Congress

Ali Saeed Alzahrani, MD, FACE, ECNU Consultant Endocrinologist King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre Professor of Medicine, Alfaisal University Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ali S. Alzahrani, M.D. is a consultant endocrinologist at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre and a Professor of Medicine at Alfaisal University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He was the recipient of the 2015 International Clinician Award from the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), Orlando, Florida and the Ibn Seina Distinction Award from The AACE Gulf Chapter in 2016. He was the Editor-in Chief of the Annals of Saudi Medicine. He is an Editorial Board member of THYROID, the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (JCEM), JCEM Case Reports and Endocrine. He is an academic editor of the PLOS. Professor Alzahrani has more than 200 peer-reviewed articles, and he has presented more than 150 lectures nationally and internationally. He is a member of the American Thyroid Association Research Committee and the International Thyroid Oncology Group (ITOG). His academic interests are clinical and molecular research in the areas of endocrine oncology and endocrine genetics.

Dr. Cheng is an Endocrinologist at Trillium Health Partners and Unity Health Toronto and an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto. She was involved with the development of the Diabetes Canada clinical practice guidelines from 2003 to 2020 and was Chair for the 2013 version. She served as Chair of the Scientific Planning Committee for the 2023 and 2024 American Diabetes Association annual scientific meetings and sits on the planning committee for EASD 2025 and IDF 2025. In addition, she is an Associate Editor for the journal, Diabetes Care, and co-host of the podcast series “Diabetes Care On Air”. In recognition of her contribution to the diabetes community, she has received the 2025 Outstanding Physician Clinician in Diabetes Award from the American Diabetes Association. In addition, she has received the national Charles H. Best Award and the Gerald S. Wong Service Award from Diabetes Canada. She is also the creator of The Med Ed Pledge – an initiative to increase Diversity & Inclusion in continuing medical education (www.theMedEdPledge.com) along with CMEX – a searchable database of health care professionals interested in contributing to medical education.

Dr. Amena Sadiya, a licensed nutritionist and an International Board-Certified Lifestyle Medicine Professional. Currently, she serves as an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Sharjah and a Tutor at the University of South Wales, UK. In addition to clinical practice at Genesis Healthcare Centre, Dubai, UAE. Her academic background includes a Ph.D. and MSc in Food and Nutrition from India, along with clinical research training (GCSRT) from Harvard Medical School, USA. Throughout her career, she has designed and led evidence-based lifestyle intervention programs across the UAE and has been actively involved in both clinical practice and academic research. She has published several research papers and serves as a peer reviewer for three international medical journals. Dr.Sadiya, also had the privilege of speaking at various medical conferences, sharing insights on integrating nutrition and lifestyle into chronic disease management. In addition to this, she is the author of a book entitled 'Lifestyle Prescription for Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes', reflecting her commitment to practical, patient-centered solutions for improving metabolic health.

Amer Khalil is a highly experienced and dedicated Diabetes Educator at the Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC) in Abu Dhabi, UAE, where he has been a valued team member for 19 years. He is licensed by the Department of Health Authority, Abu Dhabi, and holds Scope Certification from the World Obesity Federation. Amer provides expert education and support to patients with Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes. He works closely with the bariatric team on weight management and offers personalized consultations both in-person and via telephone. As a certified insulin pump trainer (Medtronic and Omni Pod ), Amer is proficient in advanced diabetes technologies for both adult and pediatric patients. He also contributes to professional development as a faculty member of the Diabetes Health Awareness Course at ICLDC and has co-authored a book on pediatric insulin pumps. Amer frequently delivers educational lectures to healthcare professionals and patients, sharing his extensive knowledge and experience. Prior to joining ICLDC, he served as a Registered Nurse at Safad Hospital in Tripoli, Lebanon .

