Director, Movement Disorders Program, Northwell Health

As a world-renowned leader in the field of Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders, Alessandro Di Rocco, MD has been the principal and co-investigator of numerous research studies including NIH and major national and international foundation-sponsored studies, having been awarded nearly two dozen grants to support his research efforts. Dr. Di Rocco sits on the Parkinson’s Foundation Board of Directors and the Melvin Yahr International Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, where he served as President for over eight years. Dr. Di Rocco also serves on many advisory boards and committees including the World Federation of Neurology Congress on Parkinson’s Disease. He has authored over 90 articles, 12 books and book chapters, over 125 abstracts and other publications.

Education
MD – Universita’ di Genova, Facolta’ di Medicina e Chirurgia, Genova, Italy

Residency
Neurology – Mount Sinai Medical Center

Fellowship
Movement Disorders and Geriatric Neurology – Mount Sinai Medical Center

Board
Certification Neurology – American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology

Clinical Trial & Research Interest
Integrated Model Care for Parkinson’s Disease and Other Neurological Disorders, Innovative Care Models for Advanced Parkinson’s Disease, Neurorestoration and Neuromodulation in Parkinson’s Disease and Related Disorders, Neurochemistry and Neuropharmacology of Parkinson’s Disease, Pharmacological Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease, Trans-Methylation in the Nervous System, Health Disparities in the Care of Neurological Patients

Awards & Professional
Recognition Travel Grant Award, International Federation of Parkinson’s Disease Foundations, 1994; Neurology Residency Teacher Award, Mount Sinai Medical Center, 1996; Medical Student’s Teacher Award, Mount Sinai Medical Center, 1996; Presidential Award, Spotlight Award-Recognition of Excellence, Mount Sinai Medical Center, 1997; The Nell and Herbert Singer Research Grant Award, 1998; Elected to the World Federation of Neurology, Committee on Extrapyramidal Research, 2002; European Academy Fellow and Achievement Award, 2003; America’s Top Physicians, Consumer’s Research Council of America, 2005–2013; Compassionate Doctor Award, American Medical Registry, 2013; Italian Heritage and Cultural Commission Award, 2015; Dean’s Honor Day, New York University, 2017

Professional Membership
Board of Directors, Parkinson’s Foundation, Miami-New York; Board of Directors, Melvin Yahr International Parkinson’s Disease Foundation; Board of Directors and Past President, Movement Disorders Society; American Academy of Neurology; International Association of Parkinsonism and Related Disorders; Parkinson Study Group

Specialty
Movement Disorders, Neurology Clinical Focus Parkinson’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Multiple System Atrophy, Corticobasal Degeneration, Abnormal Gait, Ataxia, Spasmodic Dysphonia, Tourette Syndrome, Botox, Restless Leg Syndrome, Hemifacial Spasm, Deep Brain Stimulation, Meige Syndrome, Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, Spasmodic Torticollis, Blepharospasm, Dystonia, Involuntary Muscle Jerking, Spasticity, REM Behavior Disorder, Lewy Body Dementia, Essential Tremor, Movement Disorders

Hospital Affiliation
North Shore University Hospital, Lenox Hill Hospital, Long Island Jewish Medical Center

Patient Office
Northwell Health Physician Partners Neuroscience Institute at Great Neck, 611 Northern Boulevard, Suite 150, Great Neck, NY 11021, (516) 325-7000, Fax (516) 325-7001

Northwell Health Physician Partners Neurology at Lenox Hill, 130 East 77th Street, 8 Black Hall, New York, NY 10075, (516) 325-7000, Fax (516) 325-7001

Director, Movement Disorders Program, Northwell Health

Joining Northwell Health in 2017, Ruben I. Kuzniecky, MD is internationally recognized in the fields of epilepsy, epilepsy surgery and neuroimaging. Dr. Kuzniecky has been awarded numerous research grants including one from the National Institutes of Health to organize the Epilepsy Phenome/ Genome Project. Dr. Kuzniecky is widely published, having authored two books, over 300 peer-reviewed publications and 40 book chapters. He was one of the first scientists to identify and prove that mesial temporal sclerosis is identifiable by MRI. Dr. Kuzniecky has three patents for his work related to epilepsy and has several additional patent applications pending.

