Biography

Having graduated from Melli University Bio/Medical Sciences and successfully completed diplomas in French, English and German Languages, Ella has embarked on an MSc in Molecular Genetics at Leicester University. Her PhD in Neuroscience was completed at the Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover in conjunction with the Medical University of Hannover. Before taking an appointment as a lecturer in neuroscience at Keele University, she worked as a research fellow (neuroscience) at the Legacy Health Research Hospital, Portland Oregon, USA and as a lecturer /researcher (neuroscience) at the University of Manchester, Manchester, UK where she completed a few translational research projects of which two have successfully been taken to clinical trials in stroke and schizophrenia.

Her research interest is in neuroinflammation, neuroregeneration and repair and she has investigated the role of progenitor cells, ion channels, inflammatory and small signalling molecules in diseases of the nervous system such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, Alzheimer’s, pain and schizophrenia (in vitro as well as in vivo). Currently, she is affiliated with University of Sheffield and has analysed clinical data on diseases of the aging population i.e. dementia, cardiovascular disease and comorbidities using UK-BioBank.

She has a Fellowship in teaching from Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and teaches across L4 - L7 neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, and biomedical sciences; supervises undergraduate and postgraduate research projects and dissertations (L6 & L7); and leads the neuropharmacology (L5) and the special senses (L6) modules. She is the academic mentor of over 30 students and has mentored undergraduates, post-graduates, junior lecturers and postdocs over the years of which some have become successful medics, MRC research fellows or EPSRC research fellows.

Ella is the Academic Mentor of (L6) third year neuroscience students, deputising for the programme director (neuroscience), and has been appointed as the Library Liaison for the School of Life Sciences (2020-21). She is an active member of ENERI (ethics) and has been the reviewing editor of Frontiers in molecular neuroscience, Frontiers in cellular neuroscience, Stroke, Archives of Medical Sciences, and Experimental Neurology since 2005.

Potential MSc or PhD candidate can contact her office to discuss.

Teaching

Postgraduate: MSc/MPhil Teaching

• PSY-40038 - Research Apprenticeship in Psychology: Lecturer and supervisor
  • School of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences
• PSY-40075 Advanced Study in Cognition & Cognitive Neuroscience: Lecturer
  • School of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences
• PTY-40010 - Physiology and pharmacology of pain: Lecturer
  • School of Allied Health professionals, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences
• LSC-40029 Biomedical Ethics and Grant Proposal: First examiner
  • School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences
• LSC-40030 Project Management and Business Planning: First examiner
  • School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences
• LSC-40063 MSci Extended Research Project: Lecturer (bioinformatics)
  • School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences
• EDU-400128 Teaching Reflectively in Higher Education: Academic Mentor
  • Keele Institute for Innovation and Teaching Excellence
  • Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences
• EDU-400129 Design and Development in Higher Education: Academic Mentor
  • Keele Institute for Innovation and Teaching Excellence
  • Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences

Undergraduate Year 1 Teaching (level 4)

• LSC-10047 Introduction to neuroscience: Lecturer
  • The Sense of Hearing and balance
  • Histology, imaging, and ulnar nerve (Labs)
• LSC-10074 Physiology and Anatomy: lecturer and first examiner
  • Semseter 1: The Nervous System (CNS, PNS, ANS)
  • Semester 2: The Cardiovascular System
• LSC-10070 Clinical Applications of Biomedical Science I:
  • Problem/Case-based-learning tutor/lecturer

Undergraduate Year 2 Teaching (level 5)

• LSC-20061 Neuropharmacology: module leader, lecturer, and first examiner
• LSC-20079 Neuroanatomy: lecturer and first examiner
  • Limbic system
  • Hypothalamus
• LSC-20078 Neuroscience Research Methods: lecturer and first examiner
• LSC-20107 Practical Skills in Bioscience: lecturer
  • Semester 1: spinal cord anatomy practical,
  • Semester 2:
    • ethics in neuroscience practical,
    • health informatics practical,
    • bioinformatics practical
• LSC-20085 Cell Signalling: first examiner (neuroscience students)
  • Signalling of inflammatory molecules in stroke pathology

Undergraduate Year 3 Teaching (level 6)