Full Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases at the University “Federico II” of Naples. Currently, he serves as Director of the Complex Unit of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases at the “Federico II” University Hospital in Naples. His career includes positions of national and international prestige, such as the UNESCO Chair for Health Education and Sustainable Development. Her scientific activity is prolifically documented with more than 1,000 published articles and more than 100 book chapters. Her bibliometric parameters place her among the top 100 Italian female scientists. She has coordinated research projects and holds editorial positions in renowned scientific journals. In the field of endocrinology, she has received numerous prizes and awards, consolidating her commitment to medical research. Her dedication also extends to the social sphere, being the founder of several prevention initiatives. She is at the top of the list of Top Italian Scientists and is Italian Top Woman Scientist. Responsible for Italy of the European ENDO-ERN (European Reference Network) for the study of rare endocrine disorders in adults of which she is coordinator of the regional center at the Azienda Universitaria Federico II where she is also responsible for the European ENETS center of excellence (for the study of neuroendocrine tumors), the CIBO center of excellence for the diagnosis and treatment of obesity (accredited with SIO and EASO). She was president of the National Council of Guarantors of Scientific Research at the Ministry for Universities and Research. President of the European Society of Neuroendocrinology for the biennium 2016-2018 and President of the Italian Endocrinology Society for the biennium 2021-2023 (first woman in the history of the Society). Founder and past president of Campus Salute Onlus (www.campussalute.it), a nonprofit association dedicated to health. Founder and president of FORME Foundation - Foundation for Research in Medicine.

Dr. Bulent O. Yildiz is a Professor of Medicine / Endocrinology and Metabolism at Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Türkiye. He completed postdoctoral training at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, USA. His clinical and research interests focus on obesity, diabetes, and androgen excess disorders in women, including PCOS. He has authored over 160 scientific publications and is ranked among the top 1% scientists worldwide in the Stanford University / Elsevier database. Dr. Yildiz has served as an Executive Committee Member and Officer of the European Society of Endocrinology, a Board Member of the AE-PCOS Society, and is the founder and president of EndoBridge®, a unique international educational initiative supported by leading global organizations. He chaired ECE 2017, co-chaired ENDO 2021 and 2022, and was the Inaugural Clinical Lead for the ESE Reproductive and Developmental Endocrinology Focus Area. His awards include recognition from the Turkish Academy of Sciences, European Society of Endocrinology, AE-PCOS Society, and the Eisenhower Foundation for international leadership in chronic disease prevention and management.

Professor Chantal Mathieu is a physician-scientist who has contributed to the field of diabetes and endocrinology through basic and clinical research. Her basic research work focuses on pathogenesis and prevention of type 1 diabetes. Prof. Mathieu’s clinical work involving new products and treatment paradigms in diabetes, such as new insulins, adjunct therapies and diagnosis of gestational diabetes have made her a speaker in international fora. Prof. Mathieu coordinates the European project ‘INNODIA’ on biomarker discovery and intervention studies in type 1 diabetes. Prof. Mathieu is president of EASD and vice-president of the European Diabetes Forum.

Christian Delles is Professor of Cardiovascular Prevention; Head of the School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health, University of Glasgow; and Honorary Consultant Physician with NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde. His re-search focusses on prevention of cardiovascular diseases and spans from fundamental mechanistic research to clinical translation. Much of his research is driven by an interest in hypertension and includes the molecular basis of vascular diseases; the pathogenesis and long-term consequences of hypertension including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and gestational diabetes; links between cardiovascular and renal diseases; and differences in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases between men and women. Prof. Delles serves as Secretary of the Council of the European Society of Hypertension and Past Chair of Scottish Heart & Arterial disease Risk Prevention (SHARP). He is a mem-ber of national and international grant panels and associate editor and editorial board member of leading cardiovascu-lar journals. He has a keen interest in teaching and training and chairs the University's Clinical Academic Training Advisory Committee.

