Neuro Rehabilitation Conference
 
Aejaz Zahid
Qatar
Mada - Qatar Assistive Technology Center


Aejaz Zahid specializes in the areas of Assistive Technology, Rehabilitation Engineering and Human Computer Interaction. Educated and trained in Canada, the UK and Ireland, he previously worked for over 12 years in the National Health Service in England, successfully supporting hundreds of individuals with wide ranging disabilities at home, in employment and at all levels of education.  He has hands on expertise in ICT Access Technologies, Alternative & Augmentative Communication, Environmental Control Systems and Powered Mobility. He has held a number of Assistive Technology specialist and managerial posts in the NHS; working with and establishing several multidisciplinary Assistive Technology teams.

In addition to service delivery, he has been involved in numerous Assistive Technology research and development projects in Europe, collaborating with academic institutions such as the universities of Cambridge, Dublin, Kent, Southampton and Sheffield and several major industrial partners in the Assistive Technology field. Mr Zahid has won a number of awards for Assistive Technology innovation and was awarded the prestigious Fellowship of the National Endowment for Science Technology & Arts (UK) in 2006. 

Since February 2010, he has been part of the senior management team involved in the establishment of Mada, the Qatar Assistive Technology Center, which is one of the first centers of its kind in the Arabic speaking world. The center opened doors in June 2010 and has since then provided Assistive Technology solutions to hundreds of residents of Qatar. A major mandate of Mada is to foster innovation in the field of Assistive Technology and Accessibility, with an emphasis on the development of Arabic language Assistive Technology solutions. Aejaz Zahid is currently Head of Research & Innovation at Mada.  

 
Alan Dickson
Consultant Paediatric Surgeon
Royal Manchester Children's Hospital


Dr. Alan underwent a recognized training programme in the United Kingdom and the Republic of South Africa in paediatric surgery and paediatric urology.  He was appointed as Consultant Paediatric Surgeon in the Manchester Children’s Hospitals, UK with a special interest in paediatric urology on 1st of October 1988 and has been in post for over twenty-six years.  During his consultant career he have overseen a large clinical practice, both in general paediatric surgery, neonatal surgery and paediatric urology and have published papers in all these fields.  After 10 years as a consultant however, he focussed entirely on Paediatric urology. He have now been lead consultant in the large Paediatric Urology department of the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital since 2005.
 
He has been the Chairman of the British Association of Paediatric Urologists, Chairman of the Paediatric Board of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, a member of the Council for the Royal of Surgeons, Edinburgh and a member of the executive committees of the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons and British Association of Paediatric Nephrologists.  He has been a Regional Specialist Adviser for Paediatric Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons, England.  He has been a member of the National Training Committee (SAC) for paediatric surgery since 2006. He has been a member of the National Examining Board for paediatric surgery since 2008 and was Chairman of the Board from March 2011 until September 2014.
His major clinical interest throughout his clinical career has been urinary tract reconstruction. He has been the senior clinician in the Manchester National NCG service for Bladder Exstrophy since 2005. His major clinical activity is in the area of the lower urinary tract, Neuropathic Bladder, Bladder Exstrophy and Hypospadias. He has provided the neuropathic bladder surgery for the last 26 years in our hospitals.

 
Alexander Geurts


Alexander Geurts received both his MD (1987) and PhD (1992) degree in Medical science at the Radboud University in Nijmegen. He was registered as a physiatrist by the European Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in 1997 and as a clinical epidemiologist in the Netherlands (SMWBO) in 2001. Since 1992, he continued his main research interest in balance, gait and motor recovery with a focus on neurorehabilitation, especially stroke rehabilitation. He conducts both translational (determinants and mechanisms of motor control and recovery) and applied research (development of diagnostic and prognostic tools, evaluation of interventions / rehabilitation strategies) both in adults and children with cerebral, spinal and neuromuscular diseases.He has been (co-) chair of several national research programmes in neurorehabilitation since 1998, including some successful innovation projects directed at the education of allied health professionals in stroke rehabilitation (NPI; www.paramedisch.org). In 2005, he has become full Professor and Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation at the Radboud University Medical Center and, since 2009, he has been PI at the Donders Centre for Brain Cognition and Behaviour and the Nijmegen Centre for Evidence Based Practice of the Radboud University. Alexander Geurts is vice-president of the Dutch Society for Neurorehabilitation (DSNR; www.neurorehab.nl), affiliated with the World Federation for Neurorehabilitation (WFNR). He has (co-) authored more than 130 PubMed registered articles.

