Professor Zubair Ahmed

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), 2014
• PGCert in Academic Practice, 2014
• PhD in Plastic Surgery, 1999
• BSc (Hons) Biochemistry, 1995

Zubair studied for a PhD in Plastic Surgery at University College London where he investigated a tissue engineering approach to repairing peripheral nerves using artificial biological matrices. He then moved to the Institute of Neurology in London to investigate the mechanisms of disease development in Multiple Sclerosis.

Zubair moved to the University of Birmingham in 2002 where he investigated the mechanisms behind why central nervous system axons fail to regenerate and developed strategies to combat these complications. He was awarded an RCUK Academic Fellowship in NeuroRegeneration in 2007 to develop his own independently funded research programmes on themes such as neuroprotection in the eye and neuro-restoration after spinal cord injury. In 2011 he was promoted to Lecturer, then to Senior Lecturer in 2013 and to Professor of Neuroscience in 2021. He continues to investigate the molecular mechanisms underpinning the failure of central nervous system neurons to regenerate after injury and disease. He currently leads the Neuroscience and Ophthalmology Section, a group of diverse clinicians and scientists interested in all aspects of trauma and disease affecting the eye, brain and spinal cord.

Zubair is a non-executive Board member and a co-founder of Neuregenix, a University of Birmingham-based spin-off company that seeks to exploit his work. He and his colleagues at Neuregenix have already demonstrated the preclinical efficacy of an anti-apoptotic gene-based medicine in protecting retinal neurons from injury-induced death. The target is now being assessed in Phase III clinical trials. He is also co-founder of Midland Pharmaceuticals, a clinical stage company developing treatments for spinal cord injury.

MSc Trauma Science - Programme Director

• Deputy Module Coordinator for Introduction to Trauma Science
• Module Coordinator for Dissertation Module

BMedSc

• Supervisor to Year 3 projects

• Supervisor for MSc/MRes projects
• Currently supervises 10 PhD Students

Zubair's research focus is on understanding the fundamental biology of the failure of CNS neurons to regenerate their axons after injury and disease. Current projects in the lab include: strategies to promote axon regeneration and dissolution of the scar tissue after a chronic spinal cord injury; analysis of the angiogenic response after spinal cord injury; investigating the role of novel genes in CNS axon regeneration; the role of DNA damage after CNS injury; the role of epidermal growth factor receptor in CNS axon regeneration; neuroprotection in the eye and topical drug delivery agents to treat posterior eye disease; quality of life outcomes after trauma and the use of medicinal cannabis to treat neuropsychiatric conditions.

Through these approaches, he and his colleagues have identified several molecules that are neuroprotective such as pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) and combinations of neurotrophic factors. He has also demonstrated that inhibition of caspase-2, once thought to be an initiator caspase, protects both retinal and spinal neurons from apoptosis.

• Regenerative and Reconstructive Medicine Theme Lead for the NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre
• Registered Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Ambassador
• Deputy Chair, Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Board (AWERB)
• Co-Founder and non-executive Board Member for University of Birmingham spin-out company “Neuregenix Ltd”, a successful CRO.
• Co-founder of Midland Pharmaceuticals, a clinical stage company developing treatments for spinal cord injury.
• Associate Editor – Frontiers in Neuropharmacology
• Review Editor – Frontiers in Ophthalmic Drug Delivery
• Editorial Board Member – Trauma Care (MDPI)
• Editorial Board Member – Brain Sciences (MDPI)