• LSC-30063 Brain Disease: module leader, lecturer and first examiner
  • Cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders
  • Stroke pathology
  • Schizophrenia pathology
  • Infectious diseases of the nervous system: Meningitis
  • Brain tumours: benign and malignant
  • Pathologies of CSF circulation: Hydrocephalus
  • Problem based learning tutorials
• LSC-30053 Special Senses: module leader, lecturer, and first examiner
  • Neuroscience of hearing and disorders of hearing system
  • Vision neuroscience and disorders of visual system
  • Disorders of vestibular system
  • Gustation & olfaction disorders
  • Neurological disorders that affect special senses
  • Journal comprehension
• LSC-30042 Current Research Topicsin neuroscience: lecturer and first examiner
  • Neuroinflammation and stroke regeneration (translational & clinical research)
• LSC-30052 Behavioural Neuroscience: Lecturer and first examiner
  • Chemical regulation of behaviour
  • Hypothalamus and feeding
  • Stress, development, and cognition
  • Sensory processing, touch, and pain
  • Biological rhythms
  • Ageing and cognition
  • Homeostasis
• LSC-30015 The Biology of Disease: Topic specific first examiner. This module does not contain any lectures.
  • Nanotechnology, BBB, and treatment of epilepsy
  • Pathophysiology of insomnia
  • Genomics and epigenomics of dementia
  • Chemokine signalling and pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis
  • Acid sensing ion channels and nervous system pathologies
• LSC-30039 Regeneration and Repair in the Nervous System: lecturer and first examiner
  • Neuroinflammation, regeneration and repair (translational and clinical)
  • Oligodendrocytes in multiple sclerosis regeneration (translational neuroscience)
• LSC-30045 Life Sciences Double Experimental Project: supervisor
• LSC-30048 Life Sciences Single Experimental Project: supervisor
• LSC-30050 Neuroscience Dissertation: supervisor

Laboratory Project Students (2021-22): LSC 30045, 30048, 30050

• Benjamin Geary (EEG changes in Parkinson’s patients) clinical data
• Bence Balogh (EEG changes in Parkinson’s patients) clinical data
• Stefanie Johnson Medina (EEG changes in Parkinson’s patients) Systematic review
• Yukta Patel (EEG changes in Parkinson’s patients) clinical data
• Breanna Sharifian (EEG changes in Parkinson’s patients) clinical data       
• Elakiya Annadurai (EEG changes in Parkinson’s patients) Systematic review
• Madison Hanney (EEG changes in Parkinson’s patients) Systematic review
• Sophie Katsiavriades (Companion diagnostic biomarkers in spinal cord injury)
• Osiah Ndlovu (EEG changes in Parkinson’s patients) clinical data
• Fareeha ahmad (EEG changes in Parkinson’s patients) Systematic review

Laboratory Project Students (2020-21): : LSC 30045, 30048, 30050

• Carla Simon (neuroscience student) – current post: MSc in neuroscience (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
• Nadine Hohn (neuroscience student) linkedin– current post: MSc in neuroscience (University of Manchester)
• Xheni Prebibaj (neuroscience student) linkedin – positions: Demographic Project Researcher at Smith-Magenis Syndrome (SMS) Foundation. Current post: Associate Consultant at Strategic Analytics
• Sernila Ganeshamoorthy (biomed student) linkedin– current post: Business Development Specialist at Medidata Solutions
• Suldan Hassan
• Apisan Thuishyanthan
• Ahmad Arif
• Darcey Paskin
• Heera Tariq

Laboratory Project Students (2019-20): LSC 30045, 30048, 30050

• Charlotte Goodman (Biology student)- Postgraduate in Cancer Research and Molecular Biomedicine at Uni of Manchester (2020-21), current post: Associate Scientist in Early Discovery | Charles River Laboratories
• Sophie Douglas [Linkedin] - positions: Postgraduate in Medical Microbiology at Keele Uni (2020-21), Genetic technologist Genetic technologist Oncologica UK (2021-22), current post: Cell line development Scientist, Cell line development Scientist at Abzena
• Piraveenth Kenkarajah
• James Rumball
• Alina Khan – current post: Clinical Trials Technician at Synexus
• Luke Doughty (neuroscience student) – current post: Postgraduate in Molecular Neuroscience at Bristol Uni (2020-21)
• Simon Johnson

Further information

Dr Maysami presented at KIITE Education Conference in Jan 2022
Host: Keele Institute for Innovation and Teaching Excellence (hyperlink to: https://viewer.joomag.com/keele-education-conference-2022-programme/0498042001639744125?short&)
Title: Designing authentic assessments: Moving away from essays and educating for global competence (case-study)
Date/Time: 14 January 2022, 10:15-10:30 Keele Education Conference 2022 - Keele University

