Osama F. Harraz

Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology

Bloomfield Endowed Professor in Cardiovascular Research

Osama F. Harraz, Ph.D.
Alma mater(s)
  • Ph.D., Cardiovascular & Respiratory Sciences, University of Calgary, Canada
  • M.Sc., Pharmacology, Alexandria University, Egypt
  • B.Sc., Pharmaceutical Sciences, Alexandria University, Egypt
Affiliated Department(s)

Department of Pharmacology

Media Ready

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Area(s) of expertise

Ion channels and biophysics, neurovascular coupling, cerebral blood flow, small vessel disease and neurodegenerative diseases

BIO

Osama is the Bloomfield Professor in Cardiovascular Research and an Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Vermont. He obtained his BSc and MSc degrees from Alexandria University (Egypt), and his PhD degree from the University of Calgary (Canada). Osama studied ion channels in the brain circulation during his PhD, and he was the recipient of prestigious Vanier Scholarship. Osama completed his postdoctoral training in Vermont, during which he discovered a phospholipid regulator that dictates different signaling modalities in brain capillaries. Established in 2021, the Harraz Lab focuses on brain vascular ion channels and signal transduction pathways, with the overarching goal to understand blood flow regulation and how things go wrong in disease. This research is supported by the NIH, CZI and Bloomfield Professorship.

Courses

PHRM 6081 - Pharmacology Seminar,  Course Director

PHRM 3995F - Undergraduate Research, Course Director

PHRM 3900/5900 Topics in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Lecturer

PHRM 5720 Toxicology, Lecturer

PHRM 5400 Molecules and Medicine, Lecturer

PHRM 1900 - Drug Plants, Lecturer

Publications

PubMed link for publications

Awards and Achievements

Harraz lab Trainees’ Awards and Achievements:

2024 - Trevor Harriman - Summer Biochemistry Research Award, UVM

2024 - Ahmed Hashad - Best Postdoc Talk: Annual Pharmacology Retreat, UVM

2024 - Xin Rui Lim - Finalist and 3rd Place: Virdis Montis Challenge in Cardiovascular Research, UVM

2024 - Xin Rui Lim - Best Poster Award, Neuroscience and Behavior Forum, UVM

2024 - Mohammad Elmahdy - Best Poster Award, Neuroscience and Behavior Forum, UVM

2024 - Henry Bijur - Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (FOUR) Award, UVM

2023 - Luc Willemse - Cardiovascular Research Institute of Vermont (CVRI) Research Award 

2023 - Abby Cate Caproni - Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (FOUR) Award, UVM

Selected Awards and Achievements

2023-2026 - Bloomfield Endowed Professorship, CVRI of Vermont

2024 - COBRE Rising Star Award, National Association of IDEA Principal Investigators 

2023 - New Investigator Award, Larner College of Medicine, UVM 

2023 - Rising Star Lecture, American heart Association (AHA) 

2018 - Outstanding Research Publication Award, Larner College of Medicine, UVM

2016 - The Paul Cranefield Award in Physiology, the Society of General Physiologists (SGP) 

2014 – The Kaley Award, Microcirculation Society

2011-2014 – Vanier Scholar, CIHR, Canada 

2011-2014 - Alberta Innovates-Health Solutions Incentive Award, Alberta, Canada 

2006 - Valedictorian, Faculty of Pharmacy Class 2006, Alexandria University, Egypt 

Bio

Osama is the Bloomfield Professor in Cardiovascular Research and an Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Vermont. He obtained his BSc and MSc degrees from Alexandria University (Egypt), and his PhD degree from the University of Calgary (Canada). Osama studied ion channels in the brain circulation during his PhD, and he was the recipient of prestigious Vanier Scholarship. Osama completed his postdoctoral training in Vermont, during which he discovered a phospholipid regulator that dictates different signaling modalities in brain capillaries. Established in 2021, the Harraz Lab focuses on brain vascular ion channels and signal transduction pathways, with the overarching goal to understand blood flow regulation and how things go wrong in disease. This research is supported by the NIH, CZI and Bloomfield Professorship.

Courses

PHRM 6081 - Pharmacology Seminar,  Course Director

PHRM 3995F - Undergraduate Research, Course Director

PHRM 3900/5900 Topics in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Lecturer

PHRM 5720 Toxicology, Lecturer

PHRM 5400 Molecules and Medicine, Lecturer

PHRM 1900 - Drug Plants, Lecturer

Awards and Achievements

Harraz lab Trainees’ Awards and Achievements:

2024 - Trevor Harriman - Summer Biochemistry Research Award, UVM

2024 - Ahmed Hashad - Best Postdoc Talk: Annual Pharmacology Retreat, UVM

2024 - Xin Rui Lim - Finalist and 3rd Place: Virdis Montis Challenge in Cardiovascular Research, UVM

2024 - Xin Rui Lim - Best Poster Award, Neuroscience and Behavior Forum, UVM

2024 - Mohammad Elmahdy - Best Poster Award, Neuroscience and Behavior Forum, UVM

2024 - Henry Bijur - Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (FOUR) Award, UVM

2023 - Luc Willemse - Cardiovascular Research Institute of Vermont (CVRI) Research Award 

2023 - Abby Cate Caproni - Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (FOUR) Award, UVM

Selected Awards and Achievements

2023-2026 - Bloomfield Endowed Professorship, CVRI of Vermont

2024 - COBRE Rising Star Award, National Association of IDEA Principal Investigators 

2023 - New Investigator Award, Larner College of Medicine, UVM 

2023 - Rising Star Lecture, American heart Association (AHA) 

2018 - Outstanding Research Publication Award, Larner College of Medicine, UVM

2016 - The Paul Cranefield Award in Physiology, the Society of General Physiologists (SGP) 

2014 – The Kaley Award, Microcirculation Society

2011-2014 – Vanier Scholar, CIHR, Canada 

2011-2014 - Alberta Innovates-Health Solutions Incentive Award, Alberta, Canada 

2006 - Valedictorian, Faculty of Pharmacy Class 2006, Alexandria University, Egypt