Dr. Ahmad Abulaban obtained his Bachelor's Degree in Medicine and Surgery from King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He completed his residency training in Adult Neurology in 2015 at King Abdulaziz Medical City-National Guard-Riyadh. He obtained Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Fellowship and Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship in 2019/2020 from Yale University, USA. Dr. Abulaban is duly certified by the American Board of Clinical Neurophysiology. He was appointed as an Assistant Professor at the College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2020. He was appointed as a Consultant Neurologist at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He is currently the Residency Training Program Director of Adult Neurology and the Neurosciences and Vision Block Coordinator for Undergraduate Students. Also, Dr. Abulaban has been serving as the Research Officer of the Saudi Multiple Sclerosis Chapter since 2020. He has multiple publications in the field of Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology. He received numerous research awards.
Dr. Ahmed Osman Shatila obtained his BSc in Biology from the Wayne State University in the United States. He continued his medical education from the Medical College of Wayne State University from where he also conducted his residency in neurology and his fellowship in neurophysiology from. Dr. Shatila’s interests include inpatient neurology including, but not limited to Stroke, IV TPA program development, status epilepticus. He is also interested in helping facilities to develop a Neuro Hospitalist model where the inpatient care can develop independently from the outpatient services. This includes a combination of patients, resident and nursing education, inpatient consulting services and inpatient neurology services.
Aksel Siva, MD, is Emeritus Professor of Neurology at Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa School of Medicine, where he completed his medical education and residency. He was the past-chairman the Neurology Department and led the Clinical Neuroimmunology Unit & MS Clinic where currently he continues his research and clinical activities on MS and related disorders and Neuro-Behcet Disease.
He served three consecutive terms as President of the Turkish Neurological Society (2003–2009) and is a founding member of the Turkish MS Society. He was an executive committee member of ECTRIMS (2003–2006), The European Neurological Society (2009 – 2014), member of the European Academy of Neurology scientific program committee (2014 – 2018) and of the Education Executive Committee of The World Federation of Neurology (2002 – 2010).
Professor Siva is a founding member of the Radiologically Isolated Syndrome Consortium-RISC and serves on its core group. He is an active member of the Turkish MS Study Group, EAN, AAN, ANA, and The Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation-ICC.
His contributions have been recognized with several national and international awards, including the Dr. Türkan Saylan Medical Science Award of the Istanbul Medical Chamber (2021), the Science and Service Award of the Turkish Neurological Society (2024), the Ted Munsat Education Award of the World Federation of Neurology (2025), and the “Balo Prize” of the Hungarian Neuroimmunology Society (2025).
Alexey Boyko gained his MD and PhD from the Russian State Medical University, Moscow and has been Professor of the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery at this university since 1997. He was the Chief Neurologist of the Department of Health Care of the Government of Moscow in 2001-2015, Director of the Moscow Multiple Sclerosis Center in 2004-2014 and Director of the MS Clinical and Research Center of Neuroclinic (Ysupov Hospital) since 2015. He was elected as a Honourable Professor of Kazan and Yaroslavl State Medical Universities. Professor Boyko has been a member of the "Oslo International Think-tank on Multiple Sclerosis Epidemiology, Analytical Approaches to Study of the Aetiology" at the Center for Advanced Studies of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters in 1994-1995, and worked at UBC MS Center in 1998 (Vancouver, Canada). He is also a member of the Presidium of the All-Russian Society of Neurologists, Co-ordinator of the Medical Consulting Boards of Moscow and All-Russian MS Societies, President of RUCTRIMS, member of ECTRIMS Council. Professor Boyko has published 14 books, 12 chapters in books and more than 750 original publications and is a co-editor of three medical journals. The main interest is epidemiology and genetic of MS, immunopathogenesis, clinical trials in MS, he is a member of several Advisory Boards of ongoing and finished clinical trials.
Prof. Bassem I. Yamout is currently Professor of Neurology at the American University of Beirut Medical Center and director of the Neurology Institute at Harley Street Medical Center in Abu Dhabi. He graduated from medical school at AUB in 1984, received his training in neurology at the University of Cincinnati-Ohio in the USA, and followed by a fellowship at the Montreal Neurological Institute-McGill University in Canada. He received his American Board in Neurology and joined the faculty at the American University of Beirut in 1988. He is currently head of clinical research at the Multiple Sclerosis Center, president of MENACTRIMS (Middle East North Africa Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis), member of the MSIF (Multiple Sclerosis International Federation) Scientific Advisory Board, and fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. Prof. Yamout is one of the leading experts on multiple sclerosis in the Middle East with recent research on epidemiology of the disease in the region, quality of life of patients in the Middle East. In addition, he is currently the principal investigator on several ongoing international multiple sclerosis research trials. Prof. Yamout has authored many research and review papers and is currently Chief Editor of the MS newsletter “MS today”, and on the editorial board of “Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders”, “Journal of Multiple Sclerosis” and “Pediatric Neurology”.
