Speakers

Abdo Saad, MD

Dr. Abdo Saad obtained his medical degree from the American University of Beirut in Lebanon in 2004. To complete his medical training, he moved to the United States for a residency in Internal Medicine at Indiana University-Indianapolis, then a geriatric fellowship at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, followed by a gastroenterology fellowship at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Additionally, he completed an advanced fellowship dedicated to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) at the University of Chicago, Illinois. Before joining us, his clinical practice was at the Presbyterian Healthcare System, a statewide system in Albuquerque, New Mexico, US, where he also served as a medical director for the gastroenterology (GI) specialty group for two years. Dr. Saad specialized in inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease) and esophageal diseases, specifically reflux disease and dysphagia, in addition to GI motility and functional disorders. Dr. Saad’s specialized training in this field was obtained at Northwestern University in Chicago. In addition to carrying on his clinical GI practice with a focus on IBD, he also specialized in esophageal diseases and esophageal and anorectal motility disorders. He also serves as the GI fellowship program director and is actively involved in academic activities at the medical school and within the medical training programs at the hospital. 

Dany Gaspard, MD

Dr. Dany Gaspard is an American Board-Certified pulmonary and critical care physician with a special interest and sub-specialization in advanced bronchoscopy and interventional pulmonary medicine. He is a clinical assistant professor at the LAU Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine and is the current division head for pulmonary medicine at the LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital. Dr. Gaspard obtained his MD degree at the Saint Joseph University School of Medicine, Beirut, in 2008. He completed his residency training in internal medicine at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, New Jersey, US, in 2013, followed by a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine in 2016 and an additional year of training in interventional pulmonary medicine in 2017. Dr Gaspard is a member of multiple local and international scientific societies and committees. He served as a keynote international speaker at different conferences, such as the American Thoracic Society’s (ATS) international conference. He is an active researcher and has authored multiple peer-reviewed articles.

Maria Ramia, MD

Dr. Maria Ramia is a medical professional with expertise in rheumatology and family medicine. She earned her Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the American University of Beirut (AUB) in 2011, followed by a residency in family medicine at the AUB Medical Center (AUBMC), where she graduated Resident of the Year. She further specialized in rheumatology through a fellowship at AUBMC, which she completed in 2017.  Currently, Dr. Ramia serves as an assistant professor of clinical medicine at the LAU Medical Center–Saint John’s Hospital and as a rheumatology attending at the Middle East Institute of Health University Hospital. She also practices at her private clinic in Baabda and several polyclinics. Dr. Ramia has contributed to numerous publications in rheumatology and family medicine, participated in both national and international conferences, and has received prestigious awards, including the EULAR Imaging Course Award for Best Image in 2017. Since joining LAU Medical Center–Saint John’s Hospital, she has also been actively involved in the teaching of medical students and residents. 

Patrick Hallak, MD

Dr. Patrick Hallak is an esteemed nephrologist with over 13 years of clinical experience. He completed his medical education at Saint Joseph University, followed by a residency in internal medicine at Indiana University. Pursuing specialized training in nephrology, Dr. Hallak undertook a nephrology fellowship at the University of Chicago, Illinois, US, where he also completed an Advanced Fellowship focusing on Glomerular Diseases and Home Dialysis. He further honed his expertise with a transplant nephrology fellowship at Northwestern University, Illinois, US.  Board-certified in both internal medicine and nephrology, Dr. Hallak currently serves as an assistant professor of medicine at LAU and Georgetown University, Washington DC, US. His clinical practice includes positions at the LAU Medical Center and Clemenceau Medical Center (CMC), where he is dedicated to delivering exceptional nephrology care to his patients.

Rajaa Chatila, MD, MHPE

Beyond her clinical and educational responsibilities, Dr. Rajaa Chatila is an invited speaker at numerous conferences and has a strong research interest in gastroenterology. Her research covers a wide array of topics, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and its link to anxiety, treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and predictors of academic performance in medical education.  Dr. Chatila is a clinical associate professor of medicine, gastroenterologist, and hepatologist at the LAU Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, where she has served since 2010. She earned her BS and MD from the American University of Beirut, followed by a residency and fellowship training at Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) at Yale University, Connecticut, US. She is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in both internal medicine and gastroenterology. Dr. Chatila is a skilled endoscopist with expertise in diagnostic and therapeutic upper and lower endoscopies, balloon dilation of strictures, endoscopic treatment of achalasia, and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). She has a strong interest in medical education and plays a pivotal role in the teaching of undergraduate medical students. As the module coordinator of the Gastroenterology course for Med II students, she is actively involved in shaping their education. Additionally, Dr. Chatila is dedicated to the teaching and assessment of residents, as well as the hands-on training of fellows in endoscopy. In her administrative role, Dr. Chatila serves as the assistant dean for Graduate Medical Education (GME), where she is leading efforts to seek international accreditation for GME programs. Her leadership in this area is aimed at elevating the quality of postgraduate medical education at LAU and ensuring that the programs meet the highest international standards.

She has several publications in these areas and continues to contribute to advancements in the field.