Education
MD – Universita’ di Genova, Facolta’ di Medicina e Chirurgia, Genova, Italy

Residency
Neurology – Mount Sinai Medical Center

Fellowship
Movement Disorders and Geriatric Neurology – Mount Sinai Medical Center

Board Certification
Neurology – American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology

Clinical Trial & Research Interest
Integrated Model Care for Parkinson’s Disease and Other Neurological Disorders, Innovative Care Models for Advanced Parkinson’s Disease, Neurorestoration and Neuromodulation in Parkinson’s Disease and Related Disorders, Neurochemistry and Neuropharmacology of Parkinson’s Disease, Pharmacological Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease, Trans-Methylation in the Nervous System, Health Disparities in the Care of Neurological Patients

Awards & Professional Recognition
Travel Grant Award, International Federation of Parkinson’s Disease Foundations, 1994; Neurology Residency Teacher Award, Mount Sinai Medical Center, 1996; Medical Student’s Teacher Award, Mount Sinai Medical Center, 1996; Presidential Award, Spotlight Award-Recognition of Excellence, Mount Sinai Medical Center, 1997; The Nell and Herbert Singer Research Grant Award, 1998; Elected to the World Federation of Neurology, Committee on Extrapyramidal Research, 2002; European Academy Fellow and Achievement Award, 2003; America’s Top Physicians, Consumer’s Research Council of America, 2005–2013; Compassionate Doctor Award, American Medical Registry, 2013; Italian Heritage and Cultural Commission Award, 2015; Dean’s Honor Day, New York University, 2017

Professional Membership
Board of Directors, Parkinson’s Foundation, Miami-New York; Board of Directors, Melvin Yahr International Parkinson’s Disease Foundation; Board of Directors and Past President, Movement Disorders Society; American Academy of Neurology; International Association of Parkinsonism and Related Disorders; Parkinson Study Group

Specialty
Movement Disorders, Neurology

Clinical Focus
Parkinson’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Multiple System Atrophy, Corticobasal Degeneration, Abnormal Gait, Ataxia, Spasmodic Dysphonia, Tourette Syndrome, Botox, Restless Leg Syndrome, Hemifacial Spasm, Deep Brain Stimulation, Meige Syndrome, Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, Spasmodic Torticollis, Blepharospasm, Dystonia, Involuntary Muscle Jerking, Spasticity, REM Behavior Disorder, Lewy Body Dementia, Essential Tremor, Movement Disorders

Hospital Affiliation
North Shore University Hospital, Lenox Hill Hospital, Long Island Jewish Medical Center

Patient Office
Northwell Health Physician Partners Neuroscience Institute at Great Neck, 611 Northern Boulevard, Suite 150, Great Neck, NY 11021, (516) 325-7000, Fax (516) 325-7001

Northwell Health Physician Partners Neurology at Lenox Hill, 130 East 77th Street, 8 Black Hall, New York, NY 10075, (516) 325-7000, Fax (516) 325-7001

Regional Director, Stroke Services, Northwest Region, Northwell Health

Director, Stroke Services, Lenox Hill Hospital

Professor, Neurology, Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine

Stroke and general neurology specialist Salman Azhar, MD is committed to providing superior, compassionate neurological care for his patients. Prior to joining Northwell Health’s Department of Neurology in 2016, Dr. Azhar established one of the busiest Joint Commission Certified Comprehensive Stroke Centers in New York State as well as a successful Department of Neurology. He has served as an investigator in multiple clinical trials in acute stroke and stroke recovery. Dr. Azhar uses Botox for the treatment of headaches, spasticity and dystonia. Dr. Azhar is devoted to expert diagnosis and treatment for improved patient outcomes and is sensitive to the needs of his patients and their families.

Education
MD – Virginia Commonwealth University Medical School

Residency
Neurology – Virginia Commonwealth University; Neurology – Mount Sinai Hospital and Medical Center

Fellowship
Vascular Neurology – National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke

Board Certification
Neurology – American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology; Vascular Neurology – American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology

Clinical Trial & Research Interest
Principal Investigator in Several Multicenter Stroke Studies in Acute Stroke, Stroke Prevention and Stroke Recovery, Inflammatory Models of Stroke and Stroke Recovery

Awards & Professional Recognition
Best Doctor, New York Magazine, 2016; Top Doctor, NY Metro Area Castle Connolly, 2005–2015

Professional Membership
American Medical Association; American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association; American Academy of Neurology, May 2012–current; New York State DOH Advisory Committee on Stroke, September 2015–current; Board of Directors, American Heart Association Brooklyn; Co-Chair, American Heart Association Brooklyn, Stroke and Heart Walk, 2016

Community & Humanitarian Involvement
Board of Directors, Brooklyn American Heart Association; Board of Directors, BINA Stroke and Brain Injury Assistance; Board of Directors, Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow; Board of Directors, Point Foundation

Publications
Sanna, T., et al.: Cryptogenic Stroke and Underlying Atrial Fibrillation. The New England Journal of Medicine, June 26, 2014

Gropen, T.I., et al.: Quality Improvement in Acute Stroke: The New York State Stroke Center Designation Project. Journal of Neurology, July 11, 2006

