Asif Jamil
Asif Jamil
Neuroscience, Device Neuromodulation, Neuroimaging, Machine Learning
I’m Asif, a neuroscientist from Boston, USA, currently working in the Division of Neuropsychiatry and Neuromodulation at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital
Education
Ph.D., Neuroscience
University of Göttingen (Germany)
March 2013 - Feb 2017
Summa Cum Laude
M.S., Neuroimaging
King's College London (UK)
Sept 2011 - Dec 2012
B.S., Biology
University of Maryland, College Park (USA)
Sept 2007 - May 2011
Work Experience
Instructor (Dept of Psychiatry) @ Harvard Medical School (September 2021 - Present)
Research Staff @ Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General Brigham) (October 2020 - Present)
- Developed a novel, multi-modal device-based brain stimulation method that combines electric and magnetic fields in a phase-synchronized manner to target and engage rhythmic brain activity (neural oscillations) in humans
- Conducted data collection, processing, and analysis for novel human clinical trials evaluating the impact of device-based neuromodulation (electric and magnetic brain stimulation) on treatment of brain diseases (neurological and psychiatric disorders)
- Applied supervised/unsupervised machine learning approaches to longitudinal electrophysiology data to discover novel treatment response biomarkers as well as neural “subtypes” to device-based neuromodulation
Postdoctoral Research Fellow @ Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General Brigham) (October 2020 - September 2021)
Postdoctoral Research Fellow @ Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (Dortmund, Germany) (March 2017 - August 2020)
Doctoral Candidate @ University Medical Center Goettingen (Goettingen, Germany) (March 2013 - February 2017)
Front-end Software Engineer @ GoSquared Analytics (London, UK) (October 2011 - December 2013)
Javascript Programmer I @ United States Geological Survey (USGS) (Beltsville, MD) (October 2010 - May 2011)
Projects
Multi-modal combination and phase-synchronization of transcranial electric and magnetic stimulation
As a result of my interest in engineering and neuromodulation, I developed a novel electrical brain stimulation protocol that could engage with the intrinsic electrical activity and properties of the human brain (i.e., the rhythmic oscillations and electrical potentials generated by neurons and measured from the scalp). A major limitation in the current state-of-the-art non-invasive brain stimulation techniques such as rTMS is that their effects on the brain's natural rhythmic neural oscillatory activity are non-specific to the actual oscillating frequency of neural activity in the brain. As such, we used tACS to investigate whether we could make frequency-specific changes of rTMS longer-lasting. As part of a highly competitive EU-funded research grant, I led and developed a project to design and develop a more robust stimulation protocol that can more effectively engage with intrinsic neuro-oscillatory activity and induce frequency-specific, long-lasting changes in oscillations. Our solution leveraged computational modeling to define anatomical targets, along with electrical and software engineering to produce a custom phase-synchronized stimulation protocol which leveraged both rTMS and tACS to induce and stabilize frequency-specific oscillatory activity in the brain. Furthermore, we showed that this protocol was also able to enhance functional effects in executive functioning (i.e., working memory processing).Data-Driven EEG Biomarker Discovery using Machine Learning and EEG targeting using Neuromodulation
My ongoing work involves building computational neuroimaging processing pipelines that process all of ongoing neuromodulation clinical trials, including those in major depression (MDD), ADHD, OCD, Alzheimer’s Disease, and substance-use disorders (SUDs). My recent research findings have identified EEG-based neurophysiological signatures underlying these diseases, which has led me to explore their potential use in therapeutic stimulation targeting. Consequently, I am interested in designing and optimizing neuromodulation protocols to effectively engage these respective circuits, using EEG to guide the temporal aspects of stimulation (e.g., timing, duration, frequency, etc.). The broader goal is to develop a “temporal precision” framework of neuromodulation development, whereby stimulation protocols can be tailored to target and modulate the temporal dynamics of brain activity in patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders.Clinical and translational application of neuromodulation for neurological and psychiatric disorders
Another aspect of my research has been focused on developing neuromodulation as a tool for functional rehabilitation, and thereby as an applied treatment for neurological and psychiatric disorders.- Publication 1 (Review on Clinical domain)
- Publication 2 (Review on Functional domain)
- Publication 3 (Review on Application to MDD)
Recent Talks & Lectures
- Invited talk: Multimodal synchronization of transcranial electric and magnetic stimulation for targeting neuro-oscillatory activity: challenges & opportunities for clinical interventions. NYC Neuromodulation Conference 2024- New York City, NY - Summer 2024
- Guest Lecture: Non-invasive transcranial electric stimulation in humans: mechanisms and clinical applications. JPK Stroke Center, Boston MA - Spring 2024
- Invited talk: tDCS as a restitutive tool for motor learning in the aging population. Russian Rehabilitation Union, Moscow Russia - Summer 2021
- Invited talk: Phase-synchronized rTMS and tACS for modulating oscillatory brain activity. International Conference on Complex Medical Engineering (CME), Matsue, Japan - Fall 2018