Speakers

Prof. Abubaker Almadani is a board-certified neurologist with advanced fellowship training in neuromuscular disorders from Toronto, Canada. Currently serves as the Chief of the Neurology Department and Chairman of the Neuromuscular Center at Rashid Hospital. A proven leader in clinical program development, having spearheaded the establishment of a Center of Excellence in Neurology and multiple subspecialty clinics. Dr. Abubaker is also clinical professor of  MBRU Offers extensive expertise in neuromuscular diseases, headache disorders, multiple sclerosis, and general neurology, dedicated to elevating patient care and clinical standards.

Dr. Abdulwahab Roman is a Consultant Neurologist, Neurophysiologist, and Head of the Epilepsy Center at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) in Abu Dhabi.

He joined SSMC in 2024, bringing extensive expertise in clinical epileptology, neurophysiology, and advanced epilepsy diagnostics.

He completed his neurology residency and dual fellowships in epilepsy and pre-surgical evaluation in Germany, with additional certifications in cerebrospinal fluid diagnostics (CSF specialist certification) and neurological ultrasound (DEGUM). He is a certified EEG expert and former examiner for the German Society for Clinical Neurophysiology.

Previously, he served as Deputy Head of the Adult Epilepsy Center at the Vogtareuth Epilepsy Center in Germany, and as Lead of the MS department and CSF laboratory at the International Medical Center of the Schön Hospital Group in Bavaria. He is an active member of several leading international neurological societies and a board member of the Emirati League Against Epilepsy.

Dr. Anu Jacob, MD, DM, FRCP, is a Staff Physician in the Neurological Institute and Director of Multiple Sclerosis and Autoimmune Neurology at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Jacob was a consultant neurologist at the Walton Center for neurology and neurosurgery in Liverpool, United Kingdom. 

Dr. Jacob received his medical degree and internal medicine residency from Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, India and neurological certification (DM) training at Sri Chitra Tirunal Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, India. He received his Membership of the Royal College of Physicians and Neurology Board certification in the UK and completed his fellowship in Multiple Sclerosis and Neuromyelitis Optica at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.  

Dr. Jacob served as the National Director for the United Kingdom NHS specialist service for Neuromyelitis optica and he was also the Director for multiple sclerosis services for North Wales, caring for more than 1000 patients affected by the condition. Whilst in the UK, Dr Jacob set up the National NMO service (the first ever comprehensive NMO service in the world) and was awarded the  Royal College of physicians Excellence in patient care award for his work that changed the lives of patients with NMO in UK. 

Dr. Jacob is passionate about education and research and published 3 doctoral theses during his training. Putting his knowledge and skills into practice he has published more than 100 peer reviewed research articles and several book chapters and he was the Chief /Principal or co-investigator for several clinical trials on MS or NMO and has received several research grants. He enjoys teaching at all levels and regularly lectures medical students and nurses, is an examiner for PHD degrees both in UK and abroad and has given more than 100 lectures across the world including at the American Academy of Neurology, European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) and British Neurological Association.

Aly Ezzat is a strategic Medical Manager with 14 years of biopharmaceutical leadership across GCC markets, currently leading Neurology and Ophthalmology at Sanofi Dubai. Holding an MSc and MBA from SBS Swiss Business School, he is a pioneer in AI-driven diagnostics and omnichannel strategy, having reduced rare disease diagnosis time by 40%. Aly has supervised 8 clinical trials with 100% regulatory compliance and published 6 peer-reviewed studies on GCC rare disease epidemiology. A trilingual professional fluent in Arabic, English, and French, he leads cross-functional teams across neurology, rare diseases, and ophthalmology, combining scientific excellence with measurable business impact.

Dr. Caline Jadam is a Lebanese Consultant Neurologist with extensive international training and more than a decade of experience spanning Lebanon, France, and the United Arab Emirates.