Cosimo Giannini, MD, PhD, is Professor of Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinologist at the Pediatric Clinic and the Regional Center for Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Chieti, Italy. He serves as Chair of the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism School (DOM School), an educational ESPE initiative dedicated to training and mentoring future experts in pediatric endocrinology through international collaboration. Professor Giannini is a board-certified Pediatrician and Pediatric Endocrinologist with extensive clinical and research experience in pediatric endocrinology, diabetes, obesity, and metabolic diseases. He has proven expertise in the diagnosis and management of complex endocrine disorders, pediatric diabetes, and metabolic complications, as well as a strong background in national and international clinical trials conducted in accordance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP) standards. During his ESPE Clinical Fellowship training, carried out at the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (2010–2011), and subsequently the research associate training period carried out at Yale–New Haven Hospital, Yale University, USA (2011–2013), he was actively involved in advanced clinical care and research activities. His clinical expertise includes comprehensive management of pediatric endocrine disorders, such as type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, pediatric obesity and metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and beta-cell dysfunction, growth and pubertal disorders, multidisciplinary care of children with metabolic and endocrine complications, and long-term follow-up of pediatric patients with chronic endocrine diseases. Professor Giannini is the author of more than 130 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact international journals, with a total of 4,197 citations and an h-index of 38. He is an active member of several national and international scientific societies, including the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE), the Italian Society of Pediatrics (SIP), the Italian Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology (ISPED), and the Italian Society for Research in Pediatrics (SIRP). He has received several prestigious national and international awards, including the ESPE Young Investigator Award (Milan, 2013) and the Italian Society of Pediatrics “Pioneers of Pediatrics” Award (Bologna, 2013).

Ms. Diana El Jundi achieved her Bachelor degree of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from the American University of Beirut (2003). This was further followed by a Master’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics as well as RD Credentialing & Internship from McGill University (2007). She began perusing her career as a Registered Dietitian at Humber River Regional Hospital in Toronto early 2008 in the areas of Intensive Care Unit and Cardiology for one year and the Bariatric Clinic for another four years. She then relocated to United Arab Emirates (2013) where she currently works as a Clinical Diabetes Specialist at Dubai Diabetes Center; her focus at the center mainly being educating patients, both Type I and II as well as Gestational on meal discipline, carbohydrate counting and promoting healthy lifestyle. In 2021, she achieved the BC-ADM (Board Certified-Advanced Diabetes Management) Credential for Advanced Practitioners from the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists

Dr. Elamin Abdelgadir is an Associate Professor of Endocrinology at Mohamed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, UAE, and a Consultant Endocrinologist at Dubai Hospital. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (UK), the American College of Physicians, and the American College of Endocrinology, and is also a Certified Thyroid and Neck Sonographer (ECNU) accredited by the American College of Endocrinology. He serves as Associate Editor for Obesity in Springer Nature journals and is an active member of several research collaborations, with over 100 original articles and abstracts in the fields of endocrinology, obesity, and metabolic disorders. He has contributed to numerous regional and international clinical guidelines, including leading a multi-society, endorsed guideline on post-bariatric hypoglycemia. In addition, Dr. Abdelgadir has held several leadership roles, including serving as Secretary General of the Sudan Diabetes Association – Gulf Chapter.

• Completed her postgraduate studies at the University of Glasgow, UK, after which she returned to the UAE and continued my career at DOHMS, now known as Dubai Health • Consultant Endocrinologist & the Head of the Endocrine Section, Dubai Hospital. • President of Emirates Diabetes & Endocrine Society (EDES) • Chairperson of Diabetes Combat and Control Committee – Dubai Health • Member of the National Diabetes Committee (MOHAP) • Clinical Professor of Medicine at Mohammed Bin Rashid University (MBRU) • Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor at Sharjah University • Federation Lead for Royal College PACES in Dubai and Sharjah • Chief Editor of the Dubai Diabetes & Endocrine Journal (DDEJ) at DHA • Actively engaged in research and has published over 80 peer-reviewed articles in Diabetes and Endocrinology • Founded Dubai’s first diabetic One-Stop Shop Clinic, including Diabetic-Nephro, Diabetic-Ante Natal Care, and Thyroid clinics in Dubai Health. • Established the first Adult Endocrinology & Metabolism Fellowship Program under the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCHS) in the UAE.

Diabetes Educator at Rashid Center for Diabetes and Research SKMC Ajman since 2021. Graduated from Faculty of nursing Mansoura University, Egypt in 2012 and completed Postgraduate Diploma in Diabetes Management in 2023. Dedicated to empowering individuals with diabetes through education and care.