Dr. Beatriz Canibano was born in Madrid (Spain) and is a graduate of Cadiz University. She obtained her medical degree at the Faculty of Medicine in Cadiz University in Spain. Her residency was at “Puerta del Mar” University Hospital in Cadiz. She has a Master’s Degree in Neuroimmunology from Barcelona’s University. Dr. Beatriz has more than 10 years’ experience in multiple sclerosis, with special interest in pregnancy and cognitive impairment. She is a reviewer in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders journal and has published various peer-reviewed articles. Since 2016, she is a member of the MS Unit at Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
Bruno Stankoff, MD, PhD, is a neurologist, professor of neurology in Sorbonne-Université, Paris, expert in multiple sclerosis care and research since 20 years. He is leading the MS clinics of Saint Antoine Hospital, belonging to Sorbonne Universités, APHP (Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris), and colead the research team entitled « Repair in Multiple Sclerosis: from basic science to clinical translation”, at the Brain and Spinal Cord Institute (ICM, INSERM UMR_1127/CNRS 7225). He is also co-leading the work package “Multiple Sclerosis” of the ICM/IHU of translational Neuroscience. His main expertise domains are, the search for pharmacological strategies for remyelination, and the development of translational imaging techniques for the assessment of tissue injury and repair in MS, with a specific interest in molecular imaging. He has recently initiated several programs aimed at imaging by PET remyelination, neurodegeneration and innate immune cells mediated inflammation in MS. His has peerreviewed more than 100 international articles (prestigious journal such as Nature Reviews, Science Translational Medicine, Brain, Annals of Neurology, J Neurosci…), and published more than 100 peerreviewed international articles. He is member of several international and national representative structures: ECTRIMS Council and executive committee, MAGNIMS European imaging network, OFSEP steering committee, foundation ARSEP medico-scientific committee, French MS Society (SFSEP), Brain Research Foundation (FRC).
Prof. Celia Oreja-Guevara is Vice Chair of Neurology at the University Hospital San Carlos and Professor of Neurology at the University Complutense, Madrid, Spain. After gaining her medical degree from the University of Madrid, Prof. Oreja Guevara completed her PhD thesis in Neuroimmunology at the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Munich, Germany. Prof. Oreja Guevara then completed a residency in the Department of Neurology at the University of Bochum, Germany, followed by a one-year fellowship in neuroimaging at the University Hospital San Raffaele, Milan, Italy. Since then, Prof. Oreja Guevara has held several posts, including: Senior Neurologist at the University of Dusseldorf, Germany, Head of Neurology, Hospital de Fuenlabrada and Chair of the Multiple Sclerosis Center, University Hospital La Paz, both in Madrid, Spain.Prof. Oreja Guevara’s main areas of research interest are clinical and neuroimaging correlations in MS, family planning, the use of optical coherence tomography symptomatic therapy, neuromyelitis optica (NMO), and the evaluation of new drugs for the treatment of MS and NMO. She is Co-Chair of the Multiple Sclerosis Panel of the European Academy of Neurology and also a member of the Education Committee of the EAN and serves as an expert for the Scientific Advisory Group on Neurology of the European Medicines Agency. In addition, Prof. Oreja Guevara has held leadership positions in a number of national organisations and academic societies, including the Demyelinating Diseases Group and the Neuroimaging Group of the Spanish Neurological Society. She has participated as a principal investigator in several MS and NMO clinical trials.
Dr. Christine Lebrun-Frenay, MD PhD, FAAN, is a Neurologist and Oncologist. She is head in inflammatory neurological disorders clinical research unit and MS center in the university Nice (South East of France) hospital. She is a member of the French Neurological Society, French MS Society (SFSEP), in which she was president and of European and American academies of Neurology. In 2008, she described the first cohort of a subclinical form of MS and subsequently co-founded with American, European, and Turkish colleagues the RIS Consortium which expanded worldwide to collect a unique extensive patients cohort. Her particular research interest includes therapeutical and MRI studies in MS with a specific implication in the description of Radiologically Isolated Syndrome (RIS). Dr. Christine Lebrun-Frenay is the co editor of recommendations in MS for the French MS Society (vaccines, infections and DMTs). She is participating in numerous clinical trials and research studies with international publications in neuroinflammatory diseases. She is a member of several editorial boards of scientific journals, scientific boards and involved in medical evaluations for MS patients' associations. Dr. Christine Lebrun-Frenay has been nominated in 2018 for the executive committee of the ECTRIMS, the French Association for MS research (ARSEP) and in 2020 the excellence price of the Cote d'Azur University and president of the French MS observatory scientific committee (OFSEP).
Dean M. Wingerchuk, M.D., is a neurologist and clinical epidemiologist with specialty expertise in neuroimmunology. He is the director of the Mayo Clinic Division of Multiple Sclerosis and Autoimmune Neurology.
His clinical focus includes:
Multiple sclerosis
Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMO/NMOSD; Devic's disease)
Transverse myelitis
Optic neuritis
Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
Myelopathies (spinal cord syndromes)
Other CNS inflammatory diseases
Dr. Wingerchuk is the principal investigator for several research trials of treatments of both neuromyelitis optica and multiple sclerosis, and he studies diagnosis, symptoms and outcomes of these diseases. Dr. Wingerchuk is also active in medical student and resident education and is the director of the Mayo Clinic Arizona Evidence-Based Research, Training, and Informatics (MERIT) Center, which focuses on teaching and application of evidence-based medicine principles to neurological clinical practice and research.
Dr. Shosha is an MS/NMO and autoimmune neurologist at KFSHRC, Riyadh, and Hamilton Health Science Centre, Canada. He is an associate professor of Neurology at McMaster University. He had national and international training, at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Mayo Clinic, Minnesota, USA, Western University, Ontario, and the University of British Columbia, Canada. He is a member of clinical consortium of international panel of diagnostic criteria of NMOSD 2025, and a member of Canadian treatment optimization group 2025. He has several publications in the field of MS and neuroimmunology and serves as an editor/reviewer for several journals.
Professor Hans-Peter Hartung is Professor of Neurology at Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Honorary Professor at the Brain and Mind Center, University of Sydney and Permanent Visiting Professor at Palacky University in Olomouc. He was chairman of neurology at the University of Graz and Heinrich-Heine-University of Düsseldorf.