After completing her medical degree as well as Neurology specialization at Université Saint-Joseph / Hôtel-Dieu de France in Beirut Lebanon, she pursued advanced fellowships in Critical Care Neurology, Neurophysiology, and Epilepsy at prestigious Parisian institutions including Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, UPEC-Paris 13, and UPMC – Sorbonne Universités.

Dr. Jadam previously served as Consultant Neurologist at Mediclinic Airport Road Hospital in Abu Dhabi from June 2022 to October 2023, and American Center for Psychiatry & Neurology from November 2023 til September 2025. Prior to that, she practiced in several leading university hospitals in Lebanon, where she developed a strong reputation for her work in critical care neurology, memory and neurodegenerative disorders, stroke, and epilepsy.

In parallel with her clinical practice, Dr. Jadam is actively involved in medical education. She holds an academic appointment as Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Balamand, Lebanon; and has contributed to advancing neurological education and clinical excellence.

Recognized as a regional expert in Neurology, Dr. Jadam is committed to bridging evidence-based science and compassion —translating cutting-edge neuroscience into individualized patient centered care.

Dr. Deeb Kayed is an American Board Certified Neurologist & Clinical Neurophysiologist. He relocated to Dubai in 2005 where he has been working in private practice. 

He is an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor at the MBRU School of Medicine. His practice is currently located at Chughtai Clinic & The MediClinic City Hospital in Dubai Health Care City.

Dr Kayed's primary interest is in the management of patients with headache, in particular migraine.

Dr. Florian Roser, MD PhD, is Chief Medical Officer and Department Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at Cleveland Clinic, Abu Dhabi.

Dr. Roser is a graduate of the Johannes-Gutenberg-University in Mainz/GER, and studied Medicine in Morgantown, West Virginia/USA, as well as in Johannesburg/SA. He completed his residency in the prestigious Department of Neurosurgery, Hannover Nordstadt with Prof. Dr. Madjid Samii, a Skullbase fellowship at the University of Tübingen/GER (Prof. Tatagiba) and Spine fellowship at the National Institute of Neurosurgery and Neurology, Queens Square, London/UK.

He is a Full Professor of Neurosurgery at the Eberhard-Karls University of Tübingen in Germany, serves as Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at the Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, US and is Adjunct Professor at the Biomedical Engineering Faculty at Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi.

Dr. Roser has authored over 128 peer-reviewed articles (h-index 40) and has presented more than 280 invited lectures worldwide. He is Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery, Elsevier since 2020. Prof. Roser has received several research grants from prestigious research institutions, for basic molecular research on meningioma tissue, clinical research on diagnostics in Syringomyelia and technical innovations in surgical anatomy. 

Dr. Haythum Tayeb is the Vice dean for graduate studies and scientific research, Rabigh Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh/Jeddah - Saudi Arabia • Chief, Department of Medicine , Rabigh Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh/ Jeddah - Saudi Arabia • Assistant Professor in Neurology and Psychiatry, Division of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah - Saudi Arabia • Clinical Fellow in Clinical Neurophysiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Division of clinical neurophysiology and sleep, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA - USA • Clinical Fellow in Psychiatry (neuropsychiatry and behavioral neurology) McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA - USA • Clinical Fellow (Resident) in Neurology Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal - Canada • Demonstrator in Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah - Saudi Arabia.

Prof. Jin Nakahara received his MD from Keio University School of Medicine in 2003 and his PhD from the Keio University Graduate School of Medicine in 2007. He is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurology at Keio University School of Medicine. He is also the Director of the Keio University iPS Cell Research Center for Intractable Neurological Diseases (KiND). His research has been published in leading international journals, and he holds active memberships with many professional societies in Japan as well as abroad. He is the current Director of the Japanese Society for Neuroimmunology and the Japan Multiple Sclerosis Network. He serves as a committee member of the Executive Committee of the Pan-Asian Committee for the Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (PACTRIMS), a delegate of the Japanese Society of Neurology, and a Councillor of the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Khalid Saeed is a consultant psychiatrist of more than 30 years standing, currently working as Regional advisor, Mental Health and Substance Abuse at the regional office for the Eastern Mediterranean of WHO

