scientific committee

Head of Scientific Committee

Dr. Mona Thakre

Consultant Neurologist
Mediclinic Parkview Hospital
Dubai, UAE

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Dr. Mona Thakre

Dr. Mona Thakre is a well experienced Neurologist with more than 20 years of experience to her credit in UAE and India. She had her basic MBBS and MD in medicine from Nagpur University, India and DM and DNB in Neurology from Bombay Hospital, Mumbai University, India. She has completed her Speciality Certificate in Neurology from Royal college of Physicians (UK) and is a Fellow of American Academy of Neurology(FAAN).

She has worked in Government hospital Rashid hospital as Senior Specialist for 10years and since last 7 years as Consultant and Head of Neuroscience department at Al Zahra Hospital which is a tertiary care hospital in Dubai. She is the elected Board member of Emirates Neurology Society. Her areas of interest: Multiple Sclerosis ,Headache Stroke, Epilepsy and Movement disorders. She is an active researcher and has numerous presentations in local and international conferences. She has published numerous papers in peer reviewed journals.

Scientific Committee

Prof. Suhail Alrukn

Consultant Neurologist, Rashid Hospital
Professor, Dubai Medical College
President of Emirates Neurology Society
Dubai, UAE

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Prof. Suhail Alrukn

Dr. Alrukn received his degree in medicine from UAE university. He underwent his neurology residency at the University of McGill, and subsequently obtain the neurology certification from the Royal Collage of Physicians & Surgeon (Canada). He then completed a fellowship in Cerebrovascular disease and Stroke at Montreal General Hospital, Canada. he currently serves as a head of Stroke Center at Rashid Hospital, Dubai.

Dr. Alrukn’ s field of interest are principally directed towards the acute stroke management, stroke unit establishing and post stroke rehabilitation. He established the 1st certified stroke unit in UAE. Dr. Al rukn is a local and international speakers in stroke field, and had many publications in this area. Currently he is the President of MENA Stroke Organization. In 2019, Dr. Alrukn became the President of World Congress of Neurology, and is the currently the President of Emirates Neurology Society.

Dr. Alrukn is the Founder and the chairman of the Neurology Residency Program in Dubai, since 2013. Also, he is the Chairman of the Dubai Scientific & Research Ethical Committee.

Dr. Alrukn has an interest in Headache management & Movement disorders, and he is running the movement disorder clinic at Rashid hospital. He currently sits on the executive boards of various scientific associations, steering committee and advisory boards, mainly in stroke & headache.

Dr. Asmaa Ismail Elballat

Neurology Specialist
European board certified
Master of Neurology
HMS Al Garhoud Hospital
Dubai, UAE

Dr. Giovanni Antonio Cocco

Consultant Neurologist
Mediclinic Parkview Hospital
Dubai, UAE

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Dr. Giovanni Antonio Cocco

Dr. Giovanni Antonio Cocco obtained his medical degree in Italy, and completed his specialist training in the UK, at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, where he obtained a Master degree in Advanced Neuroimaging.

He worked for many years in the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, UK, as a consultant neurologist, where he set up specialist clinics service for patients with epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease. He played a primary role in setting up local guidelines for the management of primary headaches such as migraine and had an active role in research and teaching medical students as an honorary lecturer at King’s College Hospital, UK. He is a member of the association of British Neurologists.

He is experienced in treating adult patients with a wide range of neurological conditions, including stroke, multiple sclerosis, brain tumours, infections of the central nervous system and neurodegenerative conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease.

Dr. Pushparaja Shetty

Consultant Neurologist
Mediclinic Welcare Hospiital
Dubai, UAE

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Dr. Pushparaja Shetty

Dr. Pushparaja Shetty is a consultant neurologist with many years of experience in various neurological disorders . He completed his DM Neurology from JNMC Belgaum under Rajiv Gandhi university of Health Sciences, Bangalore. He joined M S Ramaiah Medical College & Hospitals, Bangalore, as Assistant Professor of Neurology in 2008 and then was promoted to Associate Professor and Consultant of Neurology in 2010.

His special interests include deep brain stimulation pre-surgical evaluation, intra-operative assessment and post-surgical programming in various movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Chorea, Dystonia etc.

He was a movement disorder specialist neurologist in the department which established the movement disorder program at M S Ramaiah Hospital, which is now well recognised in India. He also established Sri Sai Neurosciences and Rehabilitation Centre in 2010 in Bangalore which is an OPD-based neurocentre with diagnostics and neurorehabilitation.
He moved to Dubai in 2012 where he worked for another private hospital group before joining Mediclinic in January 2019.

Dr. Saeid Taghizadeh

Consultant Neurologist
Tadawi Hospital
Dubai, UAE

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Dr. Saeid Taghizadeh

Dr. Saeid Taghizadeh is a highly experienced and Best Consultant Neurologist in Dubai with 14 years of experience. His areas of expertise include stroke, epilepsy, back pain, movement disorders, dementia, and headaches. Dr. Saeid holds a Fellowship from the European Board of Neurology in Sweden and has successfully completed the Speciality Certificate Exam in the United Kingdom. He is registered with the General Medical Council in the UK.

Throughout his career, Dr. Saeid has contributed to the field of neurology through his research and presentations. In May 2004, he presented a study on the relationship between IT movement and Parkinson’s disease in Kosice, Slovak Republic. Additionally, in February 2003, he collaborated with Gdovinova Zuzana on a research project investigating the involvement of the immune system in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis in Kosice. Further more, Dr. Saeid presented an interesting case of eight and a half syndrome at the Asian Pacific Stroke Conference in 2016, which was published as a poster presentation.

With his extensive knowledge and qualifications, Dr. Saeid Taghizadeh provides specialized care and expertise in the field of neurology, benefiting patients seeking treatment for various neurological conditions.

He can speak Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu, Slovakian

Dr. Sweta Adatia

Neurology Specialist
Gargash Hospital
Dubai, UAE

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Dr. Sweta Adatia

Dr. Sweta Adatia is a young and dynamic Neurologist currently working as a specialist neurologist at Gargash Hospital in UAE. She has over 13 prizes and gold Medals in Medicine and Neurology.

She is a stroke fellow from university of Calgary, Canada. She has completed her management course MBA from university of Cambridge, UK.

She was offered the brightest minds in Cambridge – scholarship for pursuing the MBA. In the summer 2021 she was invited to work with defeat NCD UN for launching NCD care funding program for 90 LMIC (Low and medium income countries).

She has over 50 publications in various medical journals. She is highly scientific and till date has touched over 50,000 lives. She has two books and couple of chapters in stroke and Neurology. She is specialized in treating Strokes and Migraines.

She herself suffers from migraine and hence understands the agony of these patients.
She has worked in over 5 continents serving patients. She is an excellent speaker, coach and trainer. She is invited on TEDx. She is the founder of Mybraindesign, a 21st century tool mapping the brain preferences to the ideal career path for high school students and adults.

She is the author of the book – Future Ready Now, a cutting edge Neuroscience based exploration of the career options. She has delivered over 200 workshops in various schools and colleges on the same topic.