His research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of blood-brain barrier dysfunction in relation to traumatic CNS injuries and neurodegenerative diseases using patient-derived stem cells and cutting-edge technologies such as gene editing, advanced imaging, and organ-on-a-chip systems. He obtained his Bachelor of Pharmacy with Honours from the University of Mosul and completed his Master’s and Doctoral degrees at Sheffield Hallam University, where he investigated brain water transport and developed a novel pharmacological framework for drug development. After completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School, where he created 3D in vitro models to enhance the effectiveness of therapeutic antibodies for Alzheimer’s disease, he joined the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics at Oxford in late 2020. He has secured several prestigious fellowships, including a Leverhulme Research Fellowship, which enabled him to establish an independent research group focused on advancing translational neurovascular research. His team continues to explore innovative approaches and the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases and brain injuries, aiming to build dynamic 3D multicellular models that accurately replicate brain function under various conditions. Dr. Salman is recognized with multiple awards, including the ISN Young Neuroscientist Lectureship Award and the ARUK David Hague Early Career Investigator Award.

Research Interests

Experience

Group Leader

2020-10-01 — Present

MRC Career Development Fellow • University of Oxford

Leading research on cellular neuroscience and blood-brain barrier mechanisms.

Postdoctoral Fellow

2017-01-01 — 2020-09-30

Harvard Medical School • Boston Children’s Hospital

Developed 3D vitro models for investigating therapeutic antibodies.

Awards

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ISN Young Neuroscientist Lectureship Award

2022-01-01
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President’s Medal Cell Biology Section

2024-01-01
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David Hague Early Career Investigator of the Year

2024-01-01
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ALBA-Roche Research Prize for Excellence in Neuroscience

2024-01-01
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Bayliss-Starling Prize Lecture

2025-01-01

Requirements for University of Oxford

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.7
IELTS
Listening
Required:7
Reading
Required:7
Writing
Required:7
Speaking
Required:7
Overall
Required:7.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:22
Reading
Required:24
Writing
Required:24
Speaking
Required:25
Total
Required:110
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Politics, International Relations, Economics, History, Law, Philosophy or Sociology
Application Checklist
  • Three academic references
  • Official transcripts
  • CV/Resume
  • Statement of Purpose (1,000 words)
  • Two academic essays (2,000 words each)
Specialization Notes

Department of Politics and International Relations - Higher Level English requirement.