He is currently coordinating the work on mental health and psychosocial support in emergencies in the region besides leading the work on policies, legislations, treatment systems and services for  mental health and substance use problem in
countries of Eastern Mediterranean region

Dr. Lawren VandeVrede is a cognitive and behavioral neurologist whose overarching goal is to advance the care of patients with cognitive and behavioral disorders. He completed his medical training at the University of Illinois at Chicago, along with a PhD focused on developing novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. He completed his internship at Massachusetts General Hospital and his neurology residency at Harvard. Dr. VandeVrede pursued fellowship training in behavioral neurology at the Memory and Aging Center at UCSF, where he joined the faculty in 2020 as a physician-scientist and clinical trialist. His clinical and research interests include the development of novel diagnostic tests, treatments, and clinical trials for tau-based neurodegenerative diseases.

Dr. Leanne Brown is a Clinical Neuropsychologist with over 20 years of experience in the UK and UAE, specializing in neuropsychological assessment and intervention for adults with neurological disease or disorder. She has worked across tertiary and post-acute settings with complex neurological presentations. Her British Psychological Society credentials include Chartered Clinical Psychologist status, the Qualification in Clinical Neuropsychology, and entry to the Specialist Register of Clinical Neuropsychologists. She is licensed by the Health and Care Professions Council in the UK and the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, and contributes to service development, education, and professional standards in clinical neuropsychology.

Dr. Mahmoud Shaqfeh MD, is a Staff Physician in the Neurological Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr.Shaqfeh worked in private practice in Michigan, USA for four years.

Dr. Shaqfeh received his medical degree from Gulf medical University in Ajman. He completed his Neurology Residency and Neuromuscular Fellowship training at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center /Case Western University,Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Mahmoud is American Board Certified in Neurology and Neuromuscular Medicine.

Dr. Rabbani is a Consultant Neurologist at the Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, where she has practiced for the past three years. She completed her Neurology Residency at the University of Toledo and her Epilepsy Fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
She is double board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Neurology and Epilepsy, with a special interest in the care of women with epilepsy. She has presented at national and international meetings, including the American Epilepsy Society annual meeting.
Her clinical expertise includes the evaluation and management of complex epilepsy surgery cases, with experience in advanced treatment approaches ranging from neuromodulation to epilepsy surgery.

Dr. Mohammed Alkuwaiti is an Assistant Professor and Consultant Vascular Neurologist at the Department of Internal medicine in the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at United Arab Emirates University. His clinical practice is based at the Tawam hospital, the regional stroke center of Alain city in UAE. Following completion of his medical school training at UAE University he travelled to Montreal, Canada where he completed Adult Neurology residency training at McGill University (2016). He later also completed Acute stroke clinical training (2017) and Stroke-Net Fellowships (2018) at the University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis, United States. Dr. Alkuwaiti is an active member in local stroke committees, including the Department of Health stroke committee and at SEHA Stroke Task force committee. He Chairs the National Institute of Health Subspeciality (Emirates board) Neurology Committee. He is interested in secondary prevention and acute Stroke research. He is currently working on Stroke related projects in collaboration with UAE University and Sheikh Khalifa Stroke Institute.

Dr Mona Thakre is a well experienced Neurologist with more than 23 years of rich experience in UAE and India in the Government and private tertiary care hospitals . She did her undergraduate and postgraduate degree in internal medicine from Government Medical College Nagpur and super specialisation in Neurology from University of Mumbai India. She has completed her Speciality Certificate examination from the Royal college of Physicians UK and is a Fellow of American Academy of Neurology .

She is a elected Board member of Emirates Neurology Board UAE . She is a Life Member of Association of Physicians of India , Indian Association of Neurologist , Emirates medical Association , Emirates Neurology Society and American Academy of Neurology . She has been a lecturer and clinical Tutor in the Dubai Women’s College for 9 years during her tenure as Senior Specialist at Rashid Hospital Dubai.

