2024 (Oct–present)
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Advisor: Jordan Farrell
F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Curriculum Vitae
Saman Abbaspoor
Neuroscientist · F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center · Boston Children’s Hospital · Harvard Medical School
Location
Boston, MA
Profiles
Positions
2024 (Jan–Sep)
Postdoctoral Fellow
Advisor: Dr. Kari Hoffman
Hoffman Lab, Department of Psychological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
Education and Training
2018–2023
PhD in Psychological Sciences — Neuroscience, Psychology
Advisor: Dr. Kari Hoffman · Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
Dissertation: “Hippocampal circuit dynamics during learning and sleep in freely behaving macaque monkeys” — Defense and all requirements passed December 13, 2023; degree conferred May 10, 2024.
2013–2018
BSc in Cell and Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Ali Asadollahi · Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
Thesis: “The role of the midbrain in attention control and eye movement generation in primates.”
Research Experience
2024
Postdoctoral Research · Hoffman Lab, Vanderbilt University
Advisor: Dr. Kari Hoffman
- Neural population data analysis
2018–2023
Doctoral Research · Hoffman Lab, Vanderbilt University
Advisor: Dr. Kari Hoffman
- Trained freely-behaving macaques on complex cognitive tasks in a 3D immersive environment
- Performed wireless multi-site high-density recordings in freely-behaving macaques
2016–2018
Research Assistant · Rayan Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
Advisor: Dr. Ali Asadollahi
- Trained marmosets on visual tasks
- Performed single-channel recordings in macaques
2015–2016
Research Assistant · Neurophysiology Lab, Medical University of Mashhad
Advisor: Dr. Mohammad Naser Shafei
- Rodent stereotaxic surgery and targeted drug delivery
Honors and Awards
2024
Jum Nunnally Dissertation Award
Recognizes a recent outstanding doctoral dissertation in the Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University.
2023
Trainee Highlight Award — Honorable Mention
9th BRAIN Initiative Meeting.
2023
Pat Burns Memorial Graduate Student Research Award
Recognizes outstanding achievement in research by a graduate student in the Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University.
2022
William F. Hodges Teaching Assistant Award
Recognizes outstanding achievement as a Teaching Assistant by a graduate student in the Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University.
2016, 2017
Top Student Honors
Honored at the university level for graduating among Top Students, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad.
Best Undergraduate Researcher Award
Rayan Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, Mashhad, Iran.
2006–2013
NODET
Awarded a position in the National Organization for Development of Exceptional Talents after an entrance exam. NODET is a state-run organization for gifted education in Iran.
Funding
2026–2028
The Postdoctoral Research Award in the Protecting the Talent Pipeline in Neurodegeneration Program
$200,000 for 2 years
Teaching Experience
2024
Instructor · Workshop for Multi-Area, High-Density, Laminar Neurophysiology (MaDeLaNe)
Data Analysis, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
2022
PSY 3750: Perception
Spring · Vanderbilt University
2021
NSC 6270: Computational Neuroscience
Spring · Vanderbilt University
2020
NSC 3274: Neuroanatomy
Fall · Vanderbilt University
PSY 3100: Abnormal Psychology
Spring · Vanderbilt University
2019
PSY 3775: Human Memory
Fall · Vanderbilt University
Editorial Activities: Peer Review
- Nature
- Trends in Neurosciences
- Journal of Neuroscience Methods
- Current Biology
- Behavioural Brain Research
Publications
- Abbaspoor, Saman, Ayman Aljishi, and Kari L. Hoffman. “Experience reorganizes content-specific memory traces in macaques.” Nature Neuroscience (2026): 1–11.
- Singh, Aditi, Saman Abbaspoor, Leeyup Chung, Maxwell J. Heinrich, Scellig Stone, Hart Lidov, Beatriz Maio et al. “FMR1 reduction alters cellular and circuit properties in human cortex.” bioRxiv (2026).
- Abbaspoor, S., & Hoffman, K. L. (2024). Circuit dynamics of superficial and deep CA1 pyramidal cells and inhibitory cells in freely moving macaques. Cell Reports, 43(8).
- Abbaspoor, S., Rahman, K., Zinke, W. and Hoffman, K.L. (2023). Learning of object-in-context sequences in freely-moving macaques. bioRxiv.
