MDS-Africa
Myassar Amine, MS
Misr University for Science and Technology
Egypt
I’m Myassar Amine from Cairo, Egypt, where I was born and raised. I earned my Physical Therapy bachelor's degree from Misr University for Science and Technology in 2015 and completed my master's in Neurological Rehabilitation at Cairo University. Since 2016, I've been an assistant lecturer in the Neurological Rehabilitation department at Misr University for Science and Technology.
I am the founder and CEO of Egyparkinson’s Resource Center the first supporting group for Parkinson’s patients in Egypt. I have been a member in the Movement Disorder Society since 2019. In 2024 I became the Co-Chair of the Allied Health Steering Committee and the chair of the social media working group (MDS).
My research focus is movement disorders and Parkinson's disease. I am one of the first physiotherapists to be interested in movement disorders in our country. For my hobbies, I am a horse rider (Equestrian) and a painter.
Daniel Gams Massi, MD, DM
Douala General Hospital / University of Douala
Cameroon
I am Daniel Gams Massi, I was born in Bertoua (East region of Cameroon). At the age of 6, my parents move to Yaoundé (Capital of Cameroon), where I did my primary, secondary, and medical school. As a civil servant medical doctor, I have been posted as primary care physician in Buea (South West region of Cameroon). After completing my posting, I moved to Dakar (Senegal) for the residency program in neurology. After 4.5 years, I completed my training in neurology, with two fellowships in epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology. I went back to Cameroon in 2018, to work as a lecturer in the Medical Schools of Universities of Douala and Buea.
Late in 2018, I have been posted as consultant neurologist at the Douala General Hospital. I have developed research interests in stroke, epilepsy, and movement disorders. I have co-founded the Cameroon Academy of Neurology. I am currently working on epilepsy and movement disorder clinic at the Douala General Hospital.
I am married, and a father of 4 children. I like reading, travelling, world music, and soccer. Neurology is my passion, however I do like spent time with my family and friends.
Mayeso Gwedela, PhD
Kamuzu University of Health Sciences
Malawi
I was born and raised in Malawi`s capital city, Lilongwe and graduated with a BSc in Biology from the University of Malawi`s Chancellor College in 2013. In 2014, I was employed as a Staff Associate in Physiology at the then University of Malawi`s College of Medicine, now Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS). In 2017, I was enrolled as a Research Student at Hiroshima University in the Aizawa Neurobiology laboratory under the Japanese government MEXT scholarship. I then proceeded to a PhD in Medical Science from 2018 to 2022 in the same laboratory, where I studied the antiseizure activity of various Malawian medicinal plants in a larval zebrafish seizure model.
I am a tenured lecturer in physiology at KUHeS, and my current research is on Parkinson`s disease in Malawi, with a focus on the clinical profile of people with PD at a tertiary outpatient clinic, the lived experiences of people with PD and their caregivers, and the accessibility of PD medications.
In my free time, I love watching movies, reading novels, and listening to music. I am an avid fan of BTS, the Korean boyband, and spend some of my time watching their content and participating in fandom activities.
Alia Mansour, MSC, PhD
Ain Shams University
Cairo
Dr. Alia Hassan Mansour is an Associate Professor of Neurology at Ain Shams University, where she earned her master’s degree in 2008 and PhD in 2012, focusing on Parkinson’s disease. In 2023, she completed a Mini Fellowship in Movement Disorders at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Dr. Mansour is contributing significantly to the MDS Leadership in Neurosurgery SIG Committee and Pediatric Leadership Committee. She is a peer educator in the Peer Review Program. Since 2008, Dr. Mansour has led the Movement Disorders Clinic at Ain Shams University. In 2015, she initiated a multidisciplinary team with the neurosurgery department for movement disorder surgeries, including DBS with microelectrode recording. She coordinates the Ain Shams Virtual Hospital (AVH) Educational Forum, which offers courses across Africa, including recent partnerships with the University of Nebraska and Queen Mary University.