She has been principal investigator in phase 4 and investigator in phase 3 trials . She has numerous publications in peer review journals to her credit a. She has been an active speaker ,moderator, Chairperson and Member of Scientific Committees in various local and International conferences and scientific forums.

Dr. Moncy Thomas, MD, is a Staff Physician in the Neurology Department at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Neurological Institute. He completed his neurology training in India before pursuing a fellowship in Movement Disorders in Tokyo, where he developed advanced expertise in the diagnosis and management of movement disorders. Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Thomas served as Head of the Division of Neurology at St. James Hospital, India, providing clinical leadership and advancing neurological care. With extensive experience in general neurology and movement disorders, he is committed to delivering evidence-based, patient-centered care while contributing to excellence in neurological practice.

Dr. Shakra is a Consultant Neurologist at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He specializes in inflammatory and degenerative diseases of the central nervous system and leads the Multiple Sclerosis clinics at SKMC. He earned his medical degree from Damascus University and completed extensive training in general internal medicine and neurology at leading university hospitals. His qualifications include an MD, MSc, MRCP, FRCP, and FAAN in medicine and neurology. In addition to his clinical expertise, Dr. Shakra has authored and co-authored numerous publications in the field of neurology.

Prof. Naji Riachi recently joined Burjeel Medical City as Consultant Neurologist and Khalifa University College of Medicine as Clerkship Director of Neurology and Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs. Dr. Riachi was previously Tenured Full Professor and Chair of Department of Neurology at the Lebanese American University and Assistant Dean for Clinical Research at LAU School of Medicine in Beirut, Lebanon.

After a 4 years Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, he completed his Residency in Neurology at the University Hospitals of Cleveland, then a two-year Fellowship in Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology at the Cleveland Clinics Foundation. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Neurology and Psychiatry and the American Board of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology. He is founding member and past President of the Lebanese League Against Epilepsy and a member of several scientific societies.

He participated in several clinical studies, gave more than 300 lectures regionally and internationally, and authored 70 peer reviewed publications and book chapters.

Head of Scientific Committee Consultant Neurologist Sheikh Shakbout Medical City Professor, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Dr. ​Najwa Al-Bustani, MD, FRCPC, is a Consultant Neurologist in the Neurological Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi with special interest in Neuromuscular Medicine. Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, she worked in the Department of Internal Medicine and Neurology at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Dr. Al-Bustani received her medical degree from Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. She completed her residency in Neurology at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Subsequently, she completed her fellowship in Clinical Neurophysiology, EMG Track, Neuromuscular Medicine and Advanced Neuromuscular Medicine at the University of Washington, Seattle, W.A., USA.

Professor Patricia Pozo-Rosich, MD, PhD is a distinguished neurologist and internationally recognized expert in headache medicine and migraine research. She is the Head of the Neurology Department and Director of the Migraine Adaptive Brain Center at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, and leads the Headache Research Laboratory at the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR). She also serves as Honorary Secretary of the International Headache Society and holds academic appointments at the University of Vic and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

Professor Pozo-Rosich has authored more than 225 peer-reviewed publications and 30 book chapters, with an h-index of 45, and has served as principal investigator in over 100 Phase II, III, and IV clinical trials. Her outstanding contributions to headache medicine have earned her numerous national and international awards, including the Scientific Prize for Headache Research from the Spanish Neurological Society and the Best-in-Class Award for Spain's leading Headache Center. She continues to advance the field through her clinical practice, research, education, and leadership in international scientific organizations.

Dr. Pournamy Sarathchandran is a consultant neurologist in Al Qassimi hospital, Sharjah, UAE.She has special interest in Multiple sclerosis and movement disorders. 

She is a fellow of American Academy of Neurology (FAAN) and Fellow of European board of Neurology (FEBN) and Fellow of Royal College of physicians (FRCP, Edin).

She is an adjunct associate professor in Sharjah University for medical students and core faculty for Emirati board medical residency program. She is former program director for neurology residency program in Rashid hospital. 