He was formerly president of ECTRIMS. He currently is Co-President of the European Charcot Foundation.
He is a fellow of the American, European Academy of Neurology, and the American Neurological Association; Honorary member of ECTRIMS, the French, Polish and Russian Neurological Society.
His clinical and research interests are the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of immunological disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system, in particular MS. NMOSD, GBS, CIDP. He has been SC and DMC member of numerous phase 2 and 3 trials in these indications.
He published more than 1200 pubmed listed papers and has served on multiple editorial boards of neurological journals incl Nat Rev Neurol, Ann Neurol, JNNP, JPNS, MuscleNerve, MSJ, MSInternational, serves as chief section editor at MSARD, Frontiers Neurology/Neuroimmunology, Vaccines amongst others. He has been a highly cited researcher by Clarivate 2018-2023.
Heinz Wiendl studied medicine in Germany, Switzerland, and the USA, graduating in 1996.
After working as a research fellow at the Institute of Neuroanatomy, Nuremberg, and the
Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology and the Department of Neurology, Tuebingen, he
became head of the clinical research group for multiple sclerosis (MS) in Wuerzburg in 2005
and acted as a vice-chair of the Department of Neurology. In 2010, he was recruited to the
University Hospital Muenster as director of the Department of Neurology – Inflammatory
Disorders of the Nervous System and Neurooncology. From May 2013 until September 2024,
Prof. Wiendl served as head of the Department of Neurology, Muenster – to which the
Institute of Translational Neurology has been associated since 2018. Prof. Wiendl is head of
the Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology in Freiburg since October 2024. His
research focuses on inflammatory neurodegeneration and immune regulation and protection
as well as monitoring MS and its therapy. His achievements have been recognized by both
Sobek awards of the German Society for MS (DMSG) (2004; 2015).
Heinz Wiendl is a member of numerous scientific and academic advisory boards and expert
panels, including editorial boards of international scientific journals in the fields of neurology,
neurosciences, and immunology, as well as for societies, foundations, and project promoters.
He is speaker of the disease-related competence network Multiple Sclerosis (KKNMS) and the
founder and principal investigator of the "Body and Brain Institute" Muenster, a prestigious
research building funded by the German Federal Ministry.
Dr. Jaber Al Khaboori is a Senior consultant neurologist in Khoula Hospital, Muscat, Oman. He graduated from Sultan Qaboos University Hospital Medical School in 1994. He was a distinguished student as he got The Dean award of achievement. His medical training was in royal hospital and got the Award of Oman medical specialty board for the best resident. He passed his MRCP Diploma in 1997 from Glasgow. He neurology training was in London from 1998 to 2003 as a specialist visiting registrar. His main interest is multiple sclerosis and vascular pathology. His research involved in oral treatment for multiple sclerosis and Cannabis use in MS. He has published few papers including MS in Oman. He is running the MS clinic.
Prof. Jihad Inshasi is a Consultant Neurologist at Rashid Hospital, Dubai Health Authority (DHA), and a Professor of Neurology at Dubai Medical College (DMC/DHA). He developed and currently directs the Multiple Sclerosis and the Dystonia Clinics at Rashid Hospital/DHA. Prof. Inshasi is the Head of the Scientific Committee and a Founding and Board Member of the Emirates Neurology Society (EMINS/EMA). With the EMINS Board Members, he has organized numerous neurology meetings, particularly in the field of multiple sclerosis. He is founding and executive board member of the MENACTRIMS. He is also a Founding Member, and ex-President of the Emirates League against Epilepsy (ILAE). He is a member of the medical advisory committee of the recently established National MS Society (NMSS). Prof. Inshasi has authored and co-authored many scientific papers published in peer-reviewed journals. He has participated as principle and leading investigator in phase 2, 3 & 4 drug trials and has conducted an array of research projects in the field of multiple sclerosis. Prof. Inshasi is a member of several local, regional and international associations, societies and advisory boards committees. He is a member and Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology (FAAN) and a member and Fellow of the European Academy of neurology (FEAN)
Dr. Jiwon Oh is a staff neurologist, scientist, and Medical Director of the Barlo Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Program at St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto and specializes in the care of people living with MS. Dr. Oh’s research focuses on developing advanced MRI techniques in the spinal cord and brain for use in clinical settings. She leads the MRI research program at St. Michael’s Hospital, and is the principal investigator on numerous local and multi-center collaborative studies, including the Canadian Prospective Cohort Study to Understand Progression in MS (CanProCo), which is a national prospective cohort study designed to better understand progression in MS. Dr. Oh is also the Secretary and an Executive Committee member of the North American Imaging in MS Cooperative (NAIMS) representing a multi-national collaborative MRI research endeavor in MS with over 35 sites in North America. She is deeply committed to caring for people with MS, educating future generations of clinicians and scientists, and contributing to scientific developments that will drive the field forward.
Joelle Massouh is currently the Clinical Manager of the Neurology Institute and the MS Center at Harley Street Medical Center, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Previously, she was the Nurse in Charge at the AUBMC MS Center in Beirut, Lebanon for more than 10 years.
She is the first nurse and healthcare professional in the Middle East to be double certified as a Multiple Sclerosis Certified Nurse and a Multiple Sclerosis Certified Specialist. She is a member of the International Organization of Multiple Sclerosis Nurses (IOMSN) and a board member representing the Middle East on the Multiple Sclerosis Nurses International Certification Board (MSNICB), which was established to develop criteria for certification and recertification and administer the certification examination for MS Nurses.
