1 New Giza University, School of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt, Head of the Neurology Discipline, MHN Module lead, and scientific Director of the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) Educational programme.
2 Myo Care Foundation (Egyptian NGO), Cairo, Egypt, Chair.
3 EgyptAir Hospital, Cairo, Egypt, Consultant of Neuromuscular disorders.
4 Department of Neuromuscular Research, NCNP, Tokyo, Japan, visiting Scientist.
5 Al-Hadi Neuromuscular Centre, Iraq, Visiting Consultant of Neuromuscular Disorders.
Education summary
Research Fellow, genetics and pathology of muscle Disease, Department of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, NCNP, Tokyo, Japan.
Doctorate Degree in Neurology, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Doctorate thesis: "Dystrophin gene analysis for identification of DMD/BMD carrier status in Egyptian symptomatic and asymptomatic females," completed at the National Institute of Neuroscience, NCNP, Tokyo, Japan.
Master's Degree in Neuropsychiatry, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Training: I received my training at NCNP Tokyo as a research fellow and visiting researcher in the Neuromuscular and ultrastructural research Departments on the molecular diagnosis of muscle disease at the National Institute of Neuroscience (NCNP), Tokyo, Japan.
I received a fellowship in 2013 to train in registry work at the TREAT-NMD in Newcastle University, UK.
I received training on the Genomics of Rare Disorders from Exeter University, UK, in 2023.
Career summary
Consultant of Neuromuscular Disorders.
Head of the Neurology Discipline, MHN Module lead, and Scientific Director of the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) Educational Programme, at New Giza University, School of Medicine, Cairo.
Chair MyoCare Foundation, Egyptian NGO, advancing research and education in neuromuscular disorders.
Focus: Developing education, programmes, clinical research, and patient care in neuromuscular disorders; bridging international collaborations and mentoring the next generation of neuromuscular specialists to improve the development of Myology in underserved regions.
Internationally, I am a Visiting Scientist at the Department of Neuromuscular Research, NCNP Tokyo.
In 2023, I co-founded the first Iraqi Neuromuscular Centre and trained doctors on muscle biopsy. I continue to serve as Visiting Consultant and Project Manager of the Iraqi National Neuromuscular Registry, reflecting my commitment to global collaboration.
I served and volunteered in several national and international committees. I've been chair of the Rare Disorders committee and a scientific member of the Egyptian Genome Project. I've been the chair of the WMS Myology Development Committee since 2021 and chair of the WMS Africa and the Middle East Regional Network. I also contributed to TREAT-NMD efforts by volunteering as a member of the TREAT-NMD NMD advisory committee and TREAT-NMD TGDOC, since 2013, where I contributed to developing the LGMD core data set.
Grants: My work has been supported by multiple national and international grants (Pfizer, WMS, STDF, NCNP Japan, EgyptAir, among others) and has resulted in several publications in leading international journals.
I founded the Egyptian Neuromuscular Registry in 2013.
I co-founded and led the Laboratory of Neurogenetics at Ain Shams University (1999–2010). My contributions have been recognised with the Ain Shams University President’s Award for Distinguished Researcher.
What is the personal or professional achievement you’re most proud of?
One of my proudest achievements is founding and chairing the WMS Myology Developments Across the World Committee in 2021, successfully fostering inclusion and collaboration between myologists worldwide across the Society and contributing to the development of the WMS Regional Networks. Chairing the first WMS Africa and the Middle East Regional Network meeting in April 2025 was a historic milestone that established a lasting platform for regional collaboration, education, and research, ensuring the voices of myologists from this region are represented in the global community. Over the past two decades, I have worked to advance patient care and education in low-resource regions by raising awareness, organising medical convoys across Egypt, and establishing the first specialised neuromuscular centre in Iraq and the Iraqi National Neuromuscular Registry. On a personal level, surviving cancer in 2017, deepened my commitment to patients, whose encouragement sustained me through treatment, my journey as a woman in the Middle East dedicated to working with rare disorders while raising two successful daughters has strengthened my resolve to serve as a mentor for young professionals from Egypt and Iraq, as the scientific director of the DMD educational course at New Giza University, some of whom are now WMS members presenting their first research.
Why did you first join the WMS?
I joined the WMS in 2009 on the advice of my teacher, Dr. Ikuya Nonaka, and my mentor, Dr. Ichizo Nishino, who encouraged me to present my doctoral thesis at the WMS Congress. Although it was intimidating at the time to be the only member from Africa and the Middle East, becoming part of the WMS community gave me the support and inspiration to persevere, advance my career in myology, and, in turn, mentor young medical professionals in my region.
What is your goal in joining the Executive Board?
My goal in joining the Executive Board is to contribute to the WMS mission by strengthening education, inclusion, and collaboration across the global myology community. While international experts have made valuable contributions to supporting myology in underserved regions, my priority is to build sustainable, local expertise and long-term capacity. I am committed to ensuring excellence and sustainability regardless of geography by developing structured educational modules in neuromuscular medicine, tailored to the needs of each region. My in-depth understanding of the challenges in areas such as Africa and the Middle East, home to some of the largest underserved populations of neuromuscular patients, positions me to make a meaningful impact. Drawing on my experience as Head of Neurology Discipline, Scientific Director of the DMD educational course, and in developing neuromuscular centres in the region, training doctors, building registries, and leading regional chapters, I aim to help WMS design strategies that bridge education and research gaps and improve outcomes for patients worldwide.