 
Apoorva Pauranik
Consultant Neurologist and Associate Prof. in Medicine (Neurology)
M.G.M. medical College & M.Y. Hospital, Indore, M.P.India


Dr. Apoorva obtained his M.D. in the year 1979 in Internal Medicine from M.G.M. Medical College & University of Indore. He also obtained his D.M. in the year 1985 from All India Institute of Medical Sciences of New Delhi and got his Post Doctoral Degree in Neurology. He has been appointed as an Assistant Professor in Medicine (Neurology) for consecutive years. Dr. Apoorva is now working an a Consultant Neurologist at GeetaBhavan Hospital since 1997. He is also working as a Consultant Neurologist and Associate Prof. in Medicine (Neurology) at M.G.M. Medical College & M.Y. Hospital, Indore. He also published and edited for “Neuro-Gyan”, a monthly newsletter (Hindi), each issue dedicated to one given neurological diseases. He is also the author and publisher for Health education literature including a comprehensive text book on Epilepsy in Hindi titled “Apasmar”.
 
Asma Naheed
Educational Psychologist and Special Needs Consultant
American Center for Psychiatry and Neurology Dubai


Mrs. Asma obtained her Maters in Education in Curriculum and Instruction concentration in Educational Psychology and also Masters in Education with major in Special Education from George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia US. She holds Post Graduate Special Education Professional License from Virginia, Department of Education. She is an exceptionally competent Educational Psychologist and Special Needs Consultant. She has 17 year experience of providing services in a variety of educational and non-educational settings including schools, clinics, residential treatment, home-bound, and day treatment programs both in United States of America and Abu Dhabi. 

Asma’s area of specialty is working with children diagnosed with varied diagnoses including:

  • ADHD
  • Autism
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Emotional Disturbance
  •  Downs Syndrome
  • Mental Retardation 

 
Prof Barbara Wilson
Clinical Neuropsychologist
The Oliver Zangwill Centre

Barbara Wilson is a clinical neuropsychologist who has worked in brain injury rehabilitation for nearly 40 years.  She has published 22 books, 189 peer reviewed papers, 120 chapters and 8 neuropsychological tests. She has won many awards for her work including an OBE from Queen Elizabeth the Second in 1998, for services to rehabilitation; and three lifetime achievement awards, one from the British Psychological Society and one from the International Neuropsychological Society.  In September 2011 she received the Ramon Y Cahal award from the International Neuropsychiatric Association. In Septemebr 2014 she received an honorary degree from The University of Cordoba, Argentina. In December 2014 she will receive the M.B. Shapiro award from The Division of Clinical Psychology (affiliated to The British Psychological Society) for Distinguished Contributions to Clinical Psychology. She is editor of the journal “Neuropsychological Rehabilitation” which she founded in 1991 and in 1996 she established the Oliver Zangwill Centre for Neuropsychological Rehabilitation. A rehabilitation centre in Quito, Ecuador is named after her. She is currently president of the UK Encephalitis Society and is on the management committee of The World Federation of Neuro Rehabilitation. The UK Division of Neuropsychology has named a prize after her, the ‘Barbara A Wilson prize for distinguished contributions to neuropsychology’.
 
Dr. Carol Ann Hawley
Academic research psychologist
Warwick Medical School


Academic research psychologist since 1988. International expert on brain injury. Over fifty publications in peer-reviewed academic journals. Carried out many large projects for Government Departments (Department of Health, Department for Transport, Department for Education). Principal Investigator and Project Manager on a range of projects including evaluations of service delivery and organisation; evaluation of rehabilitation; investigation of attitudes; evaluation of patient perspectives. Particular research interests include paediatric brain injury, adult brain injury and epidemiology of brain injury. Currently Chair of International Paediatric Brain Injury Society and Board Member of the International Brain Injury Association. Also Chairs the Special Interest Group on Driving as part of the World Federation of Neurological Rehabilitation. Sits on numerous committees and is adviser to charitable organisations (Headway, Child Brain Injury Trust). Reviewer for over twenty academic journals, and expert reviewer for numerous research funding organisations including the Medical Research Council, National Institute of Health Research, Welcome Trust, and Government Departments.
 
Caterina Pistarini
Director of Neuro-Rehabilitation Department
S. Maugeri Foundation – Scientific Institute of Pavia / Italy

S. Maugeri Foundation – Scientific Institute of Pavia / Italy
Since 2003 she is the Director of Neurorehabilitation Unit – Coma Unit – Spinal Cord Unit at IRCCS Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, Pavia Institute. She graduated in 1980 having a degree in Medicine then had her Postgraduate in Neurology in 1984 and another Postgraduate degree in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine in 1987 form the University of Pavia in Italy. She attended the Healthcare Management Qualification Course since 2000, updated in 2010, and obtained the Management degree at IREF (Institute of Research, Statistics and Training) - School of Health Management in Milan – Italy; she is actively engaged in the management and organizational processes of the Units with particular attention to the control of the Quality System in compliance with current directives applied in health services (ISO 2001).

Since 2007 she is a Contract Professor in Physiotherapy Disciplines and in Occupational Therapy Disciplines at the University of Pavia – Italy.
 
Dana Boering
Assistant medical director, early rehabilitation, Physician, neurology and rehabilitation
St. Mauritius Therapieklinik

Dana Boering is a german neurologist. She leads since 2002 an early neurorehabilitation unit in Meerbusch, Germany and has an over 25 years’ experience in neurological rehabilitation. Her special interest field are Disorders of Consciousness

 
Eduard Auff
Director of the Department of Neurology and Professor of Neurology
Medical University of Vienna

Professor Eduard Auff is Director of the Department of Neurology and Professor of Neurology at the Medical University of Vienna. He served as President of the Austrian Society of Neurology, as well as the Austrian Society of Neurorehabilitation, and is currently Vice President of the Austrian Movement Disorders Society. He was President of the Academic Senate of the Medical University of Vienna. Professor Auff was the president of the 21st World Congress of Neurology, which was held in Vienna Sept. 21-26, 2013. Eduard Auff received his undergraduate training at the University of Vienna. After graduating as a medical doctor in 1975, Dr. Auff was trained in clinical neuropathology. Starting his clinical training in 1979, his major focus was set to movement disorders and neurorehabilitation. He was head of a movement disorders out-patient clinic and earned diplomas in clinical neurophysiology and
clinical trials. In 1991, Dr. Auff was awarded a professorship in neurology and was appointed Head of the Division of Neurological Rehabilitation in the Department of Neurology at the University of Vienna. Since 2000, he has served as Director of the Department of Neurology, originally in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Vienna, and subsequently at the Medical University of Vienna, when the medical faculty became an independent university in 2004
 
Ellen Merete Hagen
Consultant Neurologist in Autonomic Medicine
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust


University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Prof. Ellen obtained her M.D. from the University of Oslo in the year of 1989. She has then obtained her PhD in Traumatic Spinal Cord Injuries from the University of Bergen in the year 2010 with her thesis focusing on “Traumatic spinal cord injuries. A clinical and epidemiological study”. She is a member of many organizations such as The Norwegian Medical Association, The Norwegian Red Cross, Danish Medical Association, International Spinal Cord Society, American Spinal Injury Association, European Federation for Autonomic Societies, World Federation for NeuroRehabilitation, Nordic Spinal Cord Society, Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals, and International Society for Autonomic Neuroscience. Currently she is a Consultant Neurologist in Autonomic Medicine at the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Bergen
 
Prof. Dr. Fatma A. Hegazy
Chair, Department of Physiotherapy
College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah


Prof. Dr. Fatma A. Hegazy, Ph.D., P.T.  Graduated from Cairo University in 1992, completed her studies at the same university and got her Master degree at 1997, PhD degree at 2001 when she was honored as the youngest to get PhD in Physical Therapy and Egyptian universities. She has over than 20 years teaching experience in a variety of academic and clinical settings of neuropediatrics cases (Theoretical Lectures, Clinical skills labs and Clinical practice in different hospitals) in Sharjah, Cairo University and Misr University for Sciences and Technology. Plus extensive researches in physiotherapy for pediatrics and actively participated in several national and international conferences, workshops and seminars. She supervised many Master theses, and published many researches in physiotherapy for neuropediatrics and other different pediatric cases. Dr. Fatma is currently working as Chair, Department of physiotherapy, college of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah.

 
Dr. Florian Roser
Consultant Neurosurgeon
Neurological Institute


Dr. Florian Roser is a board certified neurosurgeon (Germany, UK and UAE). He is a graduate of the Johannes-Gutenberg-University in Mainz, Germany and studied Medicine in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA as well as in Johannesburg, South Africa. After graduation he was resident in the prestigious Department of Neurosurgery, Hannover, Germany with Prof. Samii from 1999-2004. Dr. Roser was the Vice-Chairman/Chief of Staff at the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Tübingen, Germany before joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi in 2014.

 

He holds the position of a Full Professor of Neurosurgery at the Faculty of Medicine at the Eberhard-Karls University of Tübingen, Germany. Additionally he serves as Professor of Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at the Case Western Reserve University, Ohio, USA. 

 

Dr. Roser is Associate Editor of an Elsevier Journal (Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery) and serves as ad-hoc reviewer of numerous prestigious Neurosurgery Journals (Spine, Spinal Cord, Neurosurgery, MIN, JNS, Skull Base). He has authored over 85 peer reviewed articles mainly as first or senior author, presented 144 lectures and 67 posters worldwide.

 

Overall he received several research grants from prestigious institutions (DFG, IPZ and Industry) in order to conduct basic molecular research on meningioma tissue, clinical research on diagnostics in Syringomyelia and technical innovations in surgical anatomy.

 

Clinically, Dr. Roser has performed more than 1,700 spine and 1,500 intracranial surgeries with his main interest in Skull base and Spinal cord procedures.  He conducted live-surgery transmitted worldwide on a regular basis during instructional skullbase and spine courses.

 

He served as a medical escort of a Borneo Expedition in 2002 and a Himalaya Expedition in 2004. He lives in Abu Dhabi with his wife and two kids and enjoys contemporary literature and various sports activities.

 
Prof. Franz Gerstenbrand
Chairman of the WFNR Research Groups on Neuroethics and of Space and Underwater Neurology
WFNR

Franz Gerstenbrand qualified from Vienna in 1950. Following training, he became Associate Professor 1967, Head of Department; Rosenhügel, Vienna, and Innsbruck1975.His work in his native Austria is impressive, he was Head of the Institute for Restorative Neurology and Neuro-modulation, Ludwig Boltzmann Society 1995-2006.Head of the Scientific Institute for Neuro-rehabilitation and Space Neurology; Karl Landsteiner Scientific Society up until 2009.He holds many Honorary doctorates; Charles University Prague, Danube University Krems , Aristotele University of Thessaloniki.
His regional achievements are most impressive. The most prominent is the bringing together of the Danube and Eastern European Neurologists at a time of political difficulties. He was a Founding Member today the Honorary President of the Danube Symposium for Neurological Sciences, later International Danube Neurology Association of Central and East Europe.At the European level, a crowning achievement is that of being the Founding President of EFNS. He is also the Founding member of the European Society of Neuropharmacology and World Federation for Neurorehabilitation.His involvement with the WFN started in 1965 and has continued ever since. He is Chairman of the WFN Research Groups on Neuroethics and of Space and Underwater Neurology. He is also a member of several other research groups.He holds Honorary Memberships of several neurological societies: Russia, Poland, Czech Republic , Hungary and Myanmar. His work in Myanmar exemplifies his personality and diligence to help Neurologists in all parts of the World especially those living under difficult political regimes. He is the author of hundreds of papers and 12 books.
 
Ms. Halemah Alkaabi
Occupational Therapist Head of Occupational Therapy,
Mafraq Hospital
 
Imtiaz Khurshid
Medical Director & Consultant Pulmonologist & Sleep Medicine
Linde Sleep & Respiratory Care Center


Dr. Imtiaz graduated from AllamaIqbal Medical College at the University of Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan with an M.B, B.S 1989. He got his Diplomat American Board of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine from the US 1998. He also got his Diplomat American Board of Internal Medicine in Pulmonary Diseases from the US 2002. He obtained his Diplomat American Board of Internal Medicine in Sleep Medicine from the US 2007. He also carries a Certified Physician Executive (CPE) certification – Certifying Commission for Medical Management. He is currently the Medical Director & Consultant Pulmonologist & Sleep medicine at Linde Sleep & Respiratory Care Center in Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates. 
 
Julie Bernhardt
Director
AVERT Early Intervention Research Program

Julie is Director of the AVERT Early Intervention Research Program. The main aim of this program is to develop new, evidence-based rehabilitation interventions that may reduce the significant burden of stroke related disability. AVERT, the largest acute stroke rehabilitation trial, which will include over 2000 stroke patients, is at the core of this program. Understanding how early, exercise-based interventions after stroke may work to alter bone, muscle and brain is the focus of a number of substudies.
 
Karen Divito
Director of Clinical Operations
Amana Healthcare & Rehabilitation Hospital Head of Occupational Therapy


She also obtained her MS in Healthcare Administration from the Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, USA. She is a healthcare manager with 40 years of experience in physical rehabilitation, including 25 years of direct care as a physical therapist and 30 years in leadership positions. Actively participates in accreditation of rehabilitation facilities across US, Canada and Europe. She is currently working at Amana Healthcare & Rehabilitation as a Director of Clinical Operations. She is also a Medical Rehabilitation Surveyor at Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF International).
 
Kirsty Fielding
Rehabilitation Manager
Cambridge Medical & Rehabilitation Centre


Kirsty is qualified in 2006 with an MSc in Allied Health Professional Studies ( Physiotherapy) and have since worked in Paediatrics at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, UK. Initially She worked in Special Schools and outpatient neuro rehab before moving to Paediatric ICU, Neonatal Surgical Unit and Acute Neurology and oncology.  She further specialized in Paediatricorthopaedics and in particular Paediatric Limb Reconstruction where she had the opportunity to rehabilitate children undergoing pioneering surgeries for deformity correction and functional gain following trauma and congenital abnormalities. She came to Abu Dhabi in March 2013 to work with ventilated children and adults in ProVita Medical Centre, Al Ain, before being asked to join Cambridge Medical and rehabilitation Centre in December 2013 as Rehabilitation Manger. In this role she maintains a clinical caseload of mainly paediatrics but involved in managing the whole Rehab team, delivering staff training and development and implementing international standards of best practice in rehabilitation in the UAE.
 
Leonard Li
Head of Rehabilitation Medicine Division at the University Department of Medicine,
Tung Wah Hospital, Hongkong


Dr. Leonard is currently the Head of Rehabilitation Medicine Division at the University Department of Medicine at Tung Wah Hospital since 1994. He is also a Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine at McLehose Medical Rehabilitation Centre since 1999. He is also a Consultant at Hong Kong ReHabAid Centre since 1996. He was appointed as the Regional Vice President (Asia and Oceania) between 2008 – 2010 and the Secretary General between 2006 – 2008 at the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. He is on the Editorial Board of the Chinese Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Since 2004 and on the WFNR Update since 2006. He is also a review on both the Brain Injury and Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
 
Mario Patricolo
Chair of the Scientific Committee - Head of Department and Consultant
Al Noor Hospital


Dr. Mario Patricolo Graduated From The Ubniversity Of Rome In 1990 With Honors And Specialized In Paediatric Surgery With Honors, In 1995. He Worked As Consultant Paediatric Urologist And Surgeon In The Vatican Paediatric Hospital Bambino Gesu' From 1996 To 2002 When He Moved To The United Kingdom With The Same Role. From 2007 Dr. Mario Patricolo Has Served In UAE As Paediatric Surgeon And Paediatric Urologist With A Special Interest In Neurogenic Bladder And Neurogenic Bladder, Urodynamics And Incontinence In Children And Adolescents. 
Dr. Mario Formed The SIG Spina Bifida And Hydrocephalus In 2009 And Chaired It Until 2013 When He Became Chair Elect After The Election Of Mr. Alan Dickson As Chair. Dr. Mario Is Also Secretaty Of The SIG Etics In Neurorehabilitation And Has Been For 5 Years Ambassador Of The WFNR To The Vice President For The Gulf Area. Dr. Patricolo Is Also Actively Involved Withthe Intenational Continence Society(ICS) As Member Ofthe Children And Adolescents Committee And Is Currently Runnig A Study On Transitional Care In Adolescents With Disabilities For The ICS. From 2010 Dr. Mario Has Also Been Regional Representative For The Middle East Of The International Children Continence Society(ICCS). Head Of Department And Consultatn Paediatric Surgeon At Al Noor Hospital Airport Road, Dr. Mario Runs Continence And Urodynamics Clinic In Abu Dhabi And In UAE, Since 2008.
 
Martin Staudt
Head of the Clinic for Neuropediatrics and Neurorehabilitation, Epilepsy Center for Children and Adolescents
SchönKlinikVogtareuth, Germany

Prof. Dr. med. Martin Staudt is Head of the Clinic for Neuropediatrics and Neurorehabilitation, Epilepsy Center for Children and Adolescents at the SchönKlinikVogtareuth, Germany. He also holds a position as a professor at the EberhardKarls University, Tübingen, Germany, dedicated to research on “Developmental Neuroplasticity”. He received his medical degree at the Technical University Munich and was researcher, assistant doctor and senior physician at the Department of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neurology of the University Children’s Hospital in Tübingen, where he also received his Ph.D degree. His research interests include neuroimaging and neuroplasticity research in particular in the fields of early brain lesions and epilepsy. Prof. Staudt is author of numerous original papers and book chapters, was awarded for his research by German and international societies, and is an active member of renown scientific and medical societies.
 