She organized the 2017 international Movement Disorders Course and the first Virtual Movement Disorders School from April to July 2018 in collaboration with the International Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Society. A sought-after speaker, she has presented at numerous conferences and serves as a reviewer for several journals. Dr. Mansour has completed 10 advanced courses and has 16 international publications. She enjoys traveling and reading.
Linette van Niekerk, MBCHB, FC Neurology, MMed
Life Groenkloof Hospital
South Afric
Born in Namibia and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, I moved to Pretoria to pursue my MBChB degree at the University of Pretoria. After completing my studies, I completed my medical internship in Cape Town and served as a community service medical officer in Kimberley, South Africa. I then returned to the University of Pretoria for my postgraduate neurology degree, graduating as a Neurologist in 2016. Since then, I have been a member of the neurology team at Life Groenkloof Hospital in Pretoria, where I practice general neurology with a special focus on movement disorders. My role also involves being part of an emergency and stroke response team, where I handle acute neurological cases.In addition to my clinical work, I am dedicated to advancing movement disorders education in South Africa and am actively involved in teaching medical students and allied health professionals.Beyond my professional life, I am an avid long-distance runner, which I often combine with my love of travel. Exploring new cities and places through running allows me to connect with the environment in a unique way. When I’m not practicing neurology or running, I enjoy reading, theater, and hiking.
MDS-AOS
Ali Abusrair, MD
Qatif Health Network
Saudi Arabia
Dr. Abusrair was born and raised in the city of Qatif, located in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. He completed his medical education at the University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia. He then pursued residency training in Neurology at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Driven by a passion for movement disorders, he completed a clinical fellowship at the University of Calgary, Canada. His primary research interests include neurogenetics, neuroimaging, and advanced therapies in movement disorders, paired with a deep dedication to evidence-based practice and medical education.
Currently, he serves as the Deputy Head of the Neurology Division at Qatif Health Network, a hospital affiliated with the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia. He is also a member of the Web-Based Educational Committee at the Movement Disorder Society.
Outside of work, he enjoys reading, traveling, and staying active through various sports.
Divya Garg, MD, DM
All India Institute of Medical Sciences
India
My name is Divyani Garg. I am based in Delhi, India.
After my schooling in various small towns of northern India, I completed my undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Medicine from Christian Medical College, Vellore, in Tamil Nadu, India and subsequently completed Neurology training from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. I then joined AIIMS, New Delhi as faculty in Neurology. I am specifically interested and active in researching metal transport disorders (NBIAs), infection-related movement disorders and rare movement disorders.
I am invested in research themes which have translational value. I believe in constantly upgrading my skills, and consciously endeavor to convert challenges into opportunities. I live by the famous lines of Robert Frost, "And miles to go before I sleep.”
I love to paint (acrylic), write a bit of poetry, and am parent to a Persian cat who rules over my existence in a Zen master-like fashion!
Vikram Venkappayya Holla, MBBS, MD, DM
National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences
India
My childhood and schooling were in rural India. Till the 5th grade, I studied in a school in my town. For grade 6 through 12, I was selected via an entrance test to study in a government run residential school. Thereafter, I completed my MBBS from VIMS, Ballari, then MD general medicine from UCMS & GTBH, Delhi, DM Neurology from KGMU, Lucknow and finally PDF in movement disorders from NIMHANS, Bengaluru. I was fortunate that I could get into some of the top institutes and had the opportunity to move from small rural area to bigger cities for my education.
Since 2019, I am working as a neurologist at NIMHANS, which is a referral Institute of National Importance. From the beginning, my core interest has always been patient care. My main focus clinically and in research is on genetics of movement disorders, management and advocacy for rare movement disorders and deep brain stimulation surgeries. Additionally, I am also interested in neuroinfection and infection-related movement disorders.
I am a family-oriented person and enjoy spending time with people, especially my wife and my pampered dog child called Mishti!! I also enjoy cooking and trying out new breweries that are pet friendly!
