Harris Ahmad

Harris Ahmad, MD, is a physician-researcher who contributed to early neuroimaging studies of deception detection during his time conducting functional MRI research at Temple University Hospital's Department of Radiology (2005–2006). Ahmad was part of a multidisciplinary research team at Temple University Hospital and Drexel University that examined the neural correlates of deception and truth-telling using functional MR imaging alongside standard polygraph examination. Following his radiology residency at Hahnemann University Hospital, Ahmad transitioned to the pharmaceutical industry, where he has held medical affairs positions focused on rheumatology and gastroenterology at BioClinica and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Ahmad's polygraph-related research utilized the Integrated Zone Comparison Technique (IZCT) with computerized polygraph instrumentation as part of blind studies in deception detection. His most significant contribution was examining how neuroimaging data could enhance traditional polygraph accuracy. In his 2018 study, the research team found it vital to use fMRI data combined with all three polygraph parameters to achieve the most accurate determination of truth or deception, with combining fMRI data with polygraph data showing the greatest increase in accuracy compared to fMRI alone. His 2006 study on the IZCT with scoring algorithms found 100% accuracy when inconclusives were excluded, and 90% accuracy with the ASIT PolySuite algorithm when inconclusives were counted as errors.

Ahmad's research formed part of pioneering efforts to compare brain-based lie detection methods with traditional psychophysiological approaches. Working alongside prominent polygraph examiner Nathan J. Gordon and neuroimaging specialists Feroze B. Mohamed and Scott H. Faro, Ahmad contributed to studies that helped establish the scientific foundation for evaluating multimodal deception detection approaches. His work appeared in both polygraph-specific journals (European Polygraph) and mainstream scientific publications (Physiology & Behavior), bridging the gap between traditional polygraph practice and emerging neuroscience technologies.

Following his deception detection research, Ahmad redirected his career toward pharmaceutical medicine, where he has applied his medical imaging expertise to clinical trial methodology and drug development. His career progressed from functional MRI research at Temple University Hospital through diagnostic radiology training to medical affairs roles at BioClinica and Bristol-Myers Squibb, where he became Medical Director focusing on immunology, rheumatology, and gastroenterology. His current work involves inflammatory bowel disease therapeutics, representing a shift from deception detection research to clinical drug development, though maintaining a focus on advanced imaging and objective measurement methodologies in medicine.