Osama Harraz, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Headshot of researcher in a lab setting
Affiliated Department(s)

Department of Pharmacology

BIO

Osama is the Bloomfield Professor in Cardiovascular Research and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Vermont. He obtained his BSc (2006) and MSc (2009) degrees from Alexandria University in Egypt. In 2010, he started his doctoral training at the University of Calgary in Canada with Donald Welsh, PhD, where he studied novel calcium channels in the brain blood vessels. During his doctoral studies, Osama was the recipient of the most prestigious scholarship in Canada (Vanier Scholarship). In 2015, Osama moved to Vermont for postdoctoral training with Mark Nelson, PhD. His major accomplishment during his postdoc was the discovery of a phospholipid regulator (PIP2) of capillary signaling and the demonstration that it dictates different signaling modalities in brain capillaries. Current work in the Harraz Lab aims to understand the capillary mechanosensation in health and disease. 

Publications

Dr. Osama Harraz's Publications

Awards and Achievements

2019-2021 Member, Early Career Advisory Committee, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Vermont, (UVM, CVRI ECAC)

2018 Outstanding Research Publication Award, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont

2015, 2019 Travel Awards, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Vermont (CVRIVT)

2017 Durwood J. Smith Memorial Fund Award for Best Talk, The 18th Annual Research Retreat of the Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont

2014 Kaley Travel Award for EB 2014, San Diego, CA, Microcirculation Society

2014 Graduate Travel Award, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Calgary, Canada

2013 Libin Best Poster Award, Libin Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Calgary, Canada

2013 Publication Award, Medical Cardiovascular Program, University of Calgary, Canada

2012 Excellence in Publication Award, Alexandria University, Egypt

2011-2014 - Alberta Innovates-Health Solutions Incentive Award, Alberta Innovates (C$12,000/year)

2011-2014 Achievers in Medical Sciences (AIMS) Excellence Award, University of Calgary (C$10,500)

2010-2011 Medical Cardiovascular Program/ Faculty of Graduate Studies Scholarships (C$6,000)

2009 Excellence for Best Academic Records, Alexandria University, Egypt

2009 Excellence in Publication Award, Alexandria University, Egypt

2009 Best Teaching Assistant Prize, Faculty of Pharmacology, Alexandria University, Egypt

2007 Top Pharmacy Student Award (Nation-wide), Egyptian Syndicate of Pharmacy

2007 Valedictorian, Top Pharmacy Student Award (Provincial), Alexandria Syndicate of Pharmacy

2007 AMRIA Top Ranked Student Award, Amria Pharmaceutical Industries, Egypt

2007 Borg Award in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Borg Pharmaceuticals, Egypt

2007 CID Award in Medicinal Chemistry, CID Pharmaceutical Industries, Egypt

2007 Sawsan Masry Academic Prize in Pharmacognosy, Alexandria University

2007 Pharmacy Friends' Prize, Pharmacy Friends Association, Alexandria, Egypt

2007 Pharopharma Distinguished Performance Award, Pharopharma Pharmaceuticals, Egypt

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

2006 Award for Outstanding Academic Records, Egyptian Syndicate of Pharmacy

2005 Juphar Travel Award, JULPHAR Pharmaceuticals, United Arab Emirates

2005 International Pharmaceutical Federation Travel Award, World Health Organization (WHO)

Area(s) of expertise

Dr. Osama Harraz's research is focused on signal transduction of ion channels in the vasculature.  He is particularly interested in the cerebral circulation in both physiological and pathological conditions.

He has developed unique approaches to monitor ion channel activity in the smallest blood vessels in the brain.  He employs several approaches in his research including, but not limited to, electrophysiology, genetically-engineered mouse models, and imaging.  He has a particular interest in different forms of signaling in the vasculature and how signaling is altered in diseases such as small vessel disease, neurodegenerative disease and hypertension.

Bio

Osama is the Bloomfield Professor in Cardiovascular Research and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Vermont. He obtained his BSc (2006) and MSc (2009) degrees from Alexandria University in Egypt. In 2010, he started his doctoral training at the University of Calgary in Canada with Donald Welsh, PhD, where he studied novel calcium channels in the brain blood vessels. During his doctoral studies, Osama was the recipient of the most prestigious scholarship in Canada (Vanier Scholarship). In 2015, Osama moved to Vermont for postdoctoral training with Mark Nelson, PhD. His major accomplishment during his postdoc was the discovery of a phospholipid regulator (PIP2) of capillary signaling and the demonstration that it dictates different signaling modalities in brain capillaries. Current work in the Harraz Lab aims to understand the capillary mechanosensation in health and disease. 

Awards and Achievements

2019-2021 Member, Early Career Advisory Committee, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Vermont, (UVM, CVRI ECAC)

2018 Outstanding Research Publication Award, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont

2015, 2019 Travel Awards, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Vermont (CVRIVT)

2017 Durwood J. Smith Memorial Fund Award for Best Talk, The 18th Annual Research Retreat of the Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont

2014 Kaley Travel Award for EB 2014, San Diego, CA, Microcirculation Society

2014 Graduate Travel Award, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Calgary, Canada

2013 Libin Best Poster Award, Libin Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Calgary, Canada

2013 Publication Award, Medical Cardiovascular Program, University of Calgary, Canada

2012 Excellence in Publication Award, Alexandria University, Egypt

2011-2014 - Alberta Innovates-Health Solutions Incentive Award, Alberta Innovates (C$12,000/year)

2011-2014 Achievers in Medical Sciences (AIMS) Excellence Award, University of Calgary (C$10,500)

2010-2011 Medical Cardiovascular Program/ Faculty of Graduate Studies Scholarships (C$6,000)

2009 Excellence for Best Academic Records, Alexandria University, Egypt

2009 Excellence in Publication Award, Alexandria University, Egypt

2009 Best Teaching Assistant Prize, Faculty of Pharmacology, Alexandria University, Egypt

2007 Top Pharmacy Student Award (Nation-wide), Egyptian Syndicate of Pharmacy

2007 Valedictorian, Top Pharmacy Student Award (Provincial), Alexandria Syndicate of Pharmacy

2007 AMRIA Top Ranked Student Award, Amria Pharmaceutical Industries, Egypt

2007 Borg Award in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Borg Pharmaceuticals, Egypt

2007 CID Award in Medicinal Chemistry, CID Pharmaceutical Industries, Egypt

2007 Sawsan Masry Academic Prize in Pharmacognosy, Alexandria University

2007 Pharmacy Friends' Prize, Pharmacy Friends Association, Alexandria, Egypt

2007 Pharopharma Distinguished Performance Award, Pharopharma Pharmaceuticals, Egypt

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

2006 Award for Outstanding Academic Records, Egyptian Syndicate of Pharmacy

2005 Juphar Travel Award, JULPHAR Pharmaceuticals, United Arab Emirates

2005 International Pharmaceutical Federation Travel Award, World Health Organization (WHO)

Areas of Expertise

Dr. Osama Harraz's research is focused on signal transduction of ion channels in the vasculature.  He is particularly interested in the cerebral circulation in both physiological and pathological conditions.

He has developed unique approaches to monitor ion channel activity in the smallest blood vessels in the brain.  He employs several approaches in his research including, but not limited to, electrophysiology, genetically-engineered mouse models, and imaging.  He has a particular interest in different forms of signaling in the vasculature and how signaling is altered in diseases such as small vessel disease, neurodegenerative disease and hypertension.