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Global Scholars Committee 2025/26

 

The Committee includes: Karla Miller, Saad Jbabdi, Hossein Rafipoor, Gaurav Bhalerao, Frederik LangePin-Chun Cheng, Tara Ghafari, Akudziwe Mawere, and Marissa Mueller. Administrative support is provided by Iske Bakker and Eugenie La Grange. We owe the success of the programme to our founder Aurea Martins Bach.

 

Saad Jbabdi - Professor of  Biomedical Engineering


Saad Jbabdi

Nationality: Moroccan + British

Research: My group develops computational methods for enabling neuroimaging research. We create methods in diffusion MRI to study brain tissue microstructure and connectivity, in functional MRI to study brain activity and individual variation in brain function; and in MR spectroscopy to study brain metabolites and their changes under various experimental conditions. My current roles are: Director of the Global Scholars Programme, Associate Director of OxCIN, and co-director of the FMRIB Analysis group.

Why GS: I like the idea of creating bridges between us and researchers from the global south. I find it very enriching.

 Marissa Mueller

 

 


Marissa Mueller 

Nationality: Canadian

Research: I study the role of the cerebral cortex in brain development and degeneration. My work broadly involves combining behavioural, neuroimaging, and histological methods to characterise the effects of chronic cortical manipulations. 

Why GS: This programme facilitates the mutual exchange of knowledge and opportunity. I strongly believe that the chance to collaborate with others - particularly from the Global South - helps ensure that research directions address global problems equitably, and that research solutions are increasingly relevant across diverse socioeconomic environments and patient populations. 

 

 PhD Gaurav Bhalerao - Postdoctoral Research Fellow

 

 

Gaurav Bhalerao

Nationality: Indian 

Research: I am a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Analysis Group at the Oxford University Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging (OxCIN). My research focuses on advanced neuroimaging analyses, harmonisation of multisite datasets, and applying neuroimaging pipelines to clinical data, with an emphasis on translational impact in clinical and real-world settings. 

Why GS: As a committee member of the Global Scholars Programme, I am keen to support initiatives that foster equitable global collaborations and interdisciplinary research. Having trained in the Global South and now working at OxCIN, I am particularly committed to strengthening research capacity and facilitating meaningful translational research across diverse global contexts. 

 

 Tara Ghafari - Birmingham

 

 

Tara Ghafari 

Nationality: Iranian  

Research: I am a Postdoctoral Research Associate at OxCIN. My research focuses on linking subcortical structures to behaviour, eye movements, and brain activity by examining asymmetries across these domains. In my previous work, I showed that the size of subcortical structures can predict oscillatory activity during cognitive tasks as well as at rest. 

Why GS: As a researcher from the Global South myself, I’m deeply motivated by the programme’s commitment to supporting scholars who face structural barriers to mobility and visibility. The Global Scholars programme helps expand professional networks and opportunities for researchers who may be limited by visa or financial constraints, and I am keen to play a role in reducing these structural inequalities.