Frederic Castinetti, M.D., Ph.D., is the head of the Department of Endocrinology at La Conception Hospital of Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille (AP-HM) at Aix-Marseille University in France. After completing a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in basic research at the University of Michigan, he received his Ph.D. in neuroscience from Aix-Marseille University, focusing on the roles of transcription factors in the development of combined pituitary hormone deficiencies. Dr. Castinetti is currently studying pituitary development and tumorigenesis using pituitary cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells. His main clinical interests include pituitary and adrenal disorders and genetically determined endocrine diseases, particularly 1. The management of hypercortisolism and the long-term consequences of high glucocorticoid exposure. 2. The management of multiple endocrine neoplasia. 3. The endocrine side effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Dr. Castinetti has co-authored over 240 publications indexed in PubMed and has contributed to several national and international guidelines on the management of pituitary, adrenal diseases and multiple endocrine neoplasia. Finally, Dr. Castinetti was recently elected head of the Clinical Committee of the European Society of Endocrinology.

Professor of Medicine Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, Diabetes and Nutrition, Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN, USA Joint appointment Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA Dr Irina Bancos is Professor of Medicine and works in the Pituitary-Adrenal-Gonadal subdivision of Endocrinology division at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA. She also holds a joint appointment with the Department of Laboratory Medicine at Mayo Clinic. Dr Bancos received her M.D. from the Iuliu Hatieganu Medical University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. She has completed her Internal Medicine Residency at Danbury Hospital in CT, USA and Endocrinology Fellowship at Mayo Clinic, Rochester. In addition, Dr Bancos completed a two-year research fellowship (Mayo Foundation Scholarship) at the University of Birmingham, UK where she received training in steroid profiling and adrenal disorders. In 2015 she returned to Mayo Clinic, where her clinical and research interests include adrenal and pituitary disorders, and mechanisms of steroid regulation of health and disease. Dr. Bancos has published more than 240 scientific articles. She currently serves as Deputy Editor for the European Journal of Endocrinology. Dr. Bancos is passionate about translating research findings into actionable interventions for patients with adrenal disorders and mentoring the future generation of adrenal endocrinologists.

Prof Ray is Immediate Past President of the European Atherosclerosis Society, Chair of the World Heart Federation Cholesterol Roadmap, Lead for CVD NIHR Academic research Collaboration, NIHR ARC National Lead for CVD, Director of ICTU-Global which is an academic ARO. He received his medical education (MB ChB, 1991) at the University of Birmingham Medical School, his MD (2004) at the University of Sheffield, a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School and finally an MPhil in epidemiology (2007) from the University of Cambridge. His research involves lipids, diabetes and population health serving as global lead for trials and registries. He has >178,000 citations and since 2018 has been recognised by Clarivate Analytics as among the top 0.1% of authors in global medicine. In 2023 he was inducted as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, which is UK’s highest honour for clinician scientists.

Prof. Khadija Hafidh has over 20 years of experience in Internal medicine, diabetes, obesity, metabolism and medical education. Currently, she heads the Diabetes Unit at Rashid Hospital, Dubai Academic Health Corporation. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and clinical Professor of Medicine at Mohamed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences. She is certified SCOPE obesity and Cardio-metabolic Health expert. She is a member of the steering committee for the UAE National Diabetes Guidelines and Editorial Board Member of the Dubai Diabetes and Endocrine Journal. Her research interest includes: cardiovascular complications in Diabetes and Obesity.

Prof Lean established the Glasgow Department of Human Nutrition 1990 with a ‘broad-focus’ strategy for integrative translational research and teaching. The only doctor on the GMC Specialist Register for Human Nutrition, as well as Diabetes and Endocrinology and General/Internal Medicine. His main focusses are obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and health promotion. Diabetes UK Rank Prize Lecture (2014) and Banting Memorial Lecture (2020-21), Tenovus Medal for Research (2017), FRSE (2018), Rank Prize for Nutrition Research (2024), Hon Fellow Downing College, University of Cambridge (2024). Visiting professorships at Otago University and University of Sydney. Over 400 Original articles with G-Scholar H-Index =127. Outside work, plays and makes violins, cycles, and climbs mountains.

