KOCHI: Neuroscience always piqued Dr Muhammed Abdul Muneer’s curiosity. This, coupled with a wish to contribute to medical science, prompted him to delve into research in the field.
Now, backed by the US government and armed with over a decade of research experience, Muneer, who hails from Kasaragod, is on a mission to help people suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI) by developing new and effective treatment methods.
A research scientist and a principal investigator settled in the US, Muneer has been working on methods to treat brain injuries for the past 12 years. In 2016, he set up ‘Muneer Lab’ in the US.
“I aspired to become a medical doctor initially. However, while pursuing undergraduate studies in biology, I developed a strong interest in biomedical research. I attended numerous research conferences across India and began my research during my masters at Cusat’s department of biotechnology. After completing my PhD from Cusat, I sought a postdoctoral position that ultimately led me to neuroscience,” says Muneer.
‘Neutrophil Extracellular Traps and Associated Pathogenesis in TBI: A Novel Peptide Therapeutic Strategy’, a study proposed by Muneer, was awarded more than $2.2 million from the US National Institutes of Health for five years. His research looks at the effects of a traumatic injury or long-term alcohol use to the brain, how to reduce the damage and dysfunctions and support recovery using new treatment methods.
Dr Muneer pursued postdoctoral studies in neuroscience in the US, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha and Temple University in Philadelphia from 2009 to 2013.
“I began working on central nervous system injury research and joined as an assistant research professor at the department of biomedical engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
In March 2016, I moved to the JFK Neuroscience Institute at JFK University Medical Center and established an independent laboratory to research on molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying axonal regeneration, neuronal repair and survival after traumatic brain injury, with the aim to develop effective therapeutic strategies,” he said.
