Haitham Amal and his dedicated team at their lab in Jerusalem. Credit Haitham Amal, BScPharm, PhD
The complex relationship between nitric oxide and brain-related conditions is the focal point of the latest interview featured in Genomic Press, published on November 12, 2024, in *Brain Medicine*. Professor Haitham Amal, the head of the Laboratory of Neuromics, Cell Signaling, and Translational Medicine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, discusses his groundbreaking research and the personal motivations that drive him.
“During my time at MIT, meeting families and autistic children inspired me to focus on a single goal: to help develop biological diagnostics and autism therapy, ” says Professor Amal. This transformative experience shaped his research trajectory, leading to significant discoveries about the role of nitric oxide in neurological conditions. Professor Amal was the first to identify that nitric oxide (NO) plays a crucial role in autism.
Professor Amal’s innovative study of brain conditions integrates proteomics and systems biology. His research has revealed critical connections between autism and Alzheimer’s disease, indicating shared molecular mechanisms that could transform treatment strategies for both conditions.
“As a pharmacologist and neuroscientist, my specialized knowledge of how drugs affect the brain is crucial for my goal of developing treatments for neurological disorders,” explains Professor Amal. His work has already resulted in founding two biotechnology companies: Point6 Bio Ltd, which focuses on diagnostics for autism, and NeuroNOS Ltd, dedicated to developing therapeutics based on nitric oxide synthase inhibitors for autism, Alzheimer’s disease, and brain cancers.
The interview raises intriguing questions about the future of neurological treatment:
• Could targeting nitric oxide pathways provide a unified approach to treating neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders?
• How might early biological diagnostics transform autism intervention strategies?
• What role will personalized medicine play in addressing individual variations in brain disorders?
Professor Amal’s journey from studying cannabis’s effects on cognition to becoming a leading figure in neurological research demonstrates the unexpected paths that can lead to scientific breakthroughs. His commitment to conducting experiments on both sexes equally and interest in ageing mechanisms suggests a comprehensive approach to brain research that could yield additional insights.