Mike Barnes
Honorary Professor of Neurological Rehabilitation Clinical Director, Christchurch Group
Christchurch

Michael P Barnes MD FRCP is an accredited neurologist and rehabilitation physician.  His clinical work has, for the last 30 years, focused entirely on the rehabilitation of people with severe and complex disabilities.  He has a particular interest and expertise in the management of dystonia and spasticity and the use of botulinum toxin.  He was responsible for the development of Walkergate Park, International Centre for Neurorehabilitation and Neuropsychiatry – a brand new, state of the art, nationally and internationally recognisedcentre of excellence for people with neurological problems, particularly following traumatic head injury.  
\
In December 2007, he retired from the National Health Service to concentrate on setting up and running Hunters Moor Residential Ltd (www.huntersmoor.com) – a rehabilitation service provided into client’s homes and in a network of high quality residential rehabilitation centres across the UK. It is now run by Christchurch Group and the Group have 8 neurorehabilitation units across the UK. He is now the Clinical Director of Christchurch. 

He is recognised at a national and international level in the field of neurological rehabilitation.  He was the founder President of the World Federation for NeuroRehabilitation (www.wfnr.co.uk) – a global organisation for professionals with an interest in the field of neurorehabilitation.  He is currently Chairman of the United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum (UKABIF – www.ukabif.org.uk).  He has been President of the British Society of Rehabilitation Medicine.
He has produced over 100 articles for peer review journals and has written or edited 12 books in the field of neurological rehabilitation and has produced many chapters for such books.  He has presented widely on the subject of neurological rehabilitation both nationally and internationally.  He is on the Editorial Board for many journals in the field.  

 
Nazakat Hussain
Clinical Director of Rehabilitation Medicine
American Hospital Dubai

Dr. Hussain did his basic medical training from the University of Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan in 1995.  He completed his Membership of Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh (MRCS), in 2004.  In 2010, he obtained his CCT in Rehabilitation Medicine.

Prior to joining us, Dr. Hussain worked, as a Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK since 2010. Prior to that, he was working as a Specialist Registrar in Rehabilitation Medicine at the same hospital from 2006 to 2010.
 
Nirmal Surya
Consultant Neurologist
Hurkisandas Nurrotamdas Hospital & Research center, Saifee hospital and Smt. Motiben Dalvi hospital

After completing his post graduation in Internal Medicine; he worked at the Bombay hospital Institute of medical science for his D. N. B. in neurology which he obtained in 1989. Currently he is working as Consultant Neurologist at sir Hurkisandas Nurrotamdas Hospital & Research center, Saifee hospital and Smt. Motiben Dalvi hospital. In addition he have recently been appointed as visiting neurologist to Northcot Police Hospital, Nagpada, B Y L Nair Hospital and Topiwala Medical College,Mumbai.
 
Paolo Tonin
Medical Director of Department of Neuorehabilitation
Hospital San Camillo


Doctor Paolo Tonin graduated from University of Padua, Medical School with a medical degree in Neurology in the year 1976. He specialized in Geriatrics from the University of Padua, Medical School in the year 1984. Since January 2000, he is the head of department of Neurorehabilitation, Hospital S. Camillo in the Venice, Italy. Along this period the Department received the quality certification UNI EN ISO 9001-2000 and the National Health Department recognized the Hospital as a national research centre on Neurorehabilitation. Since January 1991, he is the head of unit of cerebrovascular diseases and Neurorehabilitation at the Hospital S. Camillo in Venice Italy. His research activity is dedicated to many fields of neurorehabilitation, particularly focused on neurophysiological mechanisms of recovery after brain injury. He promoted studies on rehabilitation of Parkinson disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury. During the last years his work is dedicated to study the possible role of innovative technologies to enhance the recovery; in this field he carried on some national and international clinical studies on the efficacy and the effectiveness of a program of Telerehabilitation through a software of Virtual Reality
 
Mr. Rashid Buhari
Senior Physiotherapist Head of Physiotherapy Dept,
HealthPoint Hospital
 
Robyn Tate
Professional Research Fellow
University of Sydney


Dr Robyn Tate is Professorial Research Fellow at the Rehabilitation Studies Unit, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Australia. Her background is in clinical and neuropsychology, and she has extensive clinical experience in the rehabilitation of traumatic brain injury. Research interests include methodology of single-case designs, instrument development, evidence-based clinical practice, early recovery and long-term outcome after traumatic brain injury. Professor Tate has published widely, with more than 150 scientific publications and a reference book on outcome measures for people with acquired brain impairment.
 
