Ishmail Abdus-Saboor

Ishmail Abdus-Saboor is an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University's Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on understanding how the nervous system encodes sensory experiences, particularly tactile stimulation ranging from pleasurable touch to painful stimuli. He investigates genes and neural circuits underlying touch and pain behaviors, employing advanced techniques like machine vision and computational modeling.

• Education: PhD in Biological Sciences (University of Pennsylvania, 2012), BS in Biology (North Carolina A&T University, 2006)
• Awards: Rita Allen Foundation Scholar in Pain Award (2020), NIH Mitchell Max Award (2018), NIH K99/R00 Award (2017)
• Teaching: Teaches BIOL 221 (Molecular Biology and Genetics) at the University of Pennsylvania.

His lab uses interdisciplinary approaches to map behavioral responses in animal models, developing tools like sub-second behavioral tracking and statistical modeling to quantify pain. Current projects explore genetic and circuit-level mechanisms of nociception, with a focus on translational applications for pain management.

Publications span eLife, Cell Reports, Neuron, and PLoS Biology, reflecting contributions to pain neuroscience, sensory systems, and developmental biology. His work bridges molecular genetics, computational analysis, and systems-level biology to address unmet challenges in understanding and treating pain.