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Suzana Sultan
Co-Founder | MD Candidate 2025 | Aspiring Neuroscientist | Filmmaker | Junior Researcher and Scientific Illustrator | Graphic Designer | Volunteer | Fine Artist | Passionate about Fashion Design and Basketball.
About this Updates Blog
About this Updates Blog
4 Apr 2025 - Suzana Sultan
I've created this "Updates" Blog Page for the purpose of curating all my significant posts on social media in one place.
Recently, my LinkedIn account was 'temporarily' restricted for no reason. Despite providing all required documentations and reaching out to their customer support in all possible ways, I couldn't recover it to date.
There has been increasing reports of similar restriction cases along with the unprofessional customer service. Additionally, LinkedIn has been censoring their users' IDs for obscure purposes.
While the professional world is obsessing about this platform, many believe it's overrated and becoming more suspicious.
Therefore, I decided to create my own blog on this website where I am in full control of how I use it and how people are able to connect with me.
My short film "Robotic Life" First Poster and Trailer are OUT
My short film "Robotic Life" First Poster and Trailer are OUT
26 August 2025
After 8 months of dedicating every Friday to screenplay writing, miniature sets and props making, shooting and lighting, my short film is into post-production phase! I couldn't wait to share the first look with the world with this paster and trailer!
I wrote this film back in 2019, and directed it all by myself! The music featured in the trailer is one of my spontaneous piano compositions from 2023!
Stay tuned for the second trailer and the announcements of it being accepted into film festivals hopefully!
Launching the "Illustration for the Sciences" Video Course
Launching the "Illustration for the Sciences" Video Course
25 August 2025 - Illustration for the Sciences
When many of my friends and colleagues sought my advice on creating figures for my papers, I decided to put all my experience in a video course, which I started working on back in December 2024!
After lots of setbacks and delays, I finally put together the first of 8 video lectures, which is intended to be a stand-alone tutorial to help any researcher get started illustrating!
Stay tuned for the rest of the videos to be uploaded soon!
The first scientific illustrations I ever worked on are finally Published
The first scientific illustrations I ever worked on are finally Published
24 August 2025 - Annals of 3D Printed Medicine
I started working on this illustration in April 2024, and I hadn't done any art for papers before, but little did I know that it was the opportunity that made me discover my passion for scientific art and science communication!
Huge thanks to Dr. Basem Zeino for believing in my illustratoin skills and giving me the first opportunity to discover this passion!
Check the full paper:
Haddad, S., Karzoun, AA., Raffoul, Lutfallah., Mohamed, Y ., Sultan, S., Abbas. A., Zaino, B. (2025). Next-Gen Heart Solutions: 3D Bioprinting and AI in Valve Replacement Therapy. Annals of 3D Printed Medicine, doi:
My presentation for the #23 episode of the Syrian Neuroscience Journal Club
My presentation for the #23 episode of the Syrian Neuroscience Journal Club
14 July 2025 - Neuroscience Researchers Retreat Damascus
Neuroscience Researchers Retreat: Attending, Organizing, Presenting, and Winning
Neuroscience Researchers Retreat: Attending, Organizing, Presenting, and Winning
14-15 July 2025 - Damascus
My First officially published scientific illustrations
My First officially published scientific illustrations
9 July 2025 - Frontiers In Medicine
While I have started my journey in scientific illustratotions a year ago, the figures I worked on most recently are the first to be officially published!
Huge thanks to Dr. Antoine Naem for inviting me to join this paper!
Looking forward for upcoming illustration publications!
Check the full paper:
Naem, A., Moufawad, G., Sultan, S., Sleiman, Z. (2025). Laparoscopy-Assisted Uterovaginal Anastomosis in a Patient with
Atypical Cervicovaginal Malformation. Frontiers in Medicine. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1604463
My First ever Conference Poster Presentation, SAMS 23rd International Conference
My First ever Conference Poster Presentation, SAMS 23rd International Conference
5 June 2025 - Syrian American Medical Society 23rd International Conference, Damascus, Syria.
I couldn’t be prouder that I recently had the pleasure to present our one-of-kind qualitative study as a scientific poster at the prestigious SAMS International conference!
After months of hard work and relentless efforts leading a team of equally dedicated friends, we conducted a clinical audit on patient-physician communication, which is an overlooked but vital aspect of healthcare that impacts doctors as well as patients.
As challenging as that has been, given limited knowledge on clinical audits in Syria, we did not stop there. We further continued with a qualitative study to dig deeper into the root causes of poor clinical communication.
And here we are, spreading the word about the problems as well as the proposed solutions for better communication, at international conferences!
All of this could not have happened without the generous guidance and support of Dr. Abdul Fattah Mohandes, who has guided us all the way through since Day 1, and above all continues to remind us to teach others!
Our story, thankfully, even made it to the news, which mentioned our poster out of 60 others presented over 2 days! (Shout out to the journalist who interviewed me on the spot!-read the full story here !
I remember the 2+ hours of online meetings at a time and on-site discussions after long days at the clinic, and I cannot but thank my amazing friends who have believed in my project and made it their very own!
My first conference presentation has been like nothing I’ve experienced before, meeting and learning from experts as well as fellow aspiring students and researchers!
Participating in the IBRO Neuroscience Journal Cover Contest
Participating in the IBRO Neuroscience Journal Cover Contest
June 2025 - International Brain Research Organization
I recently participated in the IBRO Journal Cover Art Contest.
Although my artworks were not selected, I am still proud of the concepts I was able to illustrate.
