Ishmail Abdus-Saboor

Ishmail Abdus-Saboor, PhD is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences and Principal Investigator at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute. His research focuses on the neural circuits underlying somatosensory experiences, particularly the biological basis of pleasure and pain through touch mechanisms.

• Key Research Areas:
  • Neuroethological signatures of pain and analgesia
  • Neural circuits for pleasurable touch and social behavior
  • Epigenetic and genetic tracing of sensory neuron function

Scientific Recognition:

• HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholar (2023)
• NIH New Innovator Award (DP2)
• Chan Zuckerberg Science Diversity Leadership Award
• Pew Trust 2022 Biomedical Sciences Scholar
• Rita Allen Foundation Pain Scholar

His work develops automated behavioral sequencing platforms for objective pain measurement and investigates non-addictive pain treatments through genetic analysis. Current studies extend to neuroimmune interactions and stress susceptibility mechanisms in depression models.