Syed Abbas
Associate Professor
Biology
Contact
(860) 832-2640
sabbas@ccsu.edu
Office
Nicolaus Copernicus Hall
347
Or by appointment
Biography

My neuroscience laboratory at CCSU investigates how environmental factors shape retinal and neural physiology, and how these changes manifest in behavior. Drawing on my background in serotonin receptor regulation and therapeutics in psychiatric disorders, as well as in the retinal physiology of motion detection in vertebrate eyes, my research focuses on how different wavelengths of light affect the brain at molecular, behavioral, and physiological levels.

We are developing and refining laboratory techniques to study crayfish behavior, including fluorescent microscopy, behavioral paradigms, electrophysiology, computational and AI-based analysis, and biochemical assays. My students and I collaborate with colleagues in biology and across other scientific disciplines to advance new methods, including those for measuring serotonin levels in the eyes and brains of crayfish.

Education
Neuroscience
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
2013
Neuroscience
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
2009
Biology
New York University
2004
Biology and Chemistry
New York University
2002
Areas of Expertise

Research Areas of Interest:

Neuroscience

Behavior

Retina

Serotonin 

Ion Channel Physiology

AI Coding

Techniques:

Behavioral studies

Immunohistochemistry

Fluorescent Microscopy

Electrophysiology

Publications, Research & Presentations
  • Mione T, Lukaszczyk T, Abbas SY, Bernardello G, Anderson GJ. Working with Nectar for researchers new to working with nectar and a teaching laboratory exercise. Kindle ed., ISBN 979-8992561531; 2025.
  • Abbas SY, Singh G, Pérez-Colón, JE., Kousar S, Cox R, & Jackson ME. Behavioral Changes in Crayfish after Daily Exposure to Blue LED Light. Journal of Neuroscience and Behavioral Health, 13(1), 1-15. 2025 https://academicjournals.org/journal/JNBH/article-abstract/4CED5CB72912
  • Abbas SY, and Fleckenstein S. Introduction to Biology Lab Manual 3rd Ed. Iowa: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, 2017. Print.
  • Abbas SY, Hamade KC, Yang EJ, Nawy S, Smith RG, Pettit DL. Directional Summation in non-Direction Selective Retinal Ganglion Cells. PLoS Computational Biology. 2013 Mar;9(3):e1002969. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23516351/
  • Ying SW, Tibbs GR, Picollo A, Abbas SY, Sanford RL, Accardi A, Hofmann F, Ludwig A, Goldstein PA. PIP2-mediated HCN3 channel gating is crucial for rhythmic burst firing in thalamic intergeniculate leaflet neurons. J Neurosci. 2011 Jul 13;31(28):10412-23. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21753018/
  • Nogueira MI, Abbas SY, Campos LG, Allemandi W, Lawson P, Takada SH, Azmitia EC. S100beta protein expression: gender- and age-related daily changes. Neurochem Res. 2009 Aug;34(8):1355-62. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19205880/
  • Abbas SY, Nogueira MI, Azmitia EC. Antagonist-induced increase in 5-HT1A-receptor expression in adult rat hippocampus and cortex. Synapse. 2007 Jul; 61(7):531-9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17447257/
  • Ying SW, Jia F, Abbas SY, Hofmann F, Ludwig A, Goldstein PA. Dendritic HCN2 channels constrain glutamate-driven excitability in reticular thalamic neurons. J Neurosci. 2007 Aug 8;27(32):8719-32. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17687049/
  • Abbas SY, Ying SW, Goldstein PA. Compartmental distribution of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic-nucleotide-gated channel 2 and hyperpolarization-activated cyclic-nucleotide-gated channel 4 in thalamic reticular and thalamocortical relay neurons. Neuroscience. 2006 Sep 15;141(4):1811-25. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17687049/
  • Ying SW, Abbas SY, Harrison NL, Goldstein PA. Propofol block of I(h) contributes to the suppression of neuronal excitability and rhythmic burst firing in thalamocortical neurons. Eur J Neurosci. 2006 Jan;23(2):465-80. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16420453/
Awards & Grants
  • Excellence in Teaching Award; Nomination. 2024
  • Excellence in Teaching Award; Honor Roll. 2021
  • 2022 Curriculum Development Grant
  • 2022-2023 AAUP Faculty Research Grant
  • 2021-2022 AAUP Faculty Research Grant
  • 2020-2021 AAUP Faculty Research Grant
  • 2019-2020 AAUP Faculty Research Grant
  • 2019-2020 AAUP Winter Curriculum Development Grant
Memberships & Affiliations
Courses Taught

Courses taught:

BIO122 General Biology II Laboratory 

BIO122 General Biology II Lecture 

BIO/BMS 318 Anatomy and Physiology I Lecture

BIO/BMS 318 Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory

BIO/BMS 319 Anatomy and Physiology II Lecture

BIO/BMS 319 Anatomy and Physiology II Laboratory

BIO 331 Neurobiology

BIO 390 Biology Research Experience II

BIO 391 Internship in Biology

HON 441 Writing & Research III: Honors Thesis

BIO490 /540 Sensory Systems Neuroscience

BIO490/540 Cardiac and Neural Physiology

BIO 517 Advanced Human Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathophysiology

BIO 591 Independent Research Project in Advanced Biology

BIO 599 Thesis