Dr Maysami chaired a session on LONG COVID
Host: Midlands Immunology Network
Title: The COVID-19 Research Showcase 2 - LONG COVID 
Date/Time: 16 September 2021, 13:00-17:00

Hybrid Teaching and Learning Post-Pandemic: How to make the Most of Educational Videos
Host: JoVE (Journal of Visualized Experiments)
Title: Hybrid Teaching and Learning Post-Pandemic: How to Make the Most of Educational Videos
Date / Time: Wednesday 23 June | Time: 2 PM BST (UK) // 4 PM Israel 

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Blended teaching and learning in laboratory sessions (KIITE Conference - January 2021, Keele University)
Host: KITE, Keele University - ‘Education: Then. Now. Next’
Title: Delivering laboratory  practical sessions using a hybrid approach - (Case study) by Dr Ella Maysami & Samirah Chowdhury (Level 5 neuroscience student)
Date / Time: 20 January 2021

Blended teaching at Medical Schools: Reflecting on pedagogical research reports (pre and post covid)
Host: School of Life Sciences, Internal Communication (Education and Scholarship Team - Away Day)
Title: Blended Learning in Higher Education
Date and Time: 5 August 2020

Collaborations and grants awards

2020-21 (UK)
Co-supervisor of the PhD student, Emad Shaquora, in collaboration with Professor Anand Pandyan
Project: Spinal Cord Injury (clinical recovery, intervention study) - Faculty of Medicine, Keele University
Co-supervisor of the MSc student, Casey Shaw, in collaboration with Professor Ying Yang
Project: Spinal Cord Injury (preclinical project, intervention study) - School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Keele University

Dec 2020 (UK)
MRC - UKRI World Class Laboratories (WCL) Grant
Co-applicant (Dr Melissa Bowerman; Professor Divya Chari; Dr Stuart Jenkins; Dr Chris Adams; Dr Stefanie Jones; Dr Ruoli Chen; Dr Simon Trent; Dr Ella Maysami)
Amount £68K (excl. VAT)

Sep 2018 (UK)
Social Responsibility Award
In recognition of public engagement activities (University of Manchester)

Sep 2015 (UK)
Social Responsibility Award
In recognition of public engagement activities (University of Manchester)

Sep 2011 (UK)
Research Staff Association Award
Hosting a Cross-disciplinary conference at University of Manchester
Co-applicant (Dr Kassandra Papadopoulou; Dr Sarah King-Hele; Dr Samaneh Maysami, Isabelle Darmon)
Amount £2K

Sep 2007 (USA)
Legacy Health Research Hospital RAC Grant
PI: Investigating the role of inflammatory molecules in ischemic stroke
Amount $8K

Sep 2005 (Italy)
Symbionic - Conference Grant
Amount €1K

Memberships

She is an active member of European Network of Research Ethics and Research Integrity” (ENERI)
2015 - current Reviewer of Frontiers Neuroscience: Critical appraisal (Neuroscience)
2018 - current Reviewer of Stroke 2018: Critical appraisal (Neuroscience)
2005 - current Reviewer of Archives of Medical Sciences: Critical appraisal (Medicine)
2005 - current Reviewer of Experimental Neurology: Critical appraisal (Neuroscience)

Other affiliations:

University of Sheffield (Health Informatics, School of Social Sciences)
Society for Neuroscience (SFN)
Federation of European NeuroScience (FENs)
German Neuroscience Society (NWG)
School Governor at Ashgate Specialist Support Primary School in Manchester
STEM Ambassador at MOSI in Manchester

Research Opportunities

The following research projects are available to prospective MSc or PhD students. Click on each project to read more:

Project 1 - Evaluating the contributing factors in psychological disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders ...

Project 2 - Evaluating the contributing factors in dementia among the UK’s aging population.

Project 3 - Evaluating the effect of drugs and small molecules on neuronal and glial cells.

Project 4 - Evaluating the effects of drugs/ small molecules on rodents’ behaviour.      

If you wish to complete your PhD in Ella's lab you can apply for PhD studentship at https://www.brainresearchuk.org.uk/research/apply/phd-studentship - the funding is available to home and overseas student applicants at UK/EU level. If you have a specific project in mind, please approach her to discuss. Note that the deadline for this scholarship is fast approaching (5th Nov 2020) - (last update on 24th Sep 2020).