Tandon, S.S., Hoskins, I., Azhar, S.: Intrathecal Baclofen Pump – A Viable Therapeutic Option in Pregnancy. Medical Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, September 2010

Specialty
Neurology, Vascular Neurology

Clinical Focus
Stroke
Stroke Recovery
Spasticity Treatment
Botox/Baclofen Pump Management
Cerebrovascular Diseases
General Neurology
Acute Neurology

Hospital Affiliation
Lenox Hill Hospital, Staten Island University Hospital

Patient Office
Northwell Health Physician Partners Neurology at Lenox Hill, 130 East 77th Street, 8 Black Hall, New York, NY 10075 (212) 434-6400, Fax (212) 434-2279

8012 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11209, (212) 434-6400, Fax (212) 434-2279

Vice Chair, Neurology, Lenox Hill Hospital

Director, Epilepsy Program, Lenox Hill Hospital

Assistant Professor, Neurology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

Derek Chong, MD, MSc is a fellowship-trained neurologist committed to providing superior, compassionate neurological care with a focus in EEG and epilepsy. He has won numerous awards including the Epilepsy Foundation of America’s Post-Doctoral Research Training Fellowship for Clinicians and twice has won the Early Career Physician-Scientist award from the American Epilepsy Society & the Milken Family Foundation to fund his research endeavors. This research has focused on identifying the mechanism of drug resistance in epilepsy, the markers of respiration and gas exchange during seizures and the role of autoimmunity in epilepsy and brain function.

Education
MD – University of Calgary; MSc – McMaster University

Residency
Neurology – University of Western Ontario

Fellowship
Neurophysiology – Columbia University Medical Center; EEG/Epilepsy – Columbia University

Board Certification
Clinical Neurophysiology – American Board of Psychiatry/ Neurology; Sleep Medicine – American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology; Neurology – American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology

Professional Membership
American Academy of Sleep Medicine; Canadian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology; Corresponding Member, American Epilepsy Society; Member, American Academy of Neurology

Publications
Chong, D.J., Duggan, P. and EPGP Investigators: Ictal Fear & Epilepsy Phenome/ Genome Project: Associations with Age, Gender and other Experiential Phenomena. Epilepsy & Behavior, July 29, 2016; Chong, D.J., Lerman, A.M.: Anti-Convulsants in Current Practice. Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports; Dugan, P., Carlson, C., Bluvstein, J., Chong, D., Friedman, D., Kirsch, H.: Auras in Generalized Epilepsy. Neurology; Chong, D.: 15-Year-Old Patient with Encephalopathy and Seizures After Vaccination. Epilepsy Currents, January 2014; Farwell, M.D., Chong, D.J., Yasuhiko, I., Bae, J., Easwaramoorthy, B., Ichise, M.: Imaging P-Glycoprotein Function in Rats Using [11C]-N-Desmethyl-Loperamide. Annals of Nuclear Medicine, April 10, 2013; Chong, D.J.: The Medical Management of Epilepsy. Panminerva Medica, December 2011; Mirsattari, S.M., Gofton, T.E., Chong, D.J.: Misdiagnosis of Epileptic Seizures as Manifestations of Psychiatric Illnesses. Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences, May 2011; Chong, D.J., Bazil, C.W.: Update on Antiepileptic Drugs. Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports, 2010; Chong, D.J., Strong, M.J., Skrum, M., Kalapos, P.Z., Hammond, R.: Clinico-Pathological-Correlation: Sub-Acute Weakness, Deafness and Respiratory Failure in a 58-Year-Old Woman. Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences, 2005; Yung, B., Moeller, J.J., Bitar, M., Chong, D.J.: Hemispheric-Onset Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease with Concordant MRI and EEG Findings. Neurology, October 19, 2010

Specialty
Clinical Neurophysiology, Sleep Medicine, Neurology

Clinical Focus
Epilepsy
Sleep Disorder
Brain Inflammation
Electroencephalography
Electromyography
Evoked Potentials
Polysomnograms
Sleep Medicine
Clinical and Surgical Approaches to Epilepsy

Hospital Affiliation
Lenox Hill Hospital

Patient Office
Northwell Health Physician Partners Neurology at Lenox Hill, 130 East 77th Street, New York, NY 10075, (212) 434-6400, Fax (212) 434-2279

Northwell Health Physician Partners Neurology at Chelsea South, 22 West 15th Street, New York, NY 10011, (212) 434-6400, Fax (212) 434-2279

Neurologist

Assistant Professor, Neurology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

Joining Northwell Health in 2017, Mariel B. Deutsch, MD specializes in behavioral neurology. Dr. Deutsch is devoted to the accurate diagnosis and complex management of patients with cognitive impairment, whether from Alzheimer’s disease, other causes of dementia or from cancer treatment, for example “chemo-brain.” She cares for patients across the entire cognitive spectrum, from normal aging to advanced dementia. Dr. Deutsch focuses on the patient, not just the disease, personalizing her approach to offer the latest advances in care while respecting patient values. She is particularly sensitive to the special needs of patients suffering from memory disorders and their families.