Ms. Massouh is also the Nursing Program Coordinator of the Middle East North Africa Committee for Treatment and Research in MS (MENACTRIMS), responsible for organizing the nursing session annually at the MENACTRIMS congress, with a mission of advancing the specialty of MS nursing in the MENA region.
In 2019, she was awarded the Inaugural International MS nursing leadership award by IOMSN at the annual Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) congress in USA, an award given for the first time.
She has led many multidisciplinary and nursing Continuing Medical Education programs in Lebanon and the region and has supported nurses and healthcare providers (including physicians and pharmacists) to attain international certification in MS.
She also lectures about MS to graduate students, patients, and the community. She has participated in writing articles and book chapters on MS and MS nurses. Her research interests include studying resilience in people living with MS.
Kathleen Costello is the Interim CEO of the Consortium of MS Centers and the International Organization of MS Nurses—leading organizations dedicated to advancing comprehensive MS care, professional education, and the dissemination of critical information to healthcare providers and individuals affected by MS and other neuroinflammatory conditions. She is the current President of the MS Coalition, a group of eleven advocacy organizations that work on behalf of people with MS, care partners, and MS healthcare providers. Ms. Costello is also adjunct faculty in the Department of Neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Concept and Strategy Development Lead for Can Do Multiple Sclerosis. Ms. Costello has lectured and published extensively on MS care. Her previous professional career includes key roles in workforce development and education for the National MS Society, clinical care at the Johns Hopkins and The University of Maryland MS Centers. She is a past president of the International Organization of MS Nurses and chaired the MS Specialist Certification Committee for the Consortium of MS Centers. She was a contributor to the MSIF’s successful efforts to include MS medications on the World Health Organization’s essential medicines list. Ms. Costello earned both her BSN and MS degrees from the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She is a board-certified Adult Nurse Practitioner and an MS Certified Nurse. She was honored as a Giant in MS by the Consortium of MS Centers in 2023.
Professor Kerstin Hellwig is a senior consultant and MS specialist in the Department of Neurology, St. Josef Hospital / Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany. Professor Hellwig holds a postdoctoral lecture qualification in “Special therapeutic aspects in patients with multiple sclerosis”. At the department of preventive medicine at USC Los Angeles and under the mentorship of Dr. Annette Langer Gould at the research department of Kaiser Permanente Southern California, she was trained in epidemiology. Professor Hellwig’s research interests lie in the field of MS and family planning. Since 2006 she established and maintained a nationwide MS and pregnancy registry in Germany with more than 2000 prospectively collected pregnancies of women with MS.
Grown up in Athens, Greece, Ludwig Kappos obtained his M.D. and a Masters Diploma in Clinical Psychology from the University of Würzburg, Germany. He completed his specialization in Neurology at the Department of Neurology of the University of Würzburg were he also obtained the venia legend in Neurology and led from 1985-1989 the Clinical Division of the interdisciplinary Research Group for MS of the Max Planck Society. In 1990 he was elected Head of the Outpatient Clinic and deputy chief of Neurology at the University Hospital in Basel, from 2008 to 2020 he served as Chief Physician and Chair of Neurology at the University of Basel, Switzerland. Since 2019 he is CEO of the Research Center for Clinical Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience Basel (RC2NB). In 2023 he was also engaged as Senior Consultant for Neuroimmunology at the University Hospital Zurich.
Ludwig Kappos has served and serves as lead investigator or steering committee member of the pivotal phase 2 and 3 studies for most currently approved MS-treatments and of several currently ongoing clinical trials with novel agents. His research interests include methodology of clinical trials, standardisation of clinical assessments, development of digital, Imaging and body fluid derived biomarkers to elucidate the pathogenesis, define prognosis and monitor therapy in neuroimmunological diseases.
Ludwig Kappos was awarded with several prizes, honorary doctorates and honorary memberships in scientific societies for his scientific contributions. He has published more than 850 peer reviewed original papers, reviews and book chapters.
Born in Cairo 1956, attended the English School of Cairo (ESC) till graduation 1974. Ain-Shams university medical school till 1980 graduation (grade Very Good with Honours). Resident at the Neuropsychiatric department of Ain-Shams university till 1985 when received Master’s degree (grade Excellent) in Neuropsychiatry. Associate lecturer of Neurology till 1989 received MD degree in Neurology. Lecturer of neurology till 1994, Associate professor till 1999. Full professor since then. Head of the Neuropsychiatric department of Ain-Shams university from 2015-2017. President of the Egyptian MS ( Multiple Sclerosis ) society since 2017. Member of the board of MSCare Society. Member of the MENACTRIMS board. Egypt’ Brain Health champion (Brain Health organization). Member of the International Medical and Scientific Board (IMSB) of the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF). Member of the International Working Group for the Access of medication (IWGA) 0f the MSIF. Member of the board of trustees of the MSIF. Member of the ParadigMS board. Member of the Multiple Sclerosis Data Alliance (MSDA) advisory group and one of the MSDA champions of data collection in 2022. Member of the PROMS task force. Member of the editorial board of Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders (MSARD) journal. Principal investigator of several phase III international MS drug trials. Member of the MSBase Registry (with Egypt ranking number 8 among 42 countries in the patient enrolment by country). Former member of the Angel’s global steering committee (Stroke).
National coordinator of the RES-Q (Stroke). President of the Egyptian MS higher committee of the National Insurance. Former president of the Egyptian ministry of health MS higher committee. Former president of the Egyptian National Stroke committee. One of the founders of the National Egyptian MS registry. Publications in several International journal, e.g., Lancet Neurology, MSJ, MSARD…
Leading role in the imbursement by the Egyptian government of the following MS medication: Interferons, Teriflunomide, Dimethyl Fumarate, Fingolimod, Ponesimod, Ocrelizumab, Natalizumab, Cladribine, Siponimod.
