8^th European Neurology Congress

Biography

Babak Kateb is a neuroscientist with more than 15 years of research experience. His research has been focused on peripheral neuropathy, stroke, epilepsy, fetal cell transplant into the brain, pancreatic islet xenotrasplantation, human brain computer interface and brain implants, effect of hypothermia in traumatic brain injury patients with low Glasgow Coma Score, image guided surgery using NASA’s thermal and UV imaging technology, optical imaging and laser spectroscopy, microwave ablation, stem cell research, nanoneurosurgery and virtual reality neurosurgical simulation. Babak’s pioneering work on “Internalization of NASA’s Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes by Microglia: Possible Application in Immunotherapy of Brain Tumors (in vivo and In Vitro)” is published in NeuroImage and Journal of NeuroImmunology. He also discovered that brain cancers smell differently by using NASA’s electronic nose. He was awarded NASA’s Tech Brief award in 2008 for his discovery. The result of this Pilot study is published in the 2009 IBMISPS-NeuroImage issue. Babak has been serving as the founding chairman of the board of directors for SBMT and the Brain Mapping Foundation, as well as Chief Executive Officer and Scientific Director of SBMT and the Brain Mapping Foundation since 2004 as well as Director of National Center for Nano-Bio-Electronics. He chairs the publication committee of SBMT, as editor in chief. He has established a new publication with PLoSOne called: NeuroMapping & Therapeutics collections and was the force behind 3 successful IBMISPS-NeuroImage special issues with high impact factors. He is editor of “Nanoneurosurgery” Text book, which is scheduled for release by Taylor & Francis Publisher by 2012. Babak has been trained and employed at the Department of Neurology at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, UCLA Department of Neurosurgery, the Dumont-UCLA Transplant center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center transplant Center, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, USC-Keck school of Medicine and California Institute of Technology and City of Hope National Cancer Center. Babak’s research on the use of thermal imaging for brain tumor detection, nano-neurosurgery and use of NASA’s E-nose to sniff brain cancers has been reported by the Associated Press, NewScientist, and NASA. He holds many patents in the field of neuroscience/neuroengineering and is P.I./Co-P.I. on many scientific grants. He is also Director of National Center for Nano-Bio-Electronics, which is focused on integrating nanotechnology, Stem cell/cellular therapy with medical imaging and devices. He is senior editor of PLoSOne-NeuroMapping & Therapeutics. Babak is also active in introducing healthcare policies and initiatives to the US Congress and the House of Representatives. In September 2008, he presented IBMISPS and its mission at the floor of the California Congress. He has received many commendations and awards for his contributions to the wounded warrior care, including a letter of appreciation from the honorable Vice President Biden, former Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Chairman of the Joint Chief Admiral Michael Mullen.

Research Interest

Nanoneurosurgery, Neurophotonics and Brain Mapping, Neurology