She graduated from the prestigious national institutes in India -JIPMER and STIMST, where she was awarded gold medals for academic merit. She did Mini fellowship in Movements disorders from the Nebraska University, USA

Dr. Reem Alsuwaidi, is a Neurologist and MS Specialist at Rashid Hospital, Dubai Health.

After obtaining her MBBS from Dubai Medical College, she completed residency training in Neurology and is Saudi Board-certified Neurologist, she then in pursuit of excellence led to a MS clinical fellowship, and an enriching experience at the University of Toronto in Canada.

In this vibrant healthcare landscape, Alsuwaidi not only provides exceptional patient care focusing on MS patients but also spearheads the evolution of the Neurology Residency Program where she is a valued core faculty member, nurturing the next generation of neurologists.

Dr. Rechdi Ahdab, MD, PhD, is Head of the Neurology Division and Director of the Pain Relief Center of Excellence at Aman Hospital, Doha, Qatar. Trained in Lebanon and France, he completed fellowships in clinical neurophysiology in Paris, and earned a PhD in Pharmacology and Biotherapy from Université Paris-Est. Dr. Ahdab has extensive expertise in neuromodulation, neurophysiology, and spinal cord disorders, with pioneering work in transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), transcranial direct current stimulation, and cortical excitability. He has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications and is an internationally invited speaker on neuromodulation and Neurophysiology.

Dr. Richard Perry is a Consultant Neurologist with a specialist interest in memory disorders and dementias. He completed his medical degree at the medical college of St Bartholomew's Hospital in 1990.

Dr Perry's specialist experience in memory disorders and dementia was gained in Cambridge from 1995 to 1999 and in San Francisco from 1999 to 2000. He leads the Cognitive service at Imperial College Healthcare and specialises in early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. He has lead a team of clinicians running clinical trials for new treatments in Alzheimer's disease at Imperial since 2008 and is now delivering these treatments through Cleveland Clinic London. 

Dr Seby John is Consultant, Vascular Neurologist and Neurointerventional Surgeon at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
He is currently Clinical Associate Professor of Neurology at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, USA and Khalifa University College of Medicine, UAE.
Dr John has extensive experience in the medical and interventional management of cerebrovascular diseases.
He is an active researcher and has been an investigator in numerous international cerebrovascular clinical trials.
He has to his credit, more than 75 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters in the field of stroke and neurointerventional surgery.
He is board of directors of MENA-SINO (Middle East North Africa Stroke and interventional Neurotherapies Organization) and the UAE Vascular Neurology Chair for Mission Thrombectomy 2020+.
He is an active reviewer for multiple journals, and is on the editorial board of Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery.

Dr. Shivam Om Mittal is an American Board-Certified Neurologist and Head of the Movement Disorders Section at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, conferred the titles of International Professor of Eminence and Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa). He trained in neurology at Case Western Reserve University, completed his Movement Disorders fellowship at Mayo Clinic, and pursued postdoctoral training at Yale University, USA. He has authored over 40 peer-reviewed publications, including pivotal clinical trials, contributed to the Cambridge Manual of Botulinum Toxin, and is editor of the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of Movement Disorders. Recipient of the Hamdan Foundation Innovation Award for establishing the UAE's first Deep Brain Stimulation program, he serves on the Executive Committee of MDS-AOS and chairs its Middle East Working Group.

Dr. Sidra Aurangzeb is one of the few professionals in the UK to hold dual accreditation in both 
neurology and clinical neurophysiology from the GMC. With a career that blends clinical expertise, 
leadership, and a passion for innovation, she has made significant contributions to both patient care 
and service development.
After completing seven years of intensive postgraduate training in Oxford, Dr. Aurangzeb became a 
consultant at Oxford University Hospitals, where she served as the clinical lead for telemetry services. 
She played a pivotal role in establishing the Oxford intracranial EEG service and introducing cortical 
stimulation with depth electrodes, alongside making key contributions to the development of the 
Oxford Sleep Service. Her expertise also extended to advanced neurophysiological techniques, 
including electromyography (EMG), single-fiber EMG (SFEMG), nerve conduction studies, and 
autonomic testing.
Currently a consultant at Tawam and Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Mohammad Medical City in AlAin, UAE, Dr. 
Aurangzeb is dedicated to integrating advanced neurological knowledge and cutting-edge 
neurophysiological techniques to improve patient outcomes and contribute more widely to the 
development of healthcare services in the region. She has authored numerous international papers in 
peer-reviewed journals and is passionate about teaching, mentoring the next generation of specialists