Riad Azar, MD

Dr. Riad Azar joined the LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital in 2011 as head of the Division of Gastroenterology. Prior to attaining this position, he was associate professor and director of Endoscopic Ultrasound at Washington University in St. Louis, US, where he spent nine years as an attending physician focusing on all aspects of interventional endoscopy and general gastroenterology. Dr. Azar graduated from Saint Joseph University Medical School, Beirut, in 1994. He then completed an internship at the University of Connecticut in 1995, and a residency in internal medicine and fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of Massachusetts in 1998 and 2001, respectively. Dr. Azar obtained a diploma in advanced endoscopy from Harvard Medical School, Boston, in 2002. He has a strong interest in all aspects of interventional endoscopy, including ERCP and EUS—focusing mainly on the pancreas, gallbladder, and bile ducts; treatment of gallstones; and cancer staging. He also specializes in colonoscopy and the resection of large polyps. He has extensive experience and expertise in endoscopic bariatric procedures and the management of complications resulting from bariatric surgery. Dr. Azar is a diplomate of the American Board of Gastroenterology. He was promoted to clinical professor of medicine at LAU in 2017. He has published a large number of articles in major gastroenterology journals, and several textbook chapters. He received recognition as one of the “Best Doctors in America” from 2009 through 2018. He remains an adjunct associate professor of medicine at Washington University in St. Louis, US.

Righab Hamdan, MD

Dr. Righab Hamdan is a consultant cardiologist with extensive experience in heart failure, interventional cardiology, and advanced cardiovascular care. She holds a distinguished academic and professional background, having completed numerous prestigious certifications and diplomas, including a Master of Science in Medical Imaging from Paris XII University, France, and an Intervention Cardiology diploma from Paris V University, where she was awarded the prize for the best thesis of the year.  Dr. Hamdan’s career includes key roles in leading hospitals across the Middle East. Her prior experience includes interventional cardiology at the Clemenceau Medical Center in Dubai and leadership roles at the Beirut Cardiac Institute, where she was instrumental in managing a large cohort of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) and heart transplant patients.  Dr. Hamdan has contributed extensively to the scientific community, with multiple publications in high-impact medical journals focusing on heart failure, peripartum cardiomyopathy, and LVAD. Dr. Hamdan is also actively involved in clinical research and has co-authored various position papers and book chapters on cardiovascular disease.  Dr. Hamdan has been recognized for her leadership in the cardiovascular field, having served on several expert committees, including the European Society of Cardiology’s Heart Failure Association. She is also a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Cardiology and Therapy and has been the former chairman of the Heart Failure Working Group of the Lebanese Society of Cardiology.  Her dedication to both patient care and medical education continues to shape the future of cardiology in the region.

Rima Moghnieh, MD

Dr. Rima Moghnieh, an infectious disease specialist and researcher, has practiced medicine in Lebanon since 1996. She has extensive experience in treating immunocompromised patients in the field of hematology, oncology and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at multiple tertiary-care hospitals for more than 20 years, as well as in general infectious diseases clinical practice for more than 25 years. She held leadership roles in infection prevention and control (IPC) and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in several tertiary-care hospitals. Currently, she serves as a professor of clinical medicine at LAU, also heading the Division of Infectious Diseases at the LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital. As a former president of the Lebanese Society for Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, her dedication to enhancing IPC practices in Lebanon spans since 2011, focusing on hand hygiene, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and AMS. Since 2018, she has been a part-time consultant for the WHO, developing National Action Plans for AMR control in several Middle Eastern countries, including Lebanon, Syria, Kuwait, Libya, Tunisia, Somalia, and the UAE. Additionally, she has acted as an external consultant for the WHO, aiding in developing national IPC guidelines in countries like Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine, and Jordan. Dr. Moghnieh has been nominated as a member of the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Antimicrobial Resistance (STAG-AMR) at the WHO for the 2024–2027 term. She has co-authored more than 50 publications in reputable journals, notably contributing to national clinical guidelines for managing community-acquired pneumonia, febrile neutropenia, urinary tract infections, and complicated intra-abdominal infections. Her research interests encompass various fields of infectious diseases, including epidemiological studies, AMR surveillance, hospital-based IPC and AMS, and COVID-19 vaccinology. As an educator, Dr. Moghnieh has provided strong clinical mentorship to fellows, residents and medical students rotating through tertiary care hospitals she has worked in from multiple reputed medical schools in Lebanon.

Rita Nemr, MD

Dr. Rita Nemr is currently a clinical associate professor of endocrinology at the LAU Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine and LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital.  She is a former president of the Lebanese Society of Endocrinology Diabetes and Lipids (2010–2012), and a member of the Endocrine Society and the American Diabetes Association. Dr. Nemr obtained her MD degree from the Saint Joseph University School of Medicine, Beirut. She completed her postgraduate training in internal medicine at Hotel Dieu de France Hospital in Beirut, and pursued a fellowship in endocrinology and lipidology at Pitié- Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris, France. She is an invited speaker to many local and regional congresses, and has authored many publications on the subject of the genetics of type 2 diabetes in Lebanon.

Siba Kallab, MD

Dr. Siba Kallab is a clinical assistant professor in the Division of Nephrology at the LAU Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine. She earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from Saint Joseph University School of Medicine and completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Hôtel-Dieu de France, both in Beirut, Lebanon. Following this, she pursued a fellowship in transplantation at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, France. Dr. Kallab holds several university diplomas, including in critical care Nephrology (Pierre and Marie Curie University, 2011), blood purification techniques (Strasbourg University, 2010), and peritoneal dialysis (Caen Bnsse Normandie University, 2011). She also achieved specialty certification in transplantation (AFS) from Paul Sabatier University, Toulouse III.  Dr. Kallab has authored numerous publications in the field of transplantation and serves as a reviewer for the international workgroup EXTRIP, which focuses on the use of dialysis in cases of intoxication. Her primary interest lies in the use of extracorporeal treatments for intoxication. In addition to her clinical and research roles, Dr. Kallab is passionate about medical education. She is committed to sharing knowledge of the latest techniques, including the use of simulation in medical training.