ALI MOHEBI, PHD
NIMH K01 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
DEPARTMENT OF NEUROLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO (UCSF)


Education and Training

Professional Researcher, Department of Neurology,
University of California San Francisco (UCSF)
Mentor(s): Josh Berke, Ph.D. | Vikaas Sohal, M.D., Ph.D. | Vijay Namboodiri, Ph.D.
Main Project: Dopaminergic Modulation of Prefrontal cortex During Working Memory
Skills: Two-photon imaging and holographic stimulation | Head-fixed mouse behavior | Neuropixel recording
Contributions: One paper submitted and available on biorxiv

Postdoc Scholar, Department of Neurology,
University of California San Francisco (UCSF)
Mentor: Josh Berke, PhD
Main Project: Dopamine Dynamics in Learning and Memory
Skills: In vivo electrophysiology in freely moving rats | Opto-tagging of DA cells | Multi-color fiber photometry
Contributions: Two first-authored papers in Nature and Nature Methods | One first-authored paper under revision in Nature Neuroscience

Postdoc Scholar, Department of Psychology,
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Mentor: Josh Berke, PhD
Main Project: Investigating the Role of Striatal Microcircuits in Reinforcement Learning
Skills: Reinforcement Learning Models | Optogenetics | 3D Digital Design | Behavioral Experiment Design and Implementation using Low-cost Custom Equipments

Ph.D Student, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,
Michigan State University
Thesis Advisor: Karim Oweiss, PhD
Main Project: Neural Mechanisms of Action Selection: Implications for Brain-Machine Interfaces
Skills: Neural Signal Processing | BMI decoding algorithms | Silicon Probe Recording
Contributions: Papers in IEEE TNSRE, JNE, and JOVE | One paper available on biorxiv | Ph.D. Thesis

M.Sc. Student, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,
University of Tehran
Mentor: Hamid Soltanian-Zadeh, PhD
Main Project: Extraction of Left Ventricular Torsion Using Tagged Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Skills: Medical Imaging Systems | Digital Image Processing | Machine Learning and Pattern Recognition
Contributions: M.Sc. Thesis | Conference Poster

B.Sc. Student, Department of Electrical Engineering,
Sharif University of Technology
Thesis Advisor: Mehran Jahed, Ph.D.
Main Project: Linear and Non-linear Modeling of Heart Rate Variability Using Dynamical Systems
Skills: Dynamical System Modeling | Modern Control Systems | Digital Signal Processing | C++, MATLAB
Contribution: B.Sc. Thesis


Selected Publications

  • Mohebi, A. , Wei, W, and Berke, J.D. (2022). A Spectrum of Time Horizons for Dopamine Signals. biorxiv (Under revision, Nature Neuroscience).
  • Mohebi, A., Pettibone, J.R., Hamid, A.A., Wong, J.-M.T., Vinson, L.T., Patriarchi, T., Tian, L., Kennedy, R.T., and Berke, J.D. (2019). Dissociable dopamine dynamics for learning and motivation. Nature 570, 65–70.
  • Patriarchi, T., Mohebi, A., Sun, J., Marley, A., Liang, R., Dong, C., Puhger, K., Mizuno, G.O., Davis, C.M., Wiltgen, B., et al. (2020). An expanded palette of dopamine sensors for multiplex imaging in vivo. Nat. Methods 17, 1147–1155.

Citations according to Google Scholar: 617 (h-index: 7)

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Research Support

  • NIMH K01, 2021-2024
    Dopaminergic modulation of prefrontal cortex during working memory.
    PI: Ali Mohebi
    Annual Direct Cost: $177,842.00
  • NARSAD Young Investigator Award, 2021-2023
    Nicotinic Modulation Of Dopamine Release In Nucleus Accumbens (NAc).
    PI: Ali Mohebi
    Annual Direct Cost: $35,000.00
  • Kavli Foundation seed grant, 2019
    A database of dopamine cell recordings in freely-moving rats.
    PI: Ali Mohebi , Josh Berke
    Annual Direct Cost: $10,000.00


Service

  • Ad-hoc reviewer for: Nature, Science, Cell, Nature Neuroscience, Neuron, eLife, Cell Reports, eNeuro, COSYNE, Neural Networks, PLoS One, Frontiers in Neuroscience.
  • Learning in carbon and silicon seminar series, Stanford University, Co-organizer, 2022.
  • NeuroLaunchpad, Co-founder, Fall 2020
  • Virtual Dopamine Meeting (ViDA), Co-founder, Spring 2020
  • Postdoc representative, Search committee for the Dean for postdoctoral  scholars, UCSF Summer 2019 
  • Graduate Student Representative, Search committee for the Dean of the college of engineering, MSU Summer 2014
  • Graduate Student representative, Commencement Committee, MSU 2013-2014
  • Graduate Student representative, Instructional Computing and Technology Committee, MSU 2013-2014
  • Chair, Council of Graduate Students constitution and bylaws committee, MSU  2013-2014


Recognition

  • Psychiatry Trainee Research Award , UCSF, Spring 2020, San Francisco, CA
  • Poster award, Catecholamines Gordon Research Conference (GRC), 2019 Newry, ME


Invited Talks

  • Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. 2022
  • Monitoring Molecules in Neuroscience, Lyon, France. 2022
  • Winter Brain Conference on Brain Research, Snowmass, CO. 2022
  • Neuroscience Seminar. Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA. 2021
  • SPiNES seminar. New York University, New York, NY. 2020
  • Psychiatry Grand Rounds, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. 2020
  • Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, East Lansing, MI. 2020
  • Society for Neuroscience, Chicago, IL. 2019
  • Winter Brain Conference on Brain Research, Snowmass, CO. 2019
  • Gordon Research Conference: Basal Ganglia, Ventura, CA. 2018