Leading role in the imbursement by the Egyptian government of TPA and Thrombectomy for acute Stroke management.
Dr. Marcello Moccia is Associate Professor at the University of Naples, Italy, and Consultant Neurologist at the Policlinico University Hospital of Naples, Italy. Dr. Moccia received his medical degree (MD) from University of Naples in 2010 and completed there his training in Neurology (2016) and PhD in Neuroscience (2019). He has further trained at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (London, UK), and has been awarded MD(Res) degree at UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology (London, UK) (2020). His clinical and research interests are in the field of multiple sclerosis, including immunology, neuroimaging, epidemiology and translational applications. Dr. Moccia has authored over 200 peer-reviewed and indexed articles. He is Editorial Board Member of Neurology and Multiple Sclerosis Journal.
Dr. Maurice Dahdaleh graduated from Westminster Medical School (Imperial College), London University and did his training in Internal Medicine and Neurology in the United Kingdom. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London. He worked in Jordan at the Jordan University Hospital and Medical School as part-time Lecturer and Consultant Neurologist. He developed several interests in Clinical Neurology mainly Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebrovascular disease and Movement Disorders. He is member of many local, regional and international neurological societies and past Chair of Scientific Committee and President of the Jordanian Neuroscience Society. In 1994 he introduced beta-interferon 1a for the first time in Jordan on a patient named basis for the treatment of patients with multiple sclerosis. In addition he pioneered the introduction of botulinum toxin in the treatment of focal dystonia and spasticity in the early 1990 and thrombolytic therapy in the management of acute stroke in 1996. From 1998 he worked in the United Kingdom as honorary Consultant Neurologist at St. Mary’s Hospital, London. He returned to Amman Jordan in 2008 as Consultant Neurologist mainly in the Private sector with affiliation to Khalidi Hospital Medical Center and the Arab Medical Center. He is a member of many regional advisory boards on multiple sclerosis, co-authored several papers on multiple sclerosis and is a founding member of MENACTRIMS.
Dr. Maya Zeineddine is a Lebanese Senior Clinical/Ambulatory Care Pharmacist specialized in neurology and multiple sclerosis. Dr. Zeineddine, winner of the "Best Clinician" and "Positive Attitude" awards, completed several internships at major hospital and community pharmacies in Lebanon and the US and graduated from LAU with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree with distinction in June 2011. In August 2015, Dr. Zeineddine successfully passed the Multiple Sclerosis Specialization examination and became the first and only Multiple Sclerosis Certified Pharmacist in Lebanon and the Middle East. From September 2011 to August 2020, Dr. Zeineddine worked as the ambulatory care pharmacist of the Multiple Sclerosis Center of the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). In December 2015, Dr. Zeineddine was appointed as Executive Secretary of the Middle East North Africa Committee for Research and Treatment in Multiple Sclerosis (MENACTRIMS). Dr. Zeineddine is an active researcher and a public speaker. Dr. Zeineddine has multiple publications, is involved in several international clinical trials in the field of neurology and multiple sclerosis, and is a member of several national and international professional organizations. From 2015 until 2022, Dr. Zeineddine was also the fund coordinator at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society of Lebanon (MSSL). Dr. Zeineddine is currently the leader of the Neuropsychiatry Listserv at IVPN-Network and is a PhD candidate in "Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases" at the Tropical Institute of Neurology at Limoges University, Limoges, France. In May 2023, Dr. Zeineddine was invited by the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation to join their International Medical and Scientific Board, representing the Middle East and North Africa region in the aim of improving the quality of life of people affected by multiple sclerosis.
Prof. Mohammad Ali Sahraian is currently a professor of clinical neurology and the director of the MS Research Center at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, as well as the vice-chancellor for the Iranian MS Society. Prof. Sahraian undertook his board of neurology and fellowship in medical education from Tehran University of Medical Sciences (2002) and then received training in Multiple Sclerosis at the University Hospital Basel (Switzerland). Prof. Sahraian has served as an investigator on several clinical trials and other research aspects of Multiple Sclerosis and Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders (NMOSD). Prof. Sahraian has published more than 400 articles in peer-reviewed journals and presented abstracts on MS and NMOSD at international meetings. Prof. Sahraian has been invited to deliver several lectures on clinical and radiological aspects of demyelinating disorders at different international meetings. Prof. Sahraian has published the MRI Atlas of Lesions in Multiple Sclerosis and has authored the "Multiple Sclerosis" chapter in the Encyclopedia of Diagnostic Imaging. Prof. Sahraian is also one of the authors of the MRI Training CD-ROM, which was translated into four languages.
Dr. Al Jummah is professor of Neurology and obtained his MBBS from King Faisal University while he did his Neurology training and two fellowships at the University of Alberta, Canada. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada (FRCPC) obtained in November, 1995 and American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in November, 1997. Mohammed Al Jumah is an experienced health care leader with wide range of knowledge in the national and regional health care priorities and challenges. As a founding member of the King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Dr. Al Jumah was able to successfully lead the establishment of KAIMRC as a model to serve the national and regional health care needs and challenges through translational research. Dr. Al Jumah has served as a chair or a member of many of the national and institutional committees. He has represented the National Guard Health Care in the National Health Dialog, where the members meet the health care stakeholder across the country. He is also the founding member of the National Committee of Biomedical Ethics. Dr. Al Jumah has provided consultancies services to multiple national agencies and international pharmaceutical industry. As a health care provider, academician and researcher he has broad base of national and international network that has enable him to have an extensive experience in the regional needs challenges and opportunities in health care industries.