His training took place in Paris and during postdoctoral fellowships in the Department of genetics and microbiology, Centre Médical Universitaire, Genève, Switzerland (1997) and at Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurobiology (Pr Potter) and Section of Immunology and Immunogenetics, Elliot P. Joslin Research Laboratory (Pr Eisenbarth), Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA, USA (1989-1991). In 2003, he received the Jacques Raymond Ducharme award in pediatric endocrinology of the Sainte Justine hospital, Montréal, Canada and in 2006 a French national award in medicine: “les victoires de la médecine” for the work on neonatal diabetes mellitus. Pr Polak received the prestigious “European Society for Pediatric Endocrinology research award” in 2012 for his work. Human growth foundation visionary award received in San Diego on May 6, 2023 ; www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJDDZKJ-GTE Domain of clinical activity: Pediatric endocrinology, gynaecology and diabetology Fields of special interests: Growth disorders and their treatment, disorders of sex development, perinatal endocrinology; developmental biology: endoderm derived endocrine organ development (thyroid and pancreas) and their diseases, type 1 diabetes mellitus and monogenic diabetes in young children.

Dr. Mohamed Hassanein is a Professor of Medicine at Mohamed Bin Rashid University UAE, and a Senior Consultant in Endocrinology and Diabetes at Dubai Hospital. He previously served as Associate Director for Postgraduate Diabetes Education at Cardiff University, UK. He’s a graduate of Alexandria University, Dr. Hassanein is internationally acclaimed for his pioneering research on diabetes and Ramadan, contributing to landmark ADA, BMJ, Diabetes Canada, and IDF DAR guidelines. With over 110 peer reviewed publications and leadership in major national and international clinical guidelines. He also serves as Associate Editor of the Dubai Diabetes and Endocrinology Journal. Dr. Hassanein is winner of the prestigious 2024 Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Excellence in the 'Medical Innovation' category.

Dr. Farooqi received his Internal Medicine training in New York and then did his Endocrine Fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. He is US Board Certified both in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology and is a Fellow of the American College of Endocrinology, the American College of Physicians and the Royal College of Physicians, UK. He was also awarded the Fellowship of Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine recently. His passions include teaching. He has won multiple awards for teaching while serving as an Associate Professor at the University of South Florida. He has been a faculty member at Thomas Jefferson University and Harvard Medical School. At present, he is an Adjunct Professor at the Mohammad Bin Rashid University of Health Sciences as well as the Dubai Medical College. Initially he joined the Joslin Diabetes Center Affiliate in Florida and worked there for a decade as the Medical Director. He established and operated a highly successful Joslin affiliate in Safety Harbor, Florida. In 2008, he led the Joslin team that set up the state-of-the-art Joslin Diabetes Center Affiliate at Dubai Health Authority, now renamed as the Dubai Diabetes Center, one of the largest in the public sector in the UAE, which he stills leads. Dr. Farooqi has been an invited speaker at various Health Forums internationally and has helped design and conduct global diabetes education programs for physicians as a steering committee member. He has published many articles and serves as a reviewer or member of the editorial board of various international journals. Currently he is focused on telehealth using remote patient monitoring technology and clinical decision support systems to provide personalized diabetes management.

Dr. Nagat F ElHag is a senior clinical psychologist at Dubai Hospital, Dubai Health. She holds a doctorate and master’s degrees in clinical psychology from The Ohio State University, USA as well as a post-doctoral fellowship in healthy psychology. Dr. Nagat is licensed in the UAE and in the USA. In the past, Dr. Nagat has served in several clinical and educational capacities providing psychological and behavioral interventions to diverse patient groups. Currently, Dr. Nagat works with a predominantly medical population. Areas of interest to Dr. Nagat include adjustment to acute, chronic and terminal illness, end of life issues, bereavement and grief, adherence/compliance to medical and lifestyle regi-mens, communication in medical settings, provision of psychosocial care to patients and their families, and advising/training multidisciplinary teams on the psychological aspects of health, illness, and illness management.

