News

Latest Updates and Announcements

Stay informed about my latest research developments, publications, presentations, and professional milestones.

Recent Highlights

2025

Collaboration Featured in AChemS Career Networking Seminar
Thomas Gray (Brandeis University) presented work from our collaboration on retronasal odor processing in gustatory cortex at the AChemS Career Networking Seminar Series. The talk, titled “Neural and behavioral correlates of flavor perception,” explored how retronasal odor is processed in the gustatory cortex, its influence on taste responses, and how flavor experiences shape odor preferences. (May 14, 2025)

Poster of Distinction
Received Poster of Distinction award at MCRI Annual Retreat 2025

ACCESS-CI Compute Grant
Awarded ACCESS-CI Compute Grant MED250058 (CoPI) from NSF for computational research

Invited Talks

• Mathematical Biology Seminar, Brandeis University
• Insights Team Meeting, Appcast Inc.
• Systems Neuroscience Journal Club, Harvard Medical School

Guest Lecturer
Advanced Data Analysis course, Brandeis University - LLMs and AI Agent pipelines

2024

Polak Young Investigator Award
Received Polak Young Investigator Award from Association for Chemoreception Sciences, delivered award lecture at ACHEMS Annual Meeting

Invited Presentations

• Swartz Foundation Annual Meeting
• Brandeis Neuro Postdoc Symposium

Computational Neuroscience Fellowship
Awarded Computational Neuroscience Fellowship from Swartz Foundation (2023-present)

2023

Ph.D. Completion
Completed Ph.D. in Neuroscience at Brandeis University
Thesis: “Multi-region Coordination for Taste Processing in the Rodent Brain” [PDF]
Advisor: Donald B. Katz

Postdoctoral Positions

• Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Tufts Medical Center
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Brandeis University

Invited Talk
PyMCon Web Series - “The Only Constant is Change: Bespoke Changepoint Modelling in PyMC” [Link]

ACCESS-CI Compute Grant
Awarded ACCESS-CI Compute Grant BIO230103 as PI from NSF

Trainee Professional Development Award
Society for Neuroscience

Publication
Mahmood, A., Steindler, J., Germaine, H., Katz, D.B., “Coupled Dynamics of Stimulus-Evoked Gustatory Cortical and Basolateral Amygdalar Activity,” Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 43, no. 3, pp. 386–404 [Link]

Publications in Review/Submission

In Review

• Mukadam, N., Mahmood, A., et al., “Subjective Cognitive Concerns and Global Metacognitive Bias in Prodromal Parkinson’s and Parkinson’s Disease without Cognitive Impairment” (Neuropsychology)
• Mahmood, A., “Pytau: A Python Package for Streamlined Changepoint Model Analysis in Neuroscience” (Journal of Open Source Software)

In Submission

• Baas-Thomas, N., Mahmood, A., et al., “The Ingestive Response Reflects Gustatory Cortical Neural Dynamics” (Co-first author)
  BioRxiv: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.10.01.679845

In Revision

• Mahmood, A., Steindler, J., Katz, D.B., “Perceptual processing of tastes is performed by the amygdala-cortical loop”
  bioRxiv: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.07.01.662567

In Preparation

• Calia-Bogan, V., Steindler, J., Katz, D.B., Mahmood, A., “Characterizing Intra-State Dynamics of Gustatory Cortical Taste-Evoked Activity”
• Mahmood, A., Duong, K.A., Mansour, A., Pulakat, L., “CNN-assisted semi-automated histological evaluation of interstitial and perivascular fibrosis”
• Mahmood, A., Mehm, A., et al., “Feeding Satiation-Resistant Rat Strain as a Model for Obesity, Diabetes, and Heart Failure” (Co-first author)