Education
MD – Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Residency
Neurology – New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center

Fellowship
Neuro-Oncology – Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry – David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA & VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System

Board Certification
Neurology – American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology

Clinical Trial & Research Interest
Alzheimer’s Disease

Awards & Professional Recognition
Makinodan Research Award, New Investigators in Aging Research, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, 2014; Fellow Scholarship, American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting, 2015; Poster of Distinction, American Radium Society’s 97th Annual Meeting, 2015

Professional Membership
American Academy of Neurology; Cognitive Neuroscience Society; New York State Neurological Society; Society for Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology

Publications
Fong, S.S., Paholpak, P., Daianu, M., Deutsch, M.B., Riedel, B.C., Carr, A.R., Jimenez, E.E., Mather, M.M., Thompson, P.M., Mendez, M.F.: The Attribution of Animacy and Agency in Frontotemporal Dementia versus Alzheimer’s Disease. Cortex, Volume 92, 2017; Deutsch, M.B., Liang, L.J., Jimenez, E.E., Mather, M.J., Mendez, M.F.: Are We Comparing Frontotemporal Dementia and Alzheimer Disease Patients with the Right Measures? International Psychogeriatrics, Volume 28, Issue 9, 2016; Ciardullo, J., Mitis, E., Bender, H.A., Kostakoglu, L., Machac, J., Martin, J., Sewell, M., Aloysi, A.S., Deutsch, M.B., Li, C., Sano, M., Gandy, S.: Evaluating Atypical Presentations of Alzheimer’s Disease with Amyloid Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Imaging at an Academic Cognitive Neurology Center. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 2016; Supplement (2016 Annual Meeting Program): 139-40.; Deutsch, M.B., Mendez, M.F., Teng, E.: Interactions Between Traumatic Brain Injury and Frontotemporal Degeneration. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 2015

Specialty
Neurology

Clinical Focus
Alzheimer’s Disease
Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment
Cognitive Disorders
Dementia
Healthy Brain Aging
Neurobehavioral Status Testing

Hospital Affiliation
North Shore University Hospital, Long Island Jewish Medical Center

Patient Office
Northwell Health Physician Partners Neuroscience Institute at Great Neck, 611 Northern Boulevard, Suite 150, Great Neck, NY 11021, (516) 325-7000, Fax (516) 325-7001

Director, Neuromuscular Medicine, North Shore University Hospital

Associate Professor, Neurology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

With over 25 years of experience, Anthony P. Geraci, MD, FAAN joins Northwell Health Physician Partners as Director of Neuromuscular Medicine at North Shore University Hospital. After completing post-graduate training in neuro-AIDS and electromyography, Dr. Geraci focused on conducting research in neuropathy associated with neuro-AIDS. Subsequently, he joined Lutheran Medical Center and NYU Lutheran as Associate Professor and helped to build a robust neurology department where he founded and directed the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Clinic. Dr. Geraci also owned and operated a solo private neurology practice in Manhattan.

Education
MD – Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Residency
Neurology – Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Fellowship
Neurology – Mount Sinai Beth Israel

Board Certification
Neurology – American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology

Clinical Trial & Research Interest
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Inherited Muscle Diseases

Professional Membership
American Academy of Neurology; National Headache Foundation; American Headache Society; International Headache Society; American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine; Society for Neuroscience

Community & Humanitarian Involvement
Guest Speaker, Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America Patient Support Group

Publications
Geraci, A., Di Rocco, A.: Anti-HIV Therapy (Development of AIDS-Myelopathy after the Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV-1). AIDS, 2000

Simpson, D.M., Haidich, A., Schifitto, G., Yiannoutsos, C., Geraci, A.P., McArthur, J.C., Katzenstein, D.: Severity of HIV-Associated Neuropathy is Associated with Plasma HIV-1 RNA Levels. AIDS, 2002

Di Rocco, A., Bottiglieri, T., Werner, P., Geraci, A., Simpson, D., Godbold, J., Morgello, S.: Abnormal Cobalamin-Dependent Trans-Methylation in AIDS-Associated Vacuolar Myelopathy. Neurology, 2002

Morgello, S., Estanislao, L., Simpson, D., Geraci, A., et al.: HIV-Associated Distal Sensory Polyneuropathy in the Era of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy: The Manhattan HIV Brain Bank. Archives of Neurology, 2004

Specialty
Neurology

Clinical Focus
Neuropathy
Inherited and Acquired Muscle Diseases
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Myasthenia Gravis

