Hamed Ekhtiari

Hamed Ekhtiari is an Iranian psychiatrist and researcher in cognitive neuroscience and cognitive disorders. After entering the medical school at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, he became interested in the brain mechanisms underlying behavior, decision-making, and substance use disorders. His research activities began in the early stages of his career, focusing on the relationship between brain function and high-risk behaviors.

After graduating from Tehran University of Medical Sciences, he continued his research at the Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), where he developed neurocognitive research on addiction and decision-making. He also pursued translational neuroscience research programs at the Institute for Cognitive Science Studies in Iran.

He completed a PhD in neuroimaging focused on the neural bases of response inhibition using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and then moved to the United States to continue his research. His collaboration with the Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR) and his work on cognitive control, response inhibition, decision-making, and substance use disorders have established his position in clinical and translational neuroscience.

Hamed Ekhtiari also serves as a faculty member and associate clinical director of the Addiction Research Center at the University of Minnesota. He is a co-founder of the “Brain Gym Knowledge Creators” initiative, which aims to educate the public about neuroscience and promote awareness of brain and mental health.