- Navas-Olive, A., Rubio, A., Abbaspoor, S., Hoffman, K. L., & de la Prida, L. M. (2024). A machine learning toolbox for the analysis of sharp-wave ripples reveals common waveform features across species. Communications Biology, 7(1), 1–15.
- Abbaspoor, S., Hussin, A. T., & Hoffman, K. L. (2023). Theta-and gamma-band oscillatory uncoupling in the macaque hippocampus. eLife, 12, e86548.
- Hussin, A.T., Abbaspoor, S., and Hoffman, K.L. (2022). Retrosplenial and hippocampal synchrony during retrieval of old memories in macaques. Journal of Neuroscience, 42(42), 7947–7956.
- Liu, A.A., Henin, S., Abbaspoor, S., Bragin, A., Buffalo, E.A., Farrell, J.S., Foster, D.J., Frank, L.M., Gedankien, T., Gotman, J., et al. (2022). A consensus statement on detection of hippocampal sharp wave ripples and differentiation from other fast oscillations. Nature Communications, 13(1), 1–14.
- Hosein, P., Abbaspoor, S., Shafei, M., Hosseini, M., and Khajavirad, A. (2018). GABAA receptor in the Pedunculopontine tegmental (PPT) nucleus: Effects on cardiovascular system. Pharmacological Reports, 70(5), 1001–1009.
Conference Abstracts
2024
S. Abbaspoor and K. Hoffman. “Selective activation of cell assemblies during sequenced associative learning and their reactivation in subsequent sleep in freely-behaving macaques.” Neuroscience (SfN).
A. Aljishi, S. Abbaspoor, and K. Hoffman. “Coupling of hippocampal sharp-wave ripples to spindles signals stronger cell assembly reactivation in sleeping macaques.” Neuroscience (SfN).
S. Abbaspoor and K. Hoffman. “The organization of cell assembly dynamics during learning and sleep in the freely-moving macaques.” 10th BRAIN Initiative Meeting.
2023
S. Abbaspoor and K. Hoffman. “Layer-specific properties of hippocampal CA1 functional cell types in freely behaving macaques.” Neuroscience (SfN).
S. Abbaspoor, K.F. Rahman, W. Zinke, and K. Hoffman. “Learning of object-in-context sequences in freely moving macaques.” 9th BRAIN Initiative Meeting.
2022
S. Abbaspoor, A. Hussin, and K. Hoffman. “Theta and gamma band oscillatory decoupling in macaque hippocampus.” Neuroscience (SfN) and Human Single Neuron Meeting.
K. Rahman, S. Abbaspoor, and K. Hoffman. “Embodied and embedded sequence learning in freely-moving macaques.” Neuroscience (SfN).
Invited Talks and Presentations
2024
Computational Machinery of Cognition (CMC Lab): “Theta-and gamma-band oscillatory uncoupling in the macaque hippocampus” [November 2024].
F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Harvard Medical School: “Organization of cell assemblies during learning and sleep in the freely-behaving macaques.”
Murthy Lab, Harvard University: “Organization of cell assemblies during learning and sleep in the freely-behaving macaques.”
Psychology Department, Vanderbilt University: “Organization of cell assemblies during learning and sleep in the freely-behaving macaques.”
2023
Neuroscience Brownbag, Psychology Department, Vanderbilt University: “Hippocampal circuit dynamics during learning of item-context sequences in freely behaving macaques.”
Liu Lab, New York University: “Neural dynamics of the monkey hippocampus.”
Winter Conference on Learning and Memory, Park City, Utah.
2022
Neuroscience Brownbag, Psychology Department, Vanderbilt University: “Neural dynamics of memory formation in macaques.”
2021
Buzsaki Lab, New York University: “Theta-and gamma-band oscillatory uncoupling in the macaque hippocampus.”
Neuroscience Brownbag, Psychology Department, Vanderbilt University: “Neural dynamics of memory consolidation: approaches to wireless multi-site recording in freely behaving monkeys during immersive learning.”
2019
Neuroscience Brownbag, Psychology Department, Vanderbilt University: “Hippocampo-retrosplenial dynamics during visuospatial memory formation.”