Hospital Affiliation
North Shore University Hospital, Long Island Jewish Medical Center

Patient Office
Northwell Health Physician Partners Neuroscience Institute at Great Neck, 611 Northern Boulevard, Suite 150, Great Neck, NY 11021, (516) 325-7000, Fax (516) 325-7001

Assistant Professor, Neurology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

Joining Northwell Health in 2015, Luca Giliberto, MD, PhD is an attending neurologist at North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center and a researcher at the Alzheimer’s Center at Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. Dr. Giliberto’s research interests include new approaches to the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease, focusing on amyloid/tau signaling and brain susceptibility to aging and the mechanisms of traumatic brain encephalopathy. He is actively involved in outreach and educational projects on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in the Long Island community.

Education
MD – Universita Degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy; PhD – Universita Degli Studi di Genova, Genova, Italy

Residency
Internal Medicine – Nassau University Medical Center; Neurology – North Shore University Hospital

Board Certification
Neurology – American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology

Clinical Trial & Research Interest
Alzheimer’s Disease Treatments, Genetic Correlates of Alzheimer’s Disease, New Models of Alzheimer’s Disease, Pathogenic Mechanisms of Alzheimer’s Disease, Pathogenic Mechanisms of Traumatic Brain Encephalopathy

Awards & Professional Recognition
Important Scientific Contribution as Young Investigator, Annual Meeting, Italian Neurological Society, 2007

Professional Membership
American Academy of Neurology; Society for Neurosciences

Publications
Biundo, F., d’Abramo, C., Tambini, M.D., Zhang, H., Del Prete, D., Vitale, F., Giliberto, L., Arancio, O., D’Adamio, L.: Abolishing Tau cleavage by Caspases at Aspartate 421 Causes Memory/Synaptic Plasticity Deficits and Pre-Pathological Tau Alterations. Translational Psychiatry, 2017

Guglielmotto, M., Monteleone, D., Boido, M., Piras, A., Giliberto, L., Borghi, R., Vercelli, A., Fornaro, M., Tabaton, M., Tamagno, E.: Aβ1-42-Mediated Down-Regulation of Uch-L1 is Dependent on NF-κB Activation and Impaired BACE1 Lysosomal Degradation. Aging Cell, October 2012

Tamayev, R., Matsuda, S., Giliberto, L., Arancio, O., D’Adamio, L.: APP Heterozygosity Averts Memory Deficit in Knockin Mice Expressing the Danish Dementia BRI2 Mutant. EMBO Journal, May 17, 2011

Specialty
Neurology

Clinical Focus
Alzheimer’s Disease and Degenerative Dementias
Cognitive Disorders
Vascular Dementia
Traumatic Brain Encephalopathy

Hospital Affiliation
North Shore University Hospital, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Lenox Hill Hospital, Long Island Jewish Forest Hills

Patient Office
Northwell Health Physician Partners Neuroscience Institute at Great Neck, 611 Northern Boulevard, Suite 150, Great Neck, NY 11021, (516) 325-7000, Fax (516) 325-7001

Neurologist

Assistant Professor, Neurology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

Board certified in neurology, Asaff Harel, MD, MSc joins Northwell Health Physician Partners as an attending neurologist. Dr. Harel received his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine where he was elected a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Fellow. He completed a neurology residency and a multiple sclerosis fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital, funded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Institutional Clinical Training Award and the NIH. Dr. Harel has extensive research experience. His current research focuses on investigating the use of advanced MRI techniques to monitor disease worsening in relapsing remitting and primary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Education
MD – University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Residency
Neurology – Mount Sinai Hospital and Medical Center

Fellowship
Multiple Sclerosis – Mount Sinai Hospital and Medical Center

Board Certification
Neurology – American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology

Clinical Trial & Research Interest
Multiple Sclerosis, Neuroimaging, Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO)

Awards & Professional Recognition
Institutional Clinical Training Award, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 2015; Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program Award, National Institutes of Health, 2016

Professional Membership
American Academy of Neurology; National MS Society

Community & Humanitarian Involvement
Participant, Caring for the Patient with Advanced Multiple Sclerosis Program for MS Clinical Fellows, 2016

