Saad Nagi

Saad Nagi is an Associate Professor at Linköping University's Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV), affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. He leads the Lab for the Study of Unpleasant Sensations, focusing on translational research into human somatosensation and pain mechanisms using microneurography. His work bridges peripheral nervous system physiology with clinical pain conditions like fibromyalgia and channelopathies.

Education:

• BMedSci (Hons), Western Sydney University, Australia
• PhD in Human Physiology, Western Sydney University

Research Interests:

1. Ultra-fast nociceptors (UFNs) and their role in rapid pain signaling
2. Molecular mechanisms of touch and pain via single-cell RNA sequencing
3. Social touch perception through Aβ fiber encoding
4. PIEZO2-dependent mechanical pain pathways

His lab employs advanced techniques including microneurography, machine learning, and collaborative studies with NIH and University of Virginia.

Key Achievements:

• Discovered UFNs challenging classical pain/touch dichotomy (Science Advances, 2019)
• Identified 16 human somatosensory neuron subtypes (Nature Neuroscience, 2024)
• Received IASP Early Career Grant and multiple conference awards

Awards:

• Western Sydney University Medal (2009)
• European Pain Federation Young Plenary Speaker (2023)
• NIH and Swedish Research Council funding

Lab Team:

• Otmane Bouchatta (Postdoc)
• Kevin Ng (Postdoc)
• Oumie Thorell (PhD Candidate)
• Emma Kindström (Research Engineer)

Future work focuses on UFN roles in clinical pain and restoration of sensory deficits.