Dr. Tanmoy Maiti has done his Neurosurgery residency in NIMHANS, India and done clinical fellowship in skull base and vascular (LSUHSC-S, USA), functional (Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, USA) and complex spine and deformity correction (Mayo Clinic, Arizona, USA). He is currently employed in Cleveland clinic Abu Dhabi. He has published more than 95 articles in peer-reviewed journals and authored several book chapters.
He is a section editor of World Neurosurgery and reviewer of several journals.

Dr. Alsaadi is a Chief Medical officer and the Chair of the Neurology Department at the American Center of Psychiatry & Neurology (ACPN). He also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Neurology at Khalifa University. He was trained in Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology at the University of California San Francisco and was a research fellow in Epilepsy there. He is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and by the American Board of Clinical Neurophysiology and the American Board of Neurology in Clinical Epilepsy. 

Before joining ACPN, Dr. Alsaadi was the Chief of the Neurology Department at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City for 11 years. He previously held a position as an Associate Professor of Neurology and the Director of the Adult Epilepsy Program and the Clinical Research Program at the University of California Davis. His research has focused on conducting drug study trials for new antiseizure drugs for patients with epilepsy, quality of life in patients with epileptic and non-epileptic disorders, migraine headaches, multiple sclerosis, and neuropsychiatric comorbidities. His recent research has focused on the new CGRP-based therapies in patients with migraine headaches. Dr. Alsaadi has been honored with several prestigious awards for his work in the field of epilepsy. He has served on the Advisory Board of the Northern California Epilepsy Foundation and the membership committee of the American Epilepsy Society. He has previously served as the President of the Western Clinical Neurophysiology Society in the United States and as the Vice President of ILAE- EMR (Commission of the Eastern Mediterranean Affairs). He is currently the President of the Emirati League against epilepsy and the Chair of the ILAE Commission for epilepsy in the elderly. He serves as a member of the Guideline Development Group (GDG) for the WHO. He also serves on the Editorial Board for BMC Journal of Neurology and Journal of Neurosciences. He has authored and co-authored more than 95 papers and book chapters and has served as a peer-reviewer for more than 15 scientific journals. 

Dr. Thekra Mohamed is a senior healthcare regulator with over 17 years of leadership in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, health technology assessment (HTA), traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine (TCAM), and health innovation. She has played a pivotal role in shaping Abu Dhabi’s health ecosystem through strategic governance, regulatory reform, and global partnerships.

At the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, Dr. Thekra leads regulatory oversight for drugs, medical products, and TCAM, ensuring alignment with UAE and international standards. She spearheaded the development of HTA frameworks for rare diseases and advanced therapies and guided the adoption of AI-enabled prescribing systems, Clinical Decision Support (CDS) tools, and digital medication safety platforms. Her work has accelerated patient access to innovative treatments while safeguarding quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness.

She has led initiatives to enhance medication safety through robust pharmacovigilance systems, risk management strategies, and stakeholder education. Her deep expertise spans e-prescription systems, pharmacogenomics, and biobanking—advancing Abu Dhabi’s position as a global center for pharmaceutical excellence and innovation

Dr. Usman Moghal is a Consultant Neurologist at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi specializing in vascular neurology, headache medicine, cognitive disorders, and general neurology. He completed his neurology training in the United States and Canada.  Dr. Moghal is actively involved in medical education, resident training, and multidisciplinary neurological care. His clinical interests include migraine and headache disorders, cerebrovascular disease, and dementia. He has contributed to numerous educational initiatives and scientific meetings in the region and is committed to advancing neurological care and patient outcomes in the UAE.

