Ali Muqtadir

Doctoral researcher at the University of Stirling

Ali Muqtadir

Department of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, FK9 4LA

sam24@stir.ac.uk · ORCID: 0000-0002-1361-1041

Research Experience

Doctoral Researcher, Department of Psychology, University of Stirling

2022 – Present

  • Investigated the acute effects of controlled football heading in a research project with multi-modal pre/post assessment with neuroimaging (EEG, MRI), brain stimulation (TMS) and blood biomarkers spanning three Scottish university partners (Stirling, Edinburgh, Glasgow), international collaborators (RWTH Aachen, Forschungszentrum Jülich), and industry partners (Magstim)
  • Used 7T MR spectroscopy to investigate acute heading effects on in vivo GABA at the Imaging Centre for Excellence (ICE), Glasgow
  • Explored how heading changes the trajectory blood-based biomarkers of brain injury over 24 hours in a serial sampling study using ultra-sensitive immunoassays at UK DRI labs, University of Edinburgh
  • Used concurrent TMS-EEG to investigate excitation-inhibition balance changes following heading exposure
  • Collected and contributed heading kinematic data to computational simulations of brain biomechanics following heading impacts in collaboration with the Department of Engineering, University of Edinburgh
  • Led and contributed to successful funding applications, ensured compliance with local and external ethics and governance procedures including international cooperation agreements
  • Contributed to increasing technical capabilities at Stirling with the first implementation of TMS-EEG and adoption of a low-cost navigated TMS system, and at ICE, Glasgow with the first implementation of an edited MRS sequence on the 7T scanner

Research Associate, Lahore University of Management Sciences

2019 – 2022

  • Contributed to three concurrent research projects on online misinformation, social media communication and digital content virality
  • Co-authored empirical case studies applying a logistic diffusion model to real-world YouTube virality data for Bhimani et al. (2024)
  • Contributed to study design and manuscript drafting for Ali et al. (2022)

Graduate Researcher, Department of Psychosis Studies, King’s College London

2018

  • Investigated the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on probabilistic learning in schizophrenia, contributing to publications in Psychiatry Research and Scientific Reports
  • Administered tDCS protocols, structured clinical interviews (PANSS), and cognitive assessments within a clinical research setting

Technical Skills and Methods

Area Methods and tools
Neuroimaging MR spectroscopy, EEG acquisition and processing; SPM (MATLAB), FSL, FreeSurfer, TARQUIN, Osprey, EEGLAB (MATLAB), BrainVision Analyzer
Brain stimulation and physiology Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electromyography (EMG); Biopac AcqKnowledge
Biological methods Blood-based biomarkers of brain injury (ultra-sensitive Quanterix SIMOA immunoassays), venepuncture and peripheral IV cannulation (certified), preanalytical processing for blood samples
Assessment Structured clinical interviews, cognitive and neuropsychological assessments
Programming and statistics MATLAB, R, SPSS

Funding and Awards

  • 2025 — RS MacDonald Facility Access Funding (£9,500)
  • 2022 — SINAPSE Early Career Exchange Fund (£2,841)
  • 2022 – 2026 — Medical Research Scotland PhD Studentship (4-year award covering stipend and fees, including £35,000 in research expenses)
  • 2013 – 2016 — Academic Merit Scholarship, University of Central Punjab

Education

PhD Psychology, University of Stirling

2022 – Present

  • Supervisors: Magdalena Ietswaart, Lindsay Wilson, Colin Moran
  • Thesis: The heading brain: A multi-modal investigation of the acute effects of football heading on the brain

MSc Neuroscience, King’s College London

2018

  • Thesis: Effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on probabilistic learning in patients with schizophrenia
  • Specialisation in neuroimaging and cognitive neuroscience

BSc (Hons) Psychology, University of Central Punjab

2016

Publication History

* Shared first authorship

Published

  • Bhimani, A., Zainulabdin, K., Ali, K., Ali Muqtadir, S., & Hausken, K. (2024). Social media virality: Reaching the tipping point. Journal of International Business Research and Marketing, 8(3), 27–41. https://doi.org/10.18775/jibrm.1849-8558.2015.83.3003
  • Ali, K., Li, C., Zain-ul-abdin, K., & Muqtadir, S. A. (2022). The effects of emotions, individual attitudes towards vaccination, and social endorsements on perceived fake news credibility and sharing motivations. Computers in Human Behavior, 134, 107307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107307
  • Orlov, N. D.*, Muqtadir, S. A.*, Oroojeni, H., Averbeck, B., Rothwell, J., & Shergill, S. S. (2022). Stimulating learning: A functional MRI and behavioural investigation of the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on stochastic learning in schizophrenia. Psychiatry Research, 317, 114908. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114908
  • Orlov, N. D.*, Sanderson, J.*, Muqtadir, S. A.*, Kalpakidou, A. K., Michalopoulou, P. G., Lu, J., & Shergill, S. S. (2021). The effect of training intensity on implicit learning rates in schizophrenia. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 6511. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-85686-5

Preregistrations

  • Muqtadir, S. A., Aston, T., Moran, C., Ietswaart, M. (2025). The effect of football heading on blood biomarkers of brain injury. ISRCTN. https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN44241334
  • Muqtadir, S. (2024). Impact of football heading on TMS-EEG indicators of neural excitation and inhibition. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/4AC6J

In Preparation

  • Muqtadir, S. A., Aston, T., Reid, K. R., Lember, L.-M., Di Virgilio, T., Moran, C., Hunt, D., Keith, G., Ietswaart, M. Acute temporal dynamics of plasma biomarkers following a controlled football heading paradigm.
  • Muqtadir, S. A., Aston, T., Moran, C., Henning, A., Ietswaart, M. Football heading and the forces at play.

Teaching and Supervision

University of Stirling

2022 – Present

  • Co-supervised a master’s project investigating EEG activity patterns and natural environment exposure
  • Ran weekly sessions on EEG ERP analysis in BrainVision Analyzer for work placement students
  • Supervised undergraduate research projects and ran tutorials for research design in psychology
  • Conducted lab demonstrations for master’s students, including practical TMS and EEG sessions
  • Facilitated interdisciplinary Crucible workshops as Faculty Officer, bringing together researchers across disciplines
  • Carried out marking for undergraduate assignments across multiple modules

Lahore University of Management Sciences

2019 – 2022

  • Trained undergraduate researchers in eye-tracking data collection on a Gazepoint system
  • Delivered teaching on research methods for undergraduate students

Additional Skills and Courses

  • 2025 — MRI Safety Training for MHRA Category B Staff (NHS Scotland TURAS Learn)
  • 2025 — Peripheral I.V. cannulation certification (Geopace Training)
  • 2023 — Visceral Mind, Functional neuroanatomy summer school (five-day course; Bangor University)
  • 2023 — Phlebotomy certification (Geopace Training)