Ross Zafonte
Senior Vice President Medical Affairs Research and Education
Spaulding Rehabilitation Network


Dr. Ross D Zafonte is Earle P. and Ida S. Charlton Professor and Chairman of Department of Professor and Chairman of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. He also serves as chief of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, as well as Senior Vice President Medical Affairs Research and Education at Spaulding Rehabilitation Network. Dr.Zafonte’s textbook is considered one of the standards in the field of brain injury care. Dr.Zafonte’s work is presently funded by the NIH, DOD and NIDRR, and he is currently directing several large clinical treatment trials. His laboratory work has focused on understanding mechanisms of recovery after Brain and Spinal Cord Injury. Dr. Zafonte also serves on the Board of Governors for the AmericanCongress of Rehabilitation Medicine.

He has published extensively on traumatic brain injuries,spasticity, and other neurological disorders, as well as presented on these topics at conferences nationally and internationally. He i9s the author of more than 300 peer review journal articles, abstracts and book chapters.

In addition, he is on the editorial board of the Journal of Neurotrauma, and NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation. He previously served on the founding editorial board of PMR. In 2006, Dr. Zafonte was selected to receive the Walter Zeiter award and lectureship by the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and in 2008, he was the recipient of the Associoation of Academic Physiatrists Distinguished Academician Award. In 2012, Dr. Zafonte received the William Caveness award for outstanding clinical care and research from the Brain Injury Association of America, and in 2013 he received the Joel DeLisa Prize from the Kessler Foundation. In 2014 Dr. Zafonte will receive the Moody prize for Brain Injury research and Care. 


 
Sabahat Asim Wasti
Conference Chairman - Gulf Area Vice President of WFNR
Cambridge Medical & Rehabilitation Centre
Dr. Wasti joined Cambridge Medical & Rehbilitation Center in 2014 as a Consultant Physician in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. In this capacity he is responsible for the oversight and care of our patients receiving rehabilitative therapies as well as at our partner companies Manzil Health Care Services and ProVita International Medical Center.

Dr Wasti is widely experienced in medical rehabilitation with a special interest in neurorehabilitation. He has vast experience in the management of complications of acquired brain injury such as spasticity, motor impairments, cognitive problems including memory deficits, fatigue and neurogenic pain. Additionally, he brings an impressive track record and experience in establishing acquired brain injury rehabilitation programs to Cambridge Medical & Rehabilitation Center. Dr. Wasti is also focusing on long-term management of complex neurological disability including developmental disability of the childhood. Additional areas of interest include biomechanics, posture, seating and new technologies in rehabilitation.

He has experience in environmental control systems and emerging robotic therapies. He currently serves as Gulf Area Vice President of World Federation of Neurorehabilitation (WFNR) and as Secretary of the Ethics Special Interest Group of the WFNR. He has served as Rehabilitation Representative on the National Guideline Development group for Multiple Sclerosis in the UK and acts as reviewer for international peer publication neurorehabilitation journal. Prior to his current tenure, Dr. Wasti consulted SKMC in Rehabilitation Medicine and spent 9 years of his professional career at Sheffield Teaching Hospital Trust.
Dr. Wasti received his Bachelor’s degree in Medicine from Khyber Medical College Peshawar Pakistan. He did his Postgraduate training in the United Kingdom and Ireland. He became Member of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in 1992. He completed his training in Rehabilitation in the United Kingdom in 1998.
 
Stephanie Clarke
Professor and Head of the Neuropsychology and Neurorehabilitation Clinic
University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Stephanie Clarke is Professor and Head of the Neuropsychology and Neurorehabilitation Clinic at the University Hospital, Lausanne,Switzerland. The Clinic provides neurorehabilitation to in- and outpatients in post-acute and chronic stages of brain lesions, withparticular emphasis to neuropsychological rehabilitation and speech therapy. With her group Stephanie Clarke carries out research projects that combine investigations of cognitive functions and of the functional organization of the human cerebral cortex, with particular interest in the organization and plasticity of the human auditory cortex.
 