Dr. Vittorio Iantorno is the Director of the Neuroscience Institute and Consultant and Lead Neurology at King’s College Hospital (KCH) London Dubai in the UAE. He also served as Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Clinical Director of Medicine since KCH opened in Dubai Hills, and is an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Sharjah, bringing with him over 20 years of European experience in the field. He completed his medical education in Rome, Italy, earning his degree in Medicine and Surgery and later qualifying as an Italian Board–certified Neurologist, before moving to the United Kingdom in 2001. Dr. Iantorno spent many years as Clinical Lead and Head of the Neurology Department at one of the UK’s largest Foundation Trusts, Heart of England NHS Trust, where he also served as Chair of the local Parkinson’s Disease Operational Group. His professional experience spans multiple NHS hospitals, including East Kent NHS Trust, King’s College Hospital London, Royal Free Hospital London, and Hertfordshire NHS Trust, followed by more than a decade in the West Midlands, along with over 10 years of private practice experience in the UK. He relocated to Dubai in 2015 and is widely recognized by peers and patients for his high clinical standards in the assessment, investigation, and management of the full spectrum of acute and chronic neurological disorders. Dr. Iantorno strongly believes in patient-centered, holistic care, aiming to empower patients as active participants in their healthcare while addressing both the disease and the individual living with it.

Dr. Kingston trained in Adult Neurology at the University of Toronto, where he served as chief resident. He completed a headache medicine fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Neurology at University of Toronto and full-time headache neurologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre where he directs the Headache Clinic located in the Barzakay Brain Health Clinic. He founded and directs Canada’s first headache and pregnancy clinic. He also founded and directs the Headache Medicine Fellowship program at Sunnybrook. He is a board member of the Canadian Headache Society and Migraine Canada. His major clinical interests are in cluster headache, headache and pregnancy and headache in cerebrovascular disorders. The Headache Clinic is also the site of several clinical trials in Migraine for which he serves as PI.

Dr. Czorlich is a Consultant in Neurocritical Care at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. He received his medical degree and MD from Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany, and completed his neurosurgical residency and Neurocritical Care fellowship at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. In 2023, he was awarded the title of Professor by the University of Hamburg. His research focuses on subarachnoid and intracranial hemorrhage, traumatic brain injury, and neurocritical care. He has authored more than 65 peer-reviewed publications, serves on the editorial boards of several medical journals, and previously served on the Board of Directors of the German Neurocritical Care Society (DGNI), including as Second Vice President and President-Elect.

Prof. Pierre C. Krystkowiak is a Consultant Neurologist at Yas Clinic Khalifa City & Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre in Abu Dhabi. Has completed his neurology qualification in 1997 (University of Lille, France) then his PhD in 2003 (University of Paris-Saclay, France). He has been appointed Professor of neurology in 2007 at the University of Picardie, Amiens, France. He held some academic positions such as Vice-President to the University Scientific Board and Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. He also served as Medical Director of Amiens University Hospital. He joined UAE in 2019 then YCKC in 2022. Huntington's Disease has been one of his most important fields of interest for decades. He is a former member of the European HD Network Executive Committee and a former member of the Steering Committee of the French Speaking HD Network. He is a member of the EHDN and HSG, founder of a HD expert centre in Lille University then in Amiens University, France (both EHDN and CHDI certified). He has been coordinator or PI of a number of HD clinical trials or clinical studies, including interventional therapies (DBS, fetal neural transplants, gene therapies). He has published over 125 articles in international peer-reviewed journals, mostly in the field of Huntington’s disease, Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders. 

Dr. Yasmin Abdelmajid is a neurologist and a trained movement-disorders specialist at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. She focuses on Parkinson’s disease and advanced therapies including deep brain stimulation, infusion treatments, and botulinum toxin. She is actively involved in building research registries with an emphasis on young-onset Parkinson’s disease and genetics in the Middle East. Dr. Yasmin is also actively engaged in international collaborations aimed at using AI in Parkinson’s Disease research.