Head, Centre for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Consultant Endocrinologist and Honorary Professor of Endocrinology Professor Neil Gittoes is Consultant and Honorary Professor of Endocrinology at the University of Birmingham. He leads the metabolic bone diseases unit in Birmingham, and several national work streams through the Royal Osteoporosis Society as Chair and as National Clinical Lead for Specialised Endocrinology, NHSE. Neil is member of the National Osteoporosis Guideline Group (NOGG); he works with NICE on treatments for osteoporosis and calcium disorders. He was member and co-chair of the International Taskforce and European PARAT programme on parathyroid disorders. He is section lead for the European Rare Calcium and Bone Group and co-author of the European Guideline on Managing Hypoparathyroidism, 2025. He was honoured by the Royal College of Physicians and made Goulstonian Lecturer for his contributions to clinical research. He has published more than 150 papers, reviews and chapters across endocrinology, focussing on bone and mineral metabolism. His clinical research interests include models of fracture prevention, rare causes of fracture susceptibility and disorders of calcium homeostasis.

Pamela Durant began her career in hospital and clinic management, specializing in strategy and quality improvement. After earning one of the first Healthcare Management degrees offered in the U.S., she moved to Turkey, where she held several leadership roles, including the CEO’s Projects Manager at the American Hospital of Istanbul. There, she collaborated with physicians on innovative outpatient strategies and the hospital’s first Joint Commission International (JCI) Accreditation. She also holds a master’s degree in Organizational Management with a focus on Organizational Psychology In 2005, Pamela relocated to Dubai and worked with KPMG and IBM as a healthcare consultant on major greenfield projects in the region including Dubai Medical University Hospital, Dubai Mall Clinic and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Much to her surprise, in 2009, her 18-month-old son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. The experience opened her eyes to the challenges of living with diabetes. In 2014, she left the corporate world to start Diapoint, which offers resources, education, stylish health accessories through their e-commerce platform, and a supportive community for families touched by diabetes. Pamela is a Certified Health Coach, trained in Lifestyle Medicine and has a Health Coach Certificate from Harvard Medical School among other coaching modalities. She is a passionate advocate for patient-centered care models that use a coach approach to empower individuals to actively manage their health and well-being. As the creator and host of Dia-Logue: The Diapoint Podcast, she speaks with global experts, advocates, and people living with diabetes. Pamela’s guests have included tennis champion Alexander Zverev, Team Novo Nordisk founder Phil Southerland, advocate Renza Scibilia and Dr. Asma Deeb. Pamela regularly speaks at conferences and events, combining her professional insights and personal experience to advocate for patient-centered care in diabetes using a coach approach to empower patients. Her forthcoming book shares her personal caregiving journey and the strength, insight, and resilience found in raising a child with Type 1 Diabetes.

Professor Pratik Choudhary is Professor and Honorary consultant in Diabetes with a special interest in type 1 diabetes and technology. He has active clinical and research programs around education, psychology and technology in type 1 diabetes. In particular, his research uses neuroimaging to explore the mechanisms of hypoglycaemia unawareness, and the use of different strategies such as technology and behavioral interventions to restore awareness. He has been involved in a number of national and international research studies, as well as a number of national and international training and education programs for diabetes. He is ex-chair of the Diabetes Technology Network – UK, Chair of the Secretary of State for Transport’s Honorary Medical Advisory Panel on Driving and Diabetes Mellitus, associate editor for Diabetic Medicine, Midlands Type 1 Diabetes Clinical Lead and member of the EASD Post Graduate education committee.

Rana Dabous is a Diabetes Educator at the Dubai Health Diabetes Centre, where she has been supporting and guiding patients since 2009. With over 15 years of experience in diabetes care, she is dedicated to empowering patients to achieve better health outcomes through education, lifestyle modification, glucose monitoring, and insulin management. Her career began at the Imperial College London Diabetes Centre in Abu Dhabi before she joined the Dubai health Diabetes Centre. She has also completed advanced training in diabetes education, carbohydrate counting, insulin pump therapy, and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technologies. In addition to her clinical role, Rana served as an Adjunct Clinical Faculty