1. Inside A Glass Mind
What if we imagine the brain as a place? A room lined with unusual bent walls that have no end. The walls are covered with glass neuronal windows of every shape and color (reflecting the immense diversity of neurons and glial cells in the brain). Light (representing our surroundings) passes through the glass windows (as information flows through the sensory neurons to the brain) and is reflected depending on the window (neuron) delivering the light (information). Different windows (neurons) allow light in all different colors and intensities. Inside the mind room, the different combinations of lights that enter are perceived and processed creating the 'meaning' (the brain processes information and reacts to the created perception). The wall illustrated in this artwork depicts the six layers of the cortex reimagined in color. Neuronal output is depicted by different levels of light allowed.
2. Journey through the Neuronal Lens
A simplified version of 1, where we follow the electrical impulse through the nerve fibers to and from the neurons of the different layers of the cerebral cortex.
My first Blog piece for WiNUK "The Brain Prize 2025"
My first Blog piece for WiNUK "The Brain Prize 2025"
29 May 2025 - Women In Neuroscience UK
Reading about the Brain Prize and Cancer Neuroscience was inspiring for me! So I wrote about it in my first research blog piece!
Read the full piece here!
I was feataured on WiNUK's May Volunteer Spotlight
I was feataured on WiNUK's May Volunteer Spotlight
13 May 2025 - Women In Neuroscience UK
Joining WiNUK has been one of the best things that have happened in 2024! I have never felt more supported and being invited to speak on the Volunteer Spotlight was the nicest gesture, allowing me to share my story with everyone!
Thanks WiNUK! I hope that I'll always live up to your expectations!
Proud of my first publication!
Proud of my first publication!
12 Mar 2025 - Cancer Treatment and research Communication, Elsevier, Q2.
I am so grateful that my graduation project for my M.D. this year has been published!
It is the first research paper I have written and the first study in which I am “First Author” and “Corresponding Author”, titled:
Primary Large Cell Lymphoma in the lacrimal sac: A case study and a review of the medical literature, and it was published in a peer-reviewed journal such and such
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.100897
Many thanks to Professor Dr. Firas Hussein for this opportunity and for supervising this research which came after almost a year during which I collected case information and researched the medical literature and worked day and night to write the paper in English and document it with radiological and histological images of the case after the patient's consent, to be translated into Arabic and submitted as a graduation project/bachelor thesis.
I earned a 99/100 grade rightfully as an external publication on behalf of the Faculty of Medicine at Tishreen University!
Joining WiNUK : A dream coming true!
Joining WiNUK : A dream coming true!
26 Dec 2024 - Women In Neuroscience Uk
I'm incredibly proud that I've recently been welcomed as a volunteer at Women in Neuroscience UK! I'll finally be putting my graphic design and artistic skills into creating neuroscience graphics for the public and neuro-enthusiasts like me!
My lab day of Calf brain dissection teaching
My lab day of Calf brain dissection teaching
26 Nov 2024 - Anatomy Lab, Faculty of Medicine, Latakia University.
If someone had told my 5-year-old self, or even my 18-year-old self, that I’d be dissecting sheep brain for amazed neuroanatomy lab students, I wouldn’t have believed it.
In fact, ironically, when I was 13, I was afraid, or rather slightly repulsed, to dissect a frog or look at a crab myself, despite being thrilled about the experience itself. My amazing science teacher at the time said, “What would you do if you became a doctor?!” to which I immediately replied, “I won’t” ..
But here I am now, the teacher who’s doing something new and rare at the anatomy lab (and a doctor-to-be)!
As a sixth-year med student passionate about neuroscience, I volunteered to conducting 6 sheep brain dissection sessions for almost 80 third-year students in total at the neuroanatomy lab, today! The students were the best one could ever hope for, curious, smart, and utterly in awe of seeing a textbook illustration they typically have to memorize for a test, transforming into a real brain in front of their eyes!
I wish someone had taken such initiative when I was in my third year! So this was my first step into being the change I wish to see in the world— well, my small world for a start! So my new passion is to do more unusual initiatives that solidify a more enjoyable learning experience!
I’d like to thank Professors Bishr Chmeis and Bassam Sarem for allowing me to tick this box off my wild-projects list, Dr. Obada Salhab for being very supportive, and most importantly, thank you to the brilliant students whose lit-up faces I shall never forget!
P.S. Some pics where I’m not looking my best but in the lab you gotta adapt!
You can see the full dissection session on my YouTube!
Celebrating my Graduation Project Day
Celebrating my Graduation Project Day
25 Aug 2025 - Faculty of Medicine, Latakia University.
My artwork is selected for CNS Art Gallery
My artwork is selected for CNS Art Gallery
12 Aug 2024 - Art for Neurosurgery Gallery 2024, Congress of Neurological Surgeons CNS.
About four years ago, I casually took up 3D-realistic digital illustration without any experience in the commonly used digital art software, using only the simple drawing feature on the Apple Notes App.
Fast forward to today: I’m thrilled to share that my third-ever digital illustration, created way back on May 10, 2020, titled "The Cranium Castle," has been accepted for display at the Art for Neurosurgery Gallery 2024.
I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the gallery representatives and curators at the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), who are organizing this exhibit. I’ve personally always approached my passion for neuroscience through art, and it’s amazing to see art appreciated and encouraged at scientific meetings such as the CNS Annual Meeting!
Although I won’t be able to ship the artwork to the exhibit or attend the meeting in the USA due to travel issues—meaning my artwork won’t be displayed—I remain grateful for this opportunity and hopeful for what’s to come. My digital art journey is just beginning, as I aspire to add new perspective to the medical graphic literature with my medical illustrations accompanying many of my research papers in progress!
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