THE NEURO RECOVERY LAB
Studying Spinal Cord Injury and Plasticity at the University of Alberta
Karim Fouad, PhD
Contact: kouad@ualberta.ca
Phone: 1 (780) 492-5971
Laboratory: 1 (780) 492-3217
Dr. Karim Fouad is a renowned neuroscientist with an academic career spanning over two decades. He has been a Full Professor at the University of Alberta since 2008, where he previously held positions as an Associate Professor and Assistant Professor, each as an Alberta Heritage Foundation Scholar.
Currently he is also serving as the Co-Director and Editor for the Open Data Commons for Spinal Cord Injury and is also a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair for Spinal Cord Injury. Before joining the University of Alberta, he obtained his PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Konstanz in Germany and served as a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the Brain Research Institute at the University and ETH Zürich, and at Ben-Gurion University in Israel. With his worldwide collaborations, Dr. Fouad has made significant contributions to the study of spinal cord injury and rehabilitation, with a specific focus on the role of neuroplasticity in functional recovery. In his spare time Dr. Fouad enjoys hiking in the mountains, gardening, spending time with his family and playing with his dogs!
Scientific Career
2023-2023: Canada Research Chair for Spinal Cord Injury (Tier1)
2018-present: Co-Director and Editor for Open Data Commons for Spinal Cord Injury
2016-2023: Canada Research Chair for Spinal Cord Injury (Tier1)
2015-2017: Co-Director, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute
2008-present: Full Professor
2007-2014: Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, Senior Scholar
2007-2008: Associate Professor, Alberta Heritage Foundation Senior Scholar
2005-2007: Associate Professor, Alberta Heritage Foundation Scholar
2001-2005: Assistant Professor, Alberta Heritage Foundation Scholar
1997-2001: Research Associate, Brain Research Institute, University and ETH Zürich,
1995-1997: Post-Doctoral Researcher, University of Alberta
1995: Post-Doctoral Researcher, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Israel
1991-1995: Ph.D. (Neuroscience), University of Konstanz, Germany
1986-1991: Diploma (Biology), University of Konstanz, Germany
Publications
To see a list of selected publications click here.
Awards
2023-2026: Grant from Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation
2021-2027: New Frontiers in Research Fund - Mend the Gap
2021-2026: Grant from NIH: Pan-Neurotrauma Data Commons
2021-2026: Grant from the Canadian Institute for Health Research
2021-2024: International Spinal Research Trust
2020-2025: Co-PI on Grant from the Canadian Institute for Health Research
2019-2025: Multi-agency grant from the Craig Neilsen Foundation, Wings for Life and ISRT
2019-2023: PI on Grant from the Canadian Institute for Health Research
2019-2021: Grant from Wings for Life, Austria with Fenrich KK as Co-PI
2017-2022: Grant from the Canadian Institute for Health Research
2017-2018: Alberta Spinal Cord Injury Research Support Fund
2016-2019: Grant from the Heart and Stroke Foundation with Ian Winship as Co Applicant
2016-2021: Co-PI on Grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH)
2015-2016: Grant from Conquer Paralysis Now
2015-2017: Grant from Wings for Life (Austria)
2014: Equipment grant from the Alberta Paraplegic Foundation
2013-2018: Co-PI on grant from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research
2012-2015: Grant from the International Spinal Research Trust (UK)
2012-2017: Two grants from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research
2012: Equipment grant from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation
