Solomon Silas Senok
  • Solomon Silas Senok

  • Dean
  • Ext: 6397

Dr Solomon has a medical degree (MBBS) from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria’s premier medical school and a PhD in Physiology (Neuroscience) from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Ranked 49 in the world, 2022 THE World Rankings). For over two decades, Dr Solomon has taught Physiology/Neuroscience at several universities around the world, including in the Caribbean, UK, the Middle East and Nigeria; with extensive experience in curriculum development, having worked at the very early stages of two new medical schools in the Middle East. His research interests are in the areas of sensory transduction and human electrophysiology.

Education
  • PhD , The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1995
  • Dip. Acup. & Moxibustion, Tianjin College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, PR China, 1992
  • MBBS, University of Ibadan College of Medicine, Nigeria, 1987
Experience
  • Ajman University College of Medicine, Founding Dean - Mar. 2018 - present
  • Alfaisal University College of Medicine, Asst. Professor, Neuroscience, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oct. 2010 – Oct 2016
  • College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Asst. Professor Physiology, United Arab Emirates, Sept 2006 – Oct 2010
  • College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Asst. Professor, Clinical Physiology, Kingdom of Bahrain; Sept 2002 – Aug 2006
  • Department of Psychology, University of Stirling, Research Fellow Neurophysiology, Scotland, UK Jan 2001 – August 2002
  • Dept of Preclinical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Lecturer in Human Physiology - Clinical, Trinidad and Tobago, July 1997 - Dec 2000
  • Departments of Physiology and Anatomy, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Oct. 1995 - July 1997
Teaching Area
  • Neuroscience
  • Neurophysiology
Research
  • Retinal stimulation using multielectrode arrays as implantable devices for restoration of vision in retinal degeneration (collaborative work with Colleagues in South Korea – Chungbuk National University, Cheongju).
  • Human physiological studies of alertness and the effects of different interventions (e.g. sleep deprivation) on alertness and autonomic modulation. Human biopotentials being recorded and analyzed for this purpose include: ECG and beat-to-beat blood pressure (for autonomic modulation), EEG and evoked potentials in combination with cognitive function testing for assessment of levels of alertness. Additionally, we measure blood flow to the prefrontal cortex using a functional near infrared imaging (fNIR) method, as an indicator of prefrontal cortical function during the performance of cognitive tasks.
  • Mechanosensory transduction in cutaneous receptors - I have continued to have an enduring interest in the area of somatosensory transduction – the conversion of environmental or endogenous stimuli into transmissible action potentials by sensory neurons. Recently we have focused on the effect of glutamate receptor antagonists on somatosensory transduction. We have continued to use our robust isolated preparation to study the sensory receptors in the vibrissal follicles. Our focus is shifting to understanding how potassium channels modulate the mechanosensory activity in the touch receptors.
  • Pain mechanisms and acupuncture antinociception - My research interest is in pain mechanisms and unconventional interventions is partly informed by my interest and training in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Publications
Conference Presentation
  • Goo YS, Park DJ, Ahn JR and Senok S (2016). Power of ~5 Hz Spontaneous Oscillatory Rhythm in Degenerate Retina Might Modulate RGC Spikes to Electrical Stimulation. Front. Neurosci. Conference Abstract: MEA Meeting 2016 | 10th International Meeting on Substrate-Integrated Electrode Arrays. doi: 10.3389/conf.fnins.2016.93.00010
  • Dae-jin Park; JungRyul Ahn; Seong Kwang Cha; Yong Sook Goo; Solomon Senok (2016). Oscillatory Rhythm in Degenerate Mouse (rd10) Retina Modulates Retinal Ganglion Cell Response to Electrical Stimulus. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Vol.57, 3730 (ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016)
  • Solomon Senok, Faizah A. Alshehri, Ali A. Khraibi and Ronald De Meersman (2015). The effects of a 2.5% weight loss on systolic blood pressure, baroreceptor sensitivity and autonomic modulation in young women. Proc Physiol Soc 34:116P (Annual Meeting of The Physiological Society held in Cardiff, UK - July 2015)
  • Senok, S and Stadlin, A, “1-methyl-2-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine differentially dissipates mitochondrial membrane potentials in mesencencephalic, striatal and cortical astrocytes”. Proceedings of the Physiological Society (UK) Vol. 27, (2012), C10 (Annual Meeting of The Physiological Society held in Edinburgh)
  • 5. Cahusac, P. M. and Senok, S, “Selective decline in slowly adapting type I mechanoreceptors during development in rat sinus hair follicles in vitro.” Proceedings of the Physiological Society (UK), Vol. 23, (2011), PC304 (Annual Meeting of The Physiological Society held in Oxford)
  • Solomon S. Senok and PMB Cahusac (2007) Potassium channels modulate the mechanical sensitivity of cutaneous type I slowly adapting mechanoreceptors Society for Neuroscience Abstracts (Online) San Diego, CA:, November, 2007
  • Solomon S. Senok, Klaus I. Baumann and WingHo Yung. The different effects of amiloride on the responses of vibrissal types I and II slowly adapting mechanoreceptors (2005) Society for Neuroscience Abstracts (Online) Washington, DC:, November, 2005