Suhail Al Rukn
Neurologist Head, Dubai Chair of the Neurology Society
Rashed Hospital
 
Tamsin Reed
Clinical Development Facilitator
Wellington Hospital

Tamsin Reed has worked on the Acute Neurological Rehabilitation Unit at the Wellington Hospital in London for the past 9 years. She works in a split role as a Specialist Physiotherapist in Neurological Rehabilitation and in Clinical and Research development. She has a special interest in Advanced Assistive Technology and their Clinical application.  

 
Thomas Platz
Medical Director / The Head of the Department of both the Neurorehabilitation Centre and the Spinal Cord Injury Unit
BDH Klinik Greifswald, Germany

Thomas Platz was educated at the medical school in Heidelberg/Mannheim, Germany, and in 1988 at the DUMC, Durham, NC, USA. Dr.med. degree in 1990. He started his residency in neurology in Berlin, Germany, in 1989. In 1995, he received the Feodor-Lynen Fellowship (AvH foundation) and stayed at the Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK. In 1997, he received the Dipl. in epidem. and biostats from the McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, and became Neurologist and Clinical Geriatrist Consultant in Berlin, Germany. In 2002, Habilitation degree in neurorehabilitation at the Charite Berlin, Germany. In 2006, he became the Head of the Department of Neurohabilitation at the BDH Klinik Greifswald, Germany. Since 2009, he has been acting as a Medical Director of that hospital and the Head of the Department of both the Neurorehabilitation Centre there and the Spinal Cord Injury Unit, and received a personal professorship for neurorehabilitation at the Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University
 
Volker Hoemberg
Secretary General
European Federation of Neurorehabilitation Societies


Professor Dr. Volker Hoemberg attended Medical School at Universities of Düsseldorf and Freiburg; Electives in Neurology at Boston
City Hospital, Boston, Mass.; National Hospital for Nervous Diseases, London. From 1975 to 1980, he was a Junior researcher in
the Department of Neuropsychology at the C. & O. Vogt Institute for Brain Research, Düsseldorf and the Department of Neurology,
Freiburg (Prof. R. Jung). He is a Board examiner for Neurology at the local examination board (ÄrztekammerNordrhein). Currently is
the Head of the Neurology Department at SRH Health Center, Bad Wimpfen. He is also the Secretary General European Federation
of Neurorehabilitation Societies.
 
Waleed Jasim
Consultant Intensivist
Sheikh Khalifa Medical City
 
Yousif Al Nuaimi
Chair of Organizing Committee - Chair of Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Zayed Military Hospital


Dr. Alnuaimi is currently the Chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Zayed Military Hospital (ZMH), the largest military hospital in UAE. He received his MBBS degree from the faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at UAE University in Alain city, UAE in 1997. He completed his internship in Tawam Hospital, Alain in July 1998. He joined the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency programme in Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada and graduated in 2008. His main interests are in managing painful conditions in Spine and Musculo-Skeletal systems.

Dr. Alnuaimi is actively involved in improving the awareness of medical rehabilitation in UAE and has been of the organizing committees of the 5th and 6th  Middle East Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Conferences in Oct 2012 and Oct 2013 which were held as part of Abu Dhabi Medical Congress. 

 
Zeinab Alloub
MBBcH, MSc (paediatrics),MRCP,FRCPCH,MSc( Child Development and Health).
DHA

MBBcH, MSc (paediatrics),MRCP,FRCPCH,MSc( Child Development and Health). Dr. Alloub graduated from Ain Shams University, Cairo Egypt. Dr. Alloub completed pediatric postgraduate training and specialization in the UK. Dr. Alloub held various jobs within UK to Consultant level at 2000. She is a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Fellow of the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child health. Dr. Alloub received Master in Child Development and Disability -University College London 2002. Dr. Alloub has a special interest in autism spectrum disorders. She also has experience in setting up Multidisciplinary teams for assessment and management of children with neurodevelopmental disorders .Granted East Sussex initiative award year 2000 for setting such team. Dr.Alloub is forensically trained and has worked closely in partnership with social services and police department in the assessment and management of children who have been subjected to sexual,physical, emotional abuse and neglect . In her last job in UK before moving to UAE she was the Designated Doctor for Looked after Children. Dr. Alloub joined SKMC in December 2010-Head of Neuroscience Division.