Publications
Harel, A., Ceccarelli, A., Farrell, C., Fabian, M., Howard, J., Riley, C., Miller, A., Lublin, F., Inglese, M.: Phase-Sensitive Inversion-Recovery MRI Improves Longitudinal Cortical Lesion Detection in Progressive MS. PLoS One, 11(3): e0152180, 2016; Harel, A., Katz-Sand, I.: Treatment Strategies in Multiple Sclerosis, Handbook of Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis. Editor Aaron Miller. Springer Healthcare, US, 2016; Straus Farber, R.*, Harel, A.*, Lublin, F.: Novel Agents for Relapsing Forms of Multiple Sclerosis. Annual Review of Medicine, 67:309-21, 2016. *Authors contributed equally; Reinhart, B., Goins, W.F., Harel, A., Chaudhry, S., Goss, J.R., Gold, M.S., deGroat, W.C., Cohen, J.B., Glorioso, J.C.: An HSV Expression Library Screen Identifies PP1 as a Novel Antagonist of TRPV1 Activation with Potent Analgesic Activity in Models of Thermal Pain. Molecular Therapy – Methods and Clinical Development, 3:16040, 2016; Harel, A., Krieger, S.: Syncope (contributing question author). In Medina-Walpole, A., Pacala, J.T., Potter, J.F., Eds. Geriatrics Review Syllabus: A Core Curriculum in Geriatric Medicine, 9th ed. New York, NY: American Geriatrics Society, 2016

Specialty
Neurology

Clinical Focus
Autoimmune Encephalitis
Multiple Sclerosis
Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO)
Neurosarcoidosis

Hospital Affiliation
Lenox Hill Hospital, North Shore University Hospital

Patient Office
Northwell Health Physician Partners Neurology at Lenox Hill, 130 East 77th Street, 8 Black Hall, New York, NY 10075, (212) 434-6400, Fax (212) 434-2279

Northwell Health Physician Partners Neuroscience Institute at Great Neck, 611 Northern Boulevard, Suite 150, Great Neck, NY 11021, (516) 325-7000, Fax (516) 325-7001

Director, Epilepsy, Central and Eastern Regions, Northwell Health

Joining Northwell Health in 2017 as Director of Epilepsy for the Central and Eastern Regions, Fred A. Lado, MD, PhD brings with him over 17 years of experience. Dr. Lado previously served as Chief of the Neurology Service, EEG Lab Director and Director of Clinical Neurology Operations in the Montefiore Health System. He has held numerous leadership positions in the American Epilepsy Society (AES) and is currently Vice Chair for the Council of Education and Chair of the committee overseeing the educational activity at the annual meeting of the AES. Dr. Lado is also a board member of the National Association of Epilepsy Centers and is Vice Chair of the Physician Advisory Board of the Epilepsy Foundation of Metropolitan New York. Dr. Lado’s current research is directed at better defining the seizure focus using non-invasive imaging and EEG.

Education
MD – New York University School of Medicine

Residency
Neurology – New York Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center; Internal Medicine – New York University School of Medicine

Fellowship
Clinical Neurophysiology – Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center

Board Certification
Neurology – American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology; Epilepsy – American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology; Neurophysiology – American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology

Awards & Professional Recognition
Phi Beta Kappa, Cornell University, 1984; Top Scholar Scholarship, American Epilepsy Society, Annual Meeting, 1998; Research Award, National EpiFellows (NEF), 1999; Certificate of Appreciation, American Epilepsy Society, 2009 and 2012; President Letter of Appreciation, American Epilepsy Society, 2013

Professional Membership
American Academy of Neurology; American Clinical Neurophysiology Society; American Epilepsy Society; Fellow, American Neurological Association

Publications
Mercier, M.R., Bickel, S., Megevand, P., Groppe, D.M., Schroeder, C.E., Mehta, A.D., Lado F.A.: Evaluation of Cortical Local Field Potential Diffusion in Stereotactic Electro-Encephalography Recordings: A Glimpse of the White Matter Signal. Neuroimage, 2017; Keller, C.J., Bickel, S., Honey, C.J., Groppe, D.M., Entz, L., Craddock, C.R., Kelley, C., Lado, F.A., Milham, M., Mehta A.D.: Neurophysiological Investigation of Spontaneous Correlated and Anticorrelated Fluctuations of the OLD Signal. Journal of Neuroscience, 2013; Lado, F.A., Rubboli, G., Capovilla, P., Avanzini, G., Moshé, S.L.: Pathophysiology of Epileptic Encephalopathies. Epilepsia, 2013; Lado, F.A., Moshé S.L.: How do Seizures Stop?. Epilepsia, 2008; Lado, F.A., Spiegel, R., Masur, J., Boro, A., Haut, S.R.: Value of Routine Screening for Bone Demineralization in an Urban Population of Patients with Epilepsy. Epilepsy Research, 2008

Specialty
Clinical Neurophysiology, EEG/Epilepsy, Neurology

Clinical Focus
Medically Refractory Epilepsy
Treatment with Neurostimulation or Resective Epilepsy Surgery
Minimally Invasive Epilepsy Surgery Including Stereo-EEG (SEEG)
Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT)

Hospital Affiliation
Long Island Jewish Medical Center, North Shore University Hospital, Long Island Jewish Forest Hills