Shermyn Neo, MBBS, MMed
National Neuroscience Institute
Singapore
I’m Shermyn, and I was born and grew up in Singapore. I received my medical education at the National University of Singapore and developed most of my medical career here. I was thus fortunate to spend a year at Queen Square on a fellowship with Professor Kailash Bhatia, mastering the phenomenology of movement disorder.
I have trained as a movement disorders specialist since 2017 and am particularly interested in complex movement disorders (including atypical parkinsonian disorders) and their biomarkers. I have also worked on neurotech to improve remote monitoring and delivery of care to people with Parkinson disease.
Outside my work, I am a mother to a 4-year boy who constantly reminds me to see wonder in things, be honest, keep moving and have fun. In between work and family, I try to fit in exercise (gym, tennis), self-growth (reading) and a bit of fun (lego).
Sasivimol Virameteekul, MD, MSc
Chulalongkorn University
Thailand
Dr. Sasivimol Virameteekul (Bella) is a consultant neurologist from Bangkok, Thailand. She recently completed her clinical and research fellowship at University College London's Queen Square Institute of Neurology and holds a master's degree in Genomics and Precision Medicine from UCL.
Currently, I served as an academic researcher at the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, and as an academic neurologist at the Excellence Centre for Parkinson’s Disease & Related Disorders, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. In these roles, I passionately shares my knowledge, caring for patients, advancing medical research, and guiding the education of medical students, residents, and fellows. My research interests focus on genetics, omics, and molecular biomarkers in Parkinson's disease.
Outside of my medical pursuits, I enjoy art, crafting, traveling, and practicing Pilates.
MDS-ES
Manon Auffret, PharmD, PhD
FDE / CHU de Rennes / Université de Rennes
France
Dr Auffret is a clinical researcher from France. She obtained her PharmD degree from the University of Rennes (2012), after completing an internship at the University of Montana (USA). Following a master’s degree in neurosciences at the University of Caen and participation in the Bangor University Visceral Mind Summer School (2015), she obtained her PhD in the lab of Prof. Marc Vérin at the University of Rennes (2017). She is now a full-time researcher working with (inter)national colleagues. Her clinical research is focused on Parkinson’s disease, neuropalliative care and apomorphine. Holding a university diploma in the history of medicine (Université Paris Cité), she has a special interest in the history of neurology. She served in the AAN History and Archives Committee (2021-2023), was the 2022-2023 ISHN president and annual meeting organizer.
At MDS, she is a member of the Women in Movement Disorders Special Interest Group Steering Committee and of the COA Education and Training Program Committee (2023-2025). In 2023, she was awarded the Herbert Rosenbaum Memorial History of Neurology Lecture (University of Oregon, USA) and the French Chamber of Pharmacists Annual Award (awarded to a French pharmacist for outstanding work). Her personal hobbies include travelling, cooking, reading and thrifting.
Alexandra Boogers, MD, PhD
Toronto Western Hospital
Belgium / Canada
My name is Alexandra Boogers, born in Antwerp, Belgium. I completed my medical training and neurology residency at the University of Antwerp, followed by a PhD at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. My doctoral research focused on novel stimulation pulse shapes in deep brain stimulation (DBS) for essential tremor, which I successfully defended in December 2022. Currently, I am pursuing a 2-year fellowship in Movement Disorders and DBS at Toronto Western Hospital in Canada.
My research interests center around using DBS as a window of opportunity, such as by leveraging local field potentials, to better understand the mechanisms underlying Parkinson’s disease (PD), with the aim of developing novel treatment options. Clinically, I am deeply committed to patient education. I was fortunate to be one of the founders of ‘DBS Select,’ a patient education platform designed to inform individuals with PD and their families about DBS. More recently, I authored a children’s book about DBS for PD intended as a conversation starter for families affected by the disease.
Outside of my professional life, I dedicate most of my time to educating my two daughters. I am an avid runner and cook, and I love traveling to new and off-the-beaten-track destinations.
Haider Dafsari, MD, MHBA, MSc
University Hospital Cologne
Germany
Haidar Dafsari was born in Teheran, Iran, and grew up and received his education in Cologne, Germany. He is board certified neurologist trained by Prof. Lars Timmermann, Prof. Gereon Fink, and Prof. K. Ray Chaudhuri. Haidar specialized in cognitive and other non-motor effects of neurostimulation for Parkinson’s disease.
He leads the Non-motor Symptoms Study Group of the German Parkinson Association. In the MDS Non-motor Parkinson’s Disease Study Group, Haidar leads research on non-motor effects of deep brain stimulation. Haidar has also published on the levodopa dose equivalency in Parkinson’s disease pharmacotherapy. Based on this work, he was invited by the German Federal Ministry of Health to serve as an expert on off-label use of medication in neurological diseases and disorders.
Haidar is a recipient of scholarships of the German National Academic Foundation (Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes) and the Thiemann Foundation in the German Society of Neurology. He received awards for his postdoctoral research thesis on Parkinson’s disease device-aided therapies and his teaching seminars on translational movement disorders.
Haidar is married and father of two children.
Zuzana Kosutzka, MD, PhD
Comenius University
Slovakia
I grew up in Bratislava which is the capital city of Slovakia located in Central Europe. I also completed here medical school and PhD studies dedicated to gait and balance disorders in Parkinson's disease. Part of the research was done in the Functional Neurosurgery Unit, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology in London. After my PhD studies in 2017, I did a post-doc in the Department of Neurology, Salpetriere Hospital in Paris.
In 2023, I was appointed associate professor. I am a movement disorder specialist focusing on the management of patients with deep brain stimulation and the application of botulinum toxin including patients with spasticity.
In the research context, I am interested in studying axial symptoms of movement disorders mostly gait with new methods of kinematic analysis.
I like camping and gastronomy.
Angeliki Zarkali, PhD, MBBS
University College London
United Kingdom
Angelika is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Neurology, University College London and an honorary consultant neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. Her clinical and research interest is the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of Lewy Body Disease. Specifically, her research aims to shed light on the neural correlates of visual hallucinations and cognitive fluctuations in Lewy Body Disease.
Originally from Arta, a small town in northern Greece, she qualified in Athens Medical School where she was awarded the Award of Excellency from the National Scholarships Foundation. She then moved to the UK for her specialist training in neurology; after gaining clinical experience in UCLH, East Kent and St George's hospitals, Angelika received her PhD from University College London, funded by an Alzheimer's Research UK Fellowship and supervised by Dr Rimona Weil and Professor Geraint Rees.
Her work used multimodal neuroimaging, behavioral neuroscience and genetic expression analyses to shed light on the neural correlates of visual hallucinations in Parkinson's disease. She is now building further on this work, funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK at the Dementia Research Centre, using ultra-high field MRI and layer-specific imaging to further understand the mechanisms of hallucinations and cognitive fluctuations.
MDS-PAS
Daniel G. Di Luca, MD, MSc
Washington University in St. Louis
USA
Dr. Di Luca is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Washington University in St. Louis. He was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he also obtained his medical degree. Dr. Di Luca completed his Neurology residency at the University of Miami, where he served as chief resident. He subsequently pursued a clinical and research fellowship in movement disorders at the University of Toronto, training under the mentorship of Profs. Anthony Lang and Susan Fox. In addition, Dr. Di Luca obtained a master’s degree in Clinical Epidemiology and Health Care Research from the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME) at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Di Luca’s primary research interests include neuromodulation, epidemiology, and the investigation of new therapies for both motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease and other movement disorders, including multiple system atrophy.
In his personal time, he enjoys hiking, running, and exploring movies.
Viviana Alexandra Martinez Villota, MD
Hospital Universitario Departamental de Nariño
Colombia
I grew up with my grandmother in Pasto, a small town in the south of Colombia, on the border with Ecuador. After finishing high school, I moved to Bogotá where I received an excellent medical education, supported by a state scholarship at National University of Colombia.
