Dr. Mootaz Salman

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, with a research focus on the mechanisms of blood-brain barrier dysfunction in traumatic CNS injuries and neurodegenerative diseases. He graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy with Honours from the University of Mosul and earned his Master's and Doctoral degrees from Sheffield Hallam University, where he investigated mechanisms of brain water transport. He received postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital, developing 3D in vitro models to enhance therapeutic antibodies for Alzheimer’s disease in collaboration with Biogen. Joining Oxford's Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics in late 2020, he employs CRISPR/Cas9 technology to study patient-derived neurons from Parkinson’s disease patients. In 2021, he was awarded a Leverhulme Research Fellowship, which launched his independent research group at Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, later joining the UK Dementia Research Institute in 2025. His research employs innovative dynamic 3D multicellular in vitro models to accurately simulate blood-brain barrier functionality under neuroinflammatory and degenerative conditions.

Research Interests

Experience

Group Leader

2025-01-01 — Present

UK Dementia Research Institute • Oxford

Leading research on mechanisms of blood-brain barrier dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases.

MRC Career Development Fellow

2020-12-01 — Present

University of Oxford • Oxford

Investigating mechanisms of CNS injuries using advanced imaging and organ-on-chip technologies.

Awards

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Young Neuroscientist Lectureship Award

2022-01-01
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President’s Medal

2024-01-01
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Early Career Investigator of the Year

2024-01-01
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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.