Patient Office
Northwell Health Physician Partners Neuroscience Institute at Great Neck, 611 Northern Boulevard, Suite 150, Great Neck, NY 11021, (516) 325-7000, Fax (516) 325-7001

Senior Vice President and Executive Director, Neurology Service Line, Northwell Health

Chair, Neurology, North Shore University Hospital, Lenox Hill Hospital, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Staten Island University Hospital

Chair and Professor, Neurology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

Internationally recognized for his clinical, research and teaching expertise, Souhel Najjar, MD has dedicated his career to the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy of all ages, complex neurological disorders and autoimmune disorders of the central nervous system. Prior to his appointment at Northwell Health, Dr. Najjar was Senior Epilepsy Faculty as well as Director of Epilepsy Quality Assurance and Founder and Director of the Neuroinflammation Research Group at NYU’s Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. Additionally, he was Director of Neurosciences and Stroke at Staten Island University Hospital. Dr. Najjar’s work has been widely published, and he is a reviewer for several peer-reviewed journals.

Education
MD – Damascus University Faculty of Medicine

Residency
Anatomic/Clinical Pathology – Albany Medical Center Hospital; Neurology – Albany Medical Center Hospital

Fellowship
EEG/Epilepsy – New York University; Neuropathology – New York University

Board Certification
Neurology – American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology

Clinical Trial & Research Interest
Neuroinflammation and Epilepsy, Neuroinflammation and Psychiatric Illnesses, Autoimmune Encephalitis

Awards & Professional Recognition
Top Doctors in America, U.S. News and World Report, 2007; New York’s Best Doctors, New York Magazine, 2010–2014; Mystery Diagnosis, TLC, 2005; Featured, New York Post, 2009; Featured, Today Show, 2010; Featured, Katie Couric Show, 2012; Featured in the New York Times Best-Selling Novel, Brain on Fire, 2013; Co-Director, Scientific Planning Committee, Autoimmune Encephalitis Alliance, 2013–Present

Publications
Pearlman, D.M., Najjar, S.: Response to Steiner and Bogerts on N-Methyl-dAspartate Receptor Autoantibodies in Schizophrenia and Affective Disorders. Schizophrenia Research, March 2015; Najjar, S., et al.: Blood Levels of S-100 Calcium-Binding Protein B, High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein and Interleukin-6 for Changes in Depressive Symptom Severity after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: Prospective Cohort Nested Within a Randomized, Controlled Trial. PLOS One, October 20, 2014; Pearlman, D.M., Najjar, S.: Meta-Analysis of the Association Between N-Methyl-Aspartate Receptor Antibodies and Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder. Schizophrenia Research, August 2014; Najjar, S., et al.: Neurovascular Unit Dysfunction with Blood-Brain Barrier Hyperpermeability Contributes to Major Depressive Disorder: A Review of Clinical and Experimental Evidence. Journal of Neuroinflammation, December 1, 2013; Najjar, S., et al.: Neuroinflammation and Psychiatric Illness. Journal of Neuroinflammation, April 1, 2013; Najjar, S., et al.: Glia and Epilepsy: Excitability and Inflammation. Trends in Neurosciences, March 2013; Najjar, S., et al.: Extralimbic Autoimmune Encephalitis Associated with Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase Antibodies: An Underdiagnosed Entity? Epilepsy & Behavior, 2011; Najjar, S., et al.: Immunology and Epilepsy. Reviews in Neurological Diseases, December 12, 2007

Specialty
Neurology, EEG/Epilepsy

Clinical Focus
Epilepsy
Clinical Neurophysiology
Autoimmune Disorders of the Central Nervous System

Hospital Affiliation
Lenox Hill Hospital, Staten Island University Hospital

Patient Office
Northwell Health Physician Partners Neurology at Lenox Hill, 130 East 77th Street, 8 Black Hall, New York, NY 10075, (212) 434-6400, Fax (212) 434-2279

Northwell Health Physician Partners Neurology at Staten Island, 1110 South Avenue, Suite 300, Staten Island, NY 10314, (718) 226-5700, Fax (718) 226-9654

Regional Director, Deep Brain Stimulation, Northwell Health Eastern Region and Lenox Hill Hospital

Associate Director, Movement Disorders, North Shore University Hospital

Having dedicated his career to the evaluation and treatment of patients with Parkinson’s and other movement disorders, Ritesh A. Ramdhani, MD is a leader in his field. Prior to joining Northwell Health, Dr. Ramdhani held leadership positons at several organizations and is actively involved in resident and student teaching, contributing to the development of tomorrow’s physicians. Dr. Ramdhani’s research interests include using motion sensor technology to better characterize Parkinson’s motor symptoms and subsequently develop computational frameworks to potentially predict medication and deep brain stimulation responses.