  • Peter M.B. Cahusac & Solomon S. Senok (2005) Blockade of metabotropic glutamate receptors enhances responses of rat slowly adapting type I cutaneous mechanoreceptors in vitro. J. Physiol 567P C41
  • Peter M.B. Cahusac & Solomon S. Senok (2004). The effects of ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists on cutaneous slowly adapting type I responses. J Physiol 555P C155
  • S.S. Senok (2004). MK-801 block of cutaneous mechanoreceptor responses: Evidence for glutamate neurotransmission? Oral communication at the 3rd Congress of the African Association of Physiological Sciences, Morocco, 2004
  • Senok, S S, Genever, P G and Cahusac P M B (2003). Is MK-801 a specific NMDA receptor antagonist? Oral communication at the 3rd Congress of the Federation of European Physiological Societies (FEPS), Nice, France, June 28 - July 2, 2003
  • S S Senok, K I Baumann and P M B Cahusac (2001) MK-801 Depression of vibrissal slowly-adapting mechanoreceptor responses. J. Physiol. 536P S196
  • S S Senok, P M B Cahusac and K I Baumann (2001) Spontaneous firing in vibrissal type II slowly adapting mechanoreceptors depends on potassium channel activity. Oral communication presented at the Society for Neuroscience Conference November 10 - 15 2001 in San Diego, California
  • Baumann, KI, Chan, E, Halata, Z, Senok, SS and Yung, WH (1998). Stable responses of vibrissal mechanoreceptors isolated from rat sinus hairs. FASEB Journal 12(3): A291
  • Baumann, KI, Chan, E, Senok, SS, Yung, WH, and Halata, Z (1998). An isolated rat sinus hair preparation with stable responses of vibrissal mechanoreceptors. European Journal of Physiology 435(6): P29-2
  • Senok, SS and Stadlin, A (1998). Changes in mitochondrial membrane potentials in MPTP-treated astrocytes. Presented at the 5th Conference of Neurodegenerative Disorders: Common Molecular Mechanisms, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, February, 1998
  • Senok, SS and Stadlin, A (1997). The selective changes in mitochondrial membrane potentials in 1-methyl-4-phenyl 1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated astrocytes. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts 23:274
  • Senok, SS, Yung, WH and Baumann, KI (1997). Intracellular calcium dynamics in hyposmostically stimulated Merkel cells of rat vibrissae. Proceedings of the 33rd Congress of the International Union of Physiological Sciences, St. Petersburg. P079.04
  • Senok, SS, Yung, WH and Baumann, KI (1997). Calcium measurements in hyposmotically stimulated Merkel cells of isolated rat vibrissae. Neuroscience Letters Supplement 47, S25
  • Baumann, KI, Senok and Yung, WH (1996). CICR in Merkel cell mechanoreceptors from isolated rat vibrissae. Abstract A 069 (Presented at the First Congress of the Federation of Asian and Oceanian Neuroscience Societies (FAONS), Pattaya, Thailand, October 19 -23, 1996)
  • Senok, SS, Chan, DWH, Lam, HSY and Lee, YC (1996). NPY induces cytosolic calcium elevation in hamster glucagon-producing islet cell line. Proceedings of the 10th International Congress of Endocrinology, San Francisco, 1996. P1-891
  • Senok, SS, Halata, Z and Baumann, KI (1996). Structure and function of quinacrine loaded Merkel cells in isolated rat sinus hairs. FASEB Journal 10(3), A161
  • Senok, SS and Baumann, KI (1996). Functional evidence for calcium-induced calcium release in isolated rat vibrissal Merkel cell mechanoreceptors. Journal of Physiology 491P, 112-113
  • Senok, SS and Baumann, KI (1996). Pharmacological characterisation of slowly adapting mechanoreceptors in isolated rat vibrissae. Neuroscience Letters Supplement 46, S3
  • Senok, SS and Baumann, KI (1995). The role of intracellular calcium release in rat sinus hair slowly adapting mechanoreceptors. Proceedings of the 4th IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience, Abstract D2.17
  • Senok, SS, Halata, Z and Baumann, KI (1995). Chloroquine specifically impairs Merkel cell receptors in isolated rat sinus hairs. Journal of Physiology 483P, 154-155P
  • Senok, SS, Halata, Z and Baumann, KI (1995). Functional and structural studies on the survival time of an isolated rat sinus hair. Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology 22, A46
  • Senok, SS and Baumann, KI (1994). Response characteristics of two types of slowly adapting mechanoreceptors in the isolated rat sinus hair. Neuroscience Letters supplement 45, S47
  • Senok, SS and Baumann, KI (1993). The role of potassium currents in the mechanoelectric transduction process of Merkel cell receptors. Neuroscience Letters Supplement 44, S18.4
  • Baumann, KI and Senok, SS (1993). UV-irradiation of quinacrine stained rat Merkel cells in vitro impairs the function of slowly adapting type I receptors. Proceedings of the 32nd Congress of the International Union of Physiological Sciences, Glasgow, Abstract 278.19P
  • Adeniyi, K, Ogunkeye, O, Senok, S and Udoh, F (1993). The reactivity of rat aortic ring to electrical stimulation in vitro: effects of thyroidectomy and thyroxin administration. Proceedings of the 32nd Congress of the International Union of Physiological Sciences, Glasgow, Abstract 247.17P
Memberships, Awards and Honors
  • Young Scientists Award to attend the 4th IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience, Kyoto, Japan
  • Awarded an exchange scholarship by the Government of the Peoples Republic of China to study Acupuncture and Moxibustion in Tianjin, China - 1991/92.
  • Member, The Physiological Society (UK), since 2010
  • Member African Association of Physiological Sciences (Council member), since 2004
  • Member Society for Neuroscience (USA), since 2000
  • Member, American Physiological Society, since 2000
  • Member, Caribbean Academy of Sciences, since 2000