Prof. Nikolaos Grigoriadis graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He did his PhD thesis and residency in Neurology in the same institution. He has been specialized in clinical and experimental Neuroimmunology and CNS immunopathology in a number of research centers and institutions abroad. He is now Professor of Neurology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Head of the of the B’ Dept of Neurology, AHEPA University Hospital, the MS Centre (www.ms-center.gr) and the Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology (www.neuroimmunology.gr). He is also Affiliated Researcher at the Institute of Applied Bioscience, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH, www.certh.gr ). Professor Grigoriadis is member of various international scientific committees such as the European School of Neuroimmunology, ParadigMS, the subcommittee of ENS for Multiple Sclerosis, the ECTRIMS committee, Co-founder and General Secretary of the Hellenic Academy of Neuroimmunology (www.helani.gr). He is Ex-President and nowadays General Secretary of the Hellenic Neurological Society. He is Ad Hoc reviewer in more than 40 international scientific journals, co-ordinator in more than 50 multicenter clinical trials for MS and principal investigator in collaborative research projects for experimental cell therapies in CNS autoimmune demyelination. His field of interests are: Neuroimmunology; Multiple sclerosis; MG; GBS; experimental models of autoimmune diseases (EAE etc); neurodegeneration; immunomodulation; cell therapies. He has published more than 300 papers in peer reviewed journals (Hirsh Factor:50, Citation Index:10669). He has been awarded several times for his scientific work.
Øivind Torkildsen, MD, PhD, FEAN, is Professor of Neurology and Head of the Section for Neurology and the MS Research Group at the University of Bergen, Norway, as well as a consultant neurologist at Haukeland University Hospital. His research focuses on the pathogenesis and treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), with particular interest in translational and biomarker-driven clinical trials. He currently coordinates the Epstein-Barr Virus and Multiple Sclerosis (EBV-MS) study, a major EU Horizon-funded initiative involving over 15 international research centers. This multidisciplinary project seeks to understand why only a subset of individuals infected with EBV go on to develop MS, and to identify disease-driving mechanisms that may be targeted with antiviral therapies. Prof. Torkildsen has led or contributed to numerous investigator-initiated clinical studies and has played a central role in shaping long-term strategies for MS care and trial design in Norway and Europe. He is also actively involved in mentoring young researchers and advancing collaborative neuroscience across borders.
Prof. Patrick Vermersch is a distinguished neurologist who completed his medical studies at Lille University Hospital in France, specializing in neurology. He further pursued his training in basic research, focusing on cellular biology, and obtained a PhD that explored biochemical abnormalities associated with Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. His early research also included work on the post-transcriptional anomalies of tau proteins before his interests shifted to multiple sclerosis (MS). Currently, Prof. Vermersch heads a department of Neurology at the University of Lille, focusing on MS and other neuroinflammatory diseases, with an emphasis on neuroimmunology and disease evolution markers. He is also the Vice-President of Research in Life and Health Sciences at the University of Lille. In 2000, Prof. Vermersch co-founded the first MS network in northern France to enhance MS care and research. His research now concentrates on prognostic markers in MS and neuroimmunology. He has been involved in numerous treatment protocols for MS and has authored or co-authored approximately 380 scientific papers, with an H-index of 54 (Web of Science).
Piet Eelen is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in MS at the National Multiple Sclerosis Center, Melsbroek, Belgium. He holds post-bachelor’s degrees in Nursing Management, Continence Nursing, and Rehabilitation Nursing. His clinical expertise focuses on rehabilitation nursing, DMT’s, continence management, & lifestyle in MS.
Piet is actively involved in professional education, leading training and development programs for nursing staff within his hospital and organizing national educational meetings for MS and neurology nurses.
He collaborates with national and international healthcare associations, serves as an invited speaker, participates in advisory boards, and contributes to research projects in MS.
His published work focusses on management of bladder & bowel, energy, telemedicine, and DMT-related side effects.
Since 2012, Piet has chaired the Belgian Association of MS Nurses. Internationally, he served as a board member of RIMS until 2023 and chaired its SIG on Bladder and Bowel Disorders.
He is an active contributor to EAUN, ICS, EANN, ECTRIMS, MENACTRIMS, and CMSC.
Since 2020, he has chaired the MS Nurse PRO Scientific Committee of EMSP, and in 2024 he became a board member of the Belgian Study Group of MS Neurologists.
Dr. Raed Alroughani is a consultant neurologist and the director of MS clinic at Amiri and Ibn Sina hospitals. He completed his neurology residency at the University of British Columbia and subsequently obtained the neurology certification from the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeon (Canada). He completed a fellowship in Multiple Sclerosis at the University of British Columbia. He is actively involved in research and he authored and co-authored more than 200 publications. Dr Alroughani was awarded the National Prize for scientific production in the field of medical science in 2017 and the best researcher award by Amiri Hospital in 2018. He is a founding member and the secretary general of MENACTRIMS. He sits on the executive boards of various scientific associations, steering committees and advisory boards, mainly in the field of MS.