Education
MD – Mount Sinai Medical School

Residency
Neurology – Mount Sinai Medical Center

Fellowship
Movement Disorders – Mount Sinai Medical Center

Board Certification
Neurology – American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

Clinical Trial & Research Interest
Investigation of the Use of Wearable Sensor Technology to Improve the Application of Existing Therapies for Parkinson’s Disease and Tremor, Site Principal Investigator for the APPRISE Trial, which Studies the Impact of the Parkinson’s Kinetograph (PKG) from Global Kinetics, Inc. on Decision Making Among Movement Disorders Specialists

Awards & Professional Recognition
Resident Member, Alpha Omega Alpha, 2012; House Staff Physician of the Year, Mount Sinai Medical Center, 2010; Employee Appreciation Award for Outstanding Patient Care, Mount Sinai Medical Center, 2008

Professional Membership
American Academy of Neurology; Movement Disorders Society; American Neurological Association; Editorial Board, International Journal of Neurology and Neurotherapy, 2014; Editorial Board, Journal of Clinical Movement Disorders, 2016; International Journal of Neuroscience, 2015; Reviewer, Journal of Neurological Sciences, 2016; Reviewer, Journal of Clinical Movement Disorders, 2016; Reviewer, Tremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements, 2017; Reviewer, Journal of Parkinson’s Disease, 2017

Publications
Khojandi, A., Shylo, O., Mannini, L., Kopell, B.H., Ramdhani, R.A.: Stratifying Parkinson’s Patients with STN-DBS into High Frequency or 60Hz-Frequency Modulation using a Computational Model. Neuromodulation, May 8, 2017; doi: 10.1111/ner.12607 [PMID 28480524]

Ramdhani, R.A., Khojandi, A., Shylo, O., Kopell, B.H.: Optimizing Clinical Assessments in Parkinson’s Disease Through the Use of Wearable Sensors and Data Driven Modeling. Frontiers In Computational Neuroscience, 12:72. https://doi.org/10.3389/ fncom.2018.00072

Ramdhani, R.A., Kumar, V., Velickovic, M., Frucht, S.J., Tagliati, M., Simonyan, K.: What’s special about task in dystonia? A voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging study. Mov Disord, August 2014;29(9):1141-50 [PMID 24925463]

Specialty
Neurology

Clinical Focus
Parkinson’s Disease
Atypical Parkinsonism
Tremor
Dystonia
Restless Leg Syndrome
Hemifacial Spasm
Tic Disorder
Chorea
Botulinum Toxin Therapy
Deep Brain Stimulation

Hospital Affiliation
North Shore University Hospital, Lenox Hill Hospital

Patient Office
Northwell Health Physician Partners Neuroscience Institute at Great Neck, 611 Northern Boulevard, Suite 150, Great Neck, NY 11021, (516) 325-7000, Fax (516) 325-7001

Northwell Health Physician Partners Neurology at Lenox Hill, 130 East 77 Street, 8 Black Hall, New York, NY 10075, (516) 325-7000, Fax (516) 325-7001

Assistant Professor, Neurology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

Neuromuscular medicine and electromyography specialist Sami Saba, MD joined Northwell Health in 2016 in the Department of Neurology at Lenox Hill Hospital. Dr. Saba has focused his career on diseases of the peripheral nerves, muscles and spinal cord. He is experienced in diagnosing and treating diseases such as carpal tunnel syndrome, peripheral neuropathy, cervical and lumbar radiculopathy, myasthenia gravis, motor neuron disease and acquired and inherited muscle disorders. Dr. Saba is devoted to expert diagnosis and treatment for improved patient outcomes and is sensitive to the needs of both his patients and their families.

Education
MD – Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Residency
Neurology – New York University Langone Medical Center

Fellowship
Neuromuscular Medicine – Montefiore Medical Center

Board Certification
Neurology – American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology; Neuromuscular Medicine – American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology

Professional Membership
American Academy of Neurology

Community & Humanitarian Involvement
Chief Resident for Resident Education, New York University School of Medicine; Global Health Fellow, Meru Regional Hospital, Meru, Kenya; Community Health Educator, Manila, Philippines

Specialty
Neurology, Neuromuscular Medicine

Clinical Focus
Peripheral Neuropathy
Myopathy
Myasthenia Gravis
Motor Neuron Diseases
Pediatric Neuromuscular Disorders

Hospital Affiliation
Lenox Hill Hospital

Patient Office
Northwell Health Physician Partners Neurology at Lenox Hill, 130 East 77th Street, 8 Black Hall, New York, NY 10075, (212) 434-6400, Fax (212) 434-2279

Northwell Health Physician Partners Neurology at Chelsea South, 22 West 15th Street, New York, NY 10011, (212) 434-6400, Fax (212) 434-2279