After my graduation, I worked in an indigenous reservation in the south of the country, where I was able to come into contact with native traditions that I considered of great value for my training. I subsequently worked in my city until I had the opportunity to return to my university to obtain my specialization in Neurology and focus on research into movement disorders, especially Huntington's disease and Parkinson’s disease.
I returned to the public departmental hospital of Pasto where I created the first stroke program in my region. Thanks to the Movement Disorders Society visiting trainee grant, I was able to continue my training in Movement Disorders, especially Deep Brain Stimulation and clinical research in FLENI Buenos Aires.
I am currently working on establishing the first deep brain stimulation program in the region, opening access to advanced treatment of movement disorders for populations with significant barriers to accessing health services.
Phillipe Salles, MD
CETRAM
Chile
Philippe Salles was raised in Punta Arenas, the southern city of Chile, where he received his elementary education at Charles Darwin School. He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Del Desarrollo in Santiago, Chile. Dr. Salles practiced as a primary care physician in Punta Arenas and later in Santiago before beginning his neurology residency at the University of Santiago de Chile. After finishing his residency, he completed a Movement Disorders Fellowship at the Center for Movement Disorders CETRAM, where he later became a staff member.
Since then, he has provided mentorship and teaching to neurology residents and fellows. Dr. Salles furthered his training with a fellowship at the Center for Neurological Restoration, Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, USA. Upon returning to Chile, he assumed the role of coordinating the CETRAM movement disorders fellowship, actively shaping the program, and guiding fellows.
Dr. Salles's primary clinical interests include Parkinsonism, dystonia, rare movement disorders, neuromodulation, and ultrasound-guided botulinum toxin injections. He is interested in the impact of genetics on deep brain stimulation surgery.
He enjoys spending time with his family and is passionate about music, photography, drawing, and outdoor sports.
Konstantin Senkevich, PhD
McGill University
Canada
I was born and raised in Saint Petersburg, Russia, where I completed my MD and neurology residency at the First Pavlov State Medical University in 2015. I then pursued a PhD at the Institute of Experimental Medicine, also in Saint Petersburg, focusing on the genetics of Parkinson’s disease. In 2019, I moved to Montreal, Canada, to pursue postdoctoral research at McGill University under the supervision of Dr. Ziv Gan-Or. During this time, I developed a strong foundation in bioinformatics and genetics.
After four years of postdoctoral research, I completed a Movement Disorders Fellowship at McGill University. Currently, I am pursuing a Medical Genetics residency at McGill while working as a Research Associate.
My research focuses on the genetics of movement disorders, with a particular interest in the role of lysosomal genes in Parkinson’s disease and other synucleinopathies, as well as the genetic landscape of dystonia. My goal is to further specialize in the genetics of movement disorders.
Outside of work, I enjoy cycling, traveling, going to the theater, reading, and spending time with my family.
Anna Vives-Rodriguez, MD
Yale School of Medicine
USA
ana.vives-rodriguez@yale.edu
Dr. Vives-Rodriguez is a movement disorders and cognitive-behavioral neurologist at Yale School of Medicine. She is an Assistant Professor of Neurology in the Division of Movement Disorders and Cognitive Behavioral Neurology at Yale School of Medicine.
Dr. Vives-Rodriguez grew up and completed her medical and residency training in Costa Rica, graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of Costa Rica. In 2018, she completed a 2-year subspecialty training in movement disorders at Yale School of Medicine. After her fellowship at Yale and motivated by a further understanding of neurodegenerative disorders, she pursued training in cognitive behavioral neurology in Boston. She then completed 3 years of subspecialty training in cognitive behavioral neurology at Boston University/VA Medical Center. During her training, Dr. Vives-Rodriguez focused on clinical neuroscience research of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, Wilson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Vives-Rodriguez is particularly interested in the behavioral and cognitive aspects of movement disorders and early diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders. She is the director of the Movement and Memory Aging clinic at Yale New Haven Hospital. Her research focuses on positive psychiatric symptoms in Lewy Body diseases and their longitudinal correlation with specific patterns of cognitive impairment.