Mohammed A. Mashal
Entering Class - 2026
Pronouns: he/him
E-MAIL: [email protected]
Undergraduate Institution and Major:
Century College, Saint Paul, MN - Liberal Arts and Sciences (2016-2018)
Hamline University, B.A. in Neuroscience, Religion Minor, 2021 (Summa Cum Laude)
Graduate Advisor
Greg Duncan, Ph.D., Department of Neuroscience
Graduate Research:
My research in the Duncan Lab investigates how oligodendrocyte injury and remyelination failure drive neurodegeneration.
Graduate Publications
- Mashal MA, Chen CS, Ramsay IS, Vinogradov S, Demro C. (2026). Letter to the editor: Enhancing cognitive control in schizophrenia with transcranial direct current stimulation and targeted cognitive training. Schizophrenia Research, 289, 89-93.
Graduate Awards/Honors
Dr. Christopher N. Honda Graduate Student Fellowship (2026)
GPN Committees
GPN Community Cultivation Committee (3C), (2026-present)
Rotations
Greg Duncan Lab (Spring 2026) - Oligodendrocyte biology, DLK/ISR-mediated neurodegeneration, and complement-dependent synapse loss in demyelination models. Built a single-nucleus RNA-seq dataset (~42,000 retinal nuclei) revealing DLK/ISR activation and synaptic gene dysregulation in demyelinated retinal ganglion cells. Kurt Fraser Lab (Summer 2025) - Cholinergic modulation of VTA circuits and cue-driven motivation using Pavlovian-Instrumental Transfer paradigms. Donald Simone Lab (Summer 2025) - In vivo single-unit dorsal root ganglion electrophysiology; sodium channel modulation via siRNA in translational pain models. Sophia Vinogradov Lab, UMN Department of Psychiatry (Summer 2024) - Schizophrenia, transcranial direct current stimulation, and neuroplasticity-informed cognitive training. Alex Herman Lab, UMN Department of Psychiatry (Summer 2024) - EEG and intracranial recordings in epilepsy patients; Balloon Analogue Risk Task; MATLAB time-frequency analysis.
Undergraduate Research
Patrick Rothwell Lab, UMN Department of Neuroscience (2021-2024) - Synaptic plasticity in basal ganglia circuits, opioid reward and reinforcement, ACE modulation of enkephalin signaling, and Neuroligin-3 function in VTA dopamine neurons. Erik Asp Lab, Hamline University (2019-2021) - Cognitive neuroscience of belief regulation; EEG/ERP analyses; effects of sleep deprivation and distraction on credulity; False Tagging Theory and vmPFC function. Bridget Jacques-Fricke Lab, Hamline University (Summer 2019) - Protocadherin-8 (PCDH8) expression in neural crest cells and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in chick embryo development. Jessica Bell Lab, Century College / Mayo Clinic IMPACT Program (2018) - Antibiotic resistance in rural soil microbiomes (Small World Initiative); genetic and environmental factors in Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. Jodi Goldberg Lab, Hamline University (Summer 2017) - HHMI-funded independent study on antibiotic-resistant bacteria in Minnesota soils.
Undergraduate Awards/Honors
First Decade Award, Hamline University (2025)
UMN Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Travel Award, ABRCMS (2025)
Summa Cum Laude, Hamline University (2021)
Kenyon Fund Scholarship, Hamline University (2019-2020)
Hamline Science Scholarship (2018-2021)
Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship, Hamline University (2018-2021)
Hamline International Excellence Scholarship (2018-2019)
Dean's List, Hamline University (2018-2021)
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Century College (2016-2018)
Dean's List, Century College (2016-2018)
English Access Microscholarship Program, U.S. Department of State / AMIDEAST (2012-2014)