Prof. Riadh GOUIDER is head of Neurology Department since 2002, Alzheimer Center since 2010 and Multiple Sclerosis Center since 2018 at Razi University Hospital, Tunis-Tunisia. He has also served as the honorary President of the Pan Arab Union of Neurological Societies (PAUNS) since 2013 and as a founding and honorary member of the African Academy of Neurology (AFAN) since 2015. Prof. Gouider is a founding member of MENACTRIMS since 2013 and he is Vice President since 2014. He is a member of the Scientific Council of the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF) since 2013, the representative of ATSEP on the MSIF Medical-Scientific Council since 2022 and a member of the MSBase Scientific Leadership Group (SLG) (MSBase Foundation) since 2022. Prof. Gouider is Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology since 2018 and Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology since 2019. Additionally, he is a corresponding foreign member of the French National Academy of Medicine since 2022, an expert for the WHO on dementia since 2020 and an expert for UNESCO on the Ethics of Neurotechnology since 2024. Prof. Gouider was elected Fist Vice-President of the World Federation of Neurology on October 2025. He is also a co-chair of the Education Committee of the World Federation of Neurology since 2022.
Prof. Saeed Bohlega obtains his basic medical training at King Saud University and graduated in 1980. Then in 1982, he went to Canada where he did his training in Neurology at University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC. He trained with Professor Don Paty. He develops specialist interest in Multiple Sclerosis and he did subspecialty training in Neurophysiology. In 1989, he joined as a Consultant Neurologist in the Department of Neurosciences at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre and worked as a Consultant and then as a Senior Consultant and appointed as Professor of Neurology at Al Faisal University. Prof. Bohlega is a member of many prestigious neurological societies like the American Neurological Association and the British Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. He worked as a Section Head of Neurology then as a Chairman of Department of Neurosciences. Also, he is a founder and a chairperson of the National Saudi Board of Neurology for ten years. He is the chairman of Saudi Multiple Sclerosis Advisory Group. Also, Prof. Bohlega is the President of the Saudi Neurology Society and the President Elect for the PAN Arab Union of Neurological Societies (PANUS).
Professor in neurology department, faculty of medicine, Al-Minia University, Egypt. Currently, she is Consultant in Neurology at Ibn Sina Hospital Kuwait and Multiple Sclerosis Certified Specialist. Dr. Samar is Membership at American Academy of Neurology and Member of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN). She Received her degree in medicine (MD) from Minia University, Egypt. She underwent her neurology residency at the same University. She run general neurology clinics and attends specialized MS clinic. She also performs consults on inpatients neurology department and aids management stroke patients for IV-TPA. She is involved in the education and training for medical students and neurology residents. She is member of Residency Examination Committee of Neurology, Kuwait. Dr Samar’s fields of interest are principally directed towards the neuroepidemiology, multiple sclerosis and headache. Dr. Samar is actively involved in research and she authored and co-authored many publications and presentations in peer review journal and congresses. She is involved as co-investigator in many research projects and drug trials. She is member in many local and regional advisory boards committees.
Prof. Samia J. Khoury is the Director of the Abu Haidar Neuroscience Institute, and the Director of the new AUBMC Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Center at AUBMC in Beirut, the first MS center in the region. She is a professor of neurology and immunology at the American University of Beirut. She is a professor of Neurology and Immunology at the American University of Beirut. Until 2013 she was the Jack, Sadie, and David Breakstone professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and served as the co-Director of the Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, Boston since 2001. In 2007, Prof. Khoury was awarded the prestigious Kuwait Prize for Sciences by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences for her work in immunology. Prof. Samia Khoury received her Medical Diploma from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, in 1984 having been elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society in 1983. She completed her neurology residency at the Case Western Reserve University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio and her fellowship at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Center for Neurologic Diseases. Prof. Samia Khoury is recognized as a world leader in MS, a disease that affect individuals in their prime and can lead to severe disability. She has published over 200 scholarly articles, reviews, and book chapters. Prof. Khoury’s research is focused on understanding the pathogenesis and mechanism of immune regulation/tolerance in multiple sclerosis. She is also involved in multiple sclerosis clinical trials and investigation of multiple sclerosis biomarkers.
Highly focused, self-motivated and dedicated medical doctor with over several years experience in providing quality care to patients. Efficient at all aspects of emergency care, from initial diagnosis and treatment to management. Strong interpersonal skills; able to maintain positive relationships across cultural and professional lines. Able to communicate effectively while working both independently and as a member of an interdisciplinary team. Seeking an opportunity to be part of a dynamic healthcare environment and contribute to the overall mission of my facility
-Consultant Neurologist, Department of Internal MedicineDivision of Neurology Medical City Complex, Baghdad Teaching Hospital.-Supervisor, Iraqi Board for Medical Specializations, Baghdad teaching hospital.-Clinical trainer for candidates of the Arab and Iraqi Boards of Neurology.-Council Member of Arab Board of Medical Specialization (Neurology), Baghdad teaching Hospital.-Member of National Board of Drug Selection Committee/ Iraqi MOH.-Member of the Scientific consultant committee of neurology/ Iraqi MOH
Dr. Seraj Makkawi is a neurologist and medical educator specializing in Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology. He earned his medical degree from Umm Al-Qura University in 2009, followed by residency training in Adult Neurology in 2016. He then pursued fellowships in Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology (2017) and Clinical Neurophysiology (2018), along with a Master’s in Medical Education, all at the University of Calgary. He is certified in Adult Neurology by both the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.Before returning to Saudi Arabia, Dr. Makkawi worked as a Locum Neurologist and Clinical Lecturer in Calgary. In 2019, he joined King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Jeddah, as Assistant Professor of Neurology, where he was promoted to Associate Professor in 2023. Since 2019, he has also served as Consultant Neurologist at the Neuroscience and Trauma Center, King Abdulaziz Medical City (MNGHA-WR).Dr. Makkawi has held several leadership and administrative roles, including Director of the Adult Neurology Residency Program (2020–2023), Coordinator of the Neurosciences and Vision Block (2020–2024), and Assistant Dean of Clinical Affairs (2021–2025). In 2025, he was appointed Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs and Chairman of the Neurology Department. He also leads the Saudi Multiple Sclerosis Chapter, a role he assumed in 2024 after serving as Academic Officer (2020–2024).His academic and research interests focus on Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology, with a particular emphasis on advancing clinical practice, education, and patient care in these fields.
Prof. Smail Daoudi is Associate Professor of neurology and head of the Neurology Department since 2006 at Nedir Mohammed Teaching Hospital in Tizi-ouzou located in north center of Algeria. After completing his medical residency in the capital Algiers, he held a position for a Fellowship Program at Pitie Salpetriere Teaching Hospital in Paris and after in Haute Pierre Teaching Hospital in Strasbourg, France. From that experience he shown a research interest for inflammatory CNS diseases, particularly for Multiple sclerosis and has authored many articles.
Prof. Daoudi has developed a multidisciplinary unit specialized in the management of multiple sclerosis for a total of 1300 patients until today.
In addition, he is part of several panels experts at the regional and international level, in particular for the management of pain and since this year he is a member of the Applied Research Committee of the WFN.
Sumaira Ahmed is the Founder and Executive Director of The Sumaira Foundation (TSF), a global nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness, advancing research, advocating on behalf of patients and building community support for people affected by rare neuroimmune diseases such as NMOSD and MOGAD.
Her personal journey is deeply tied to TSF’s mission. In the summer of 2014, at age 25, Sumaira was struck by one of the first episodes of her illness - sudden vision loss and neurological symptoms - and soon after was diagnosed with seronegative NMOSD. Faced with limited resources, awareness or community, she resolved to create something that did not yet exist: a patient-led platform for education, advocacy, research support and connection.
Under Sumaira’s leadership, TSF has grown from a personal calling into a global force. The foundation has mobilized patients, caregivers, clinicians and scientific partners across six continents, and has millions of dollars toward research for rare neuroimmunological disorders. She has also advocated at national and international levels, from Capitol Hill to the European Parliament to illuminating major landmarks in her foundation’s colors around the world to build public awareness.
Before founding TSF, Sumaira pursued interests in acting, dance, modeling and public relations, and holds a degree from Boston University’s College of Communication. She was also crowned the first-ever Miss Bangladesh-USA in 2015. Her multifaceted background gives her a unique ability to translate the often technical and isolating world of rare disease into compelling stories, campaigns and impact.
Sumaira Ahmed continues to guide TSF toward greater reach, always grounded in her conviction that patient voice, connection and hope are essential catalysts for progress
Dr. Tim Coetzee serves as President and CEO of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, where he ensures the organization is a financially strong and trusted leader delivering on the mission to cure MS while empowering people affected by MS to live their best lives. Under Dr. Coetzee’s leadership, the Society advances global efforts to end MS by accelerating innovative research, advocating for equitable access to care, and fostering international collaboration. He is deeply committed to ensuring the organization reflects the full diversity of the MS experience—creating an inclusive and welcoming environment where all individuals affected by MS feel supported and represented. With more than three decades of experience in the field, Dr. Coetzee has played a pivotal role in shaping international MS research. He serves as the Chair of the Executive Committee of the International Progressive MS Alliance. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Global PROMS Initiative and on the International Advisory Committee on Clinical Trials in MS. Dr. Coetzee began his career as a lab researcher on a Society-funded team focused on myelin and myelin repair. Prior to joining the Society, he was a faculty member at the University of Connecticut Health Center and received his Ph.D. in molecular biology from Albany Medical College.
Prof. Xavier Montalban is chair of the Department of Neurology and director of the Multiple Sclerosis Centre of Catalonia (Cemcat) at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona, as well as the chief of the Neuroimmunology Research Group at Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR). Prof. Montalban is Professor of Neurology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) since 2006 and at the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC) since 2021. From July 2017 to May 2020, he was Professor of Medicine and director of the Division of Neurology at the University of Toronto and Director of the MS Centre at St Michael’s Hospital. Prof. Montalban received his medical license, trained as a Neurology specialist and completed his PhD in neuroimmunology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. He went on to undertake a postdoctoral fellowship at the Lupus Research Institute, Guy’s & St. Thomas’ Hospital with additional clinical training at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square in London, United Kingdom. Prof. Montalban is the President of the Cemcat Foundation and former President and current Honorary Member of the Council of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS). He is the vice-chair of ECTRIMS & National MS Society Clinical Trials Committee and has been chair of the Medical & Scientific Board of the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF). He is a Board member of the European Charcot Foundation and of the international initiative PROMS. Prof. Montalban is a fellow member of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS). For the past twenty-five years, Prof. Montalban has been in the inception phases and on steering committees of many clinical trials related to multiple sclerosis. He has authored over 750 original and revision publications in international peer- reviewed journals plus several book chapters with over 47.000 citations. He has been awarded with the "Highly Cited Researcher" in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. His Scopus H-Index is 94. Prof. Montalban has been the Principal Investigator (PI) or Collaborator in more than 35 competitive Projects and have participated as PI in more than 150 clinical trials. He has also supervised more than 30 doctoral theses. Among the awards received, it is worth highlighting the 2022 John Dystel Prize, awarded jointly by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the American Academy of Neurology. Prof. Montalban has been editor for the Clinical Cases Section of the Multiple Sclerosis Journal. Recently, he co-directed the development of the first ECTRIMS-EAN Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Guidelines. Prof. Montalban research interests include clinical trials, clinical aspects of MS, MR imaging and biological prognostic factors of disease evolution and treatment response, immunological mechanisms of the disease and other aspects of clinical management of MS. He has been exposed to a vast variety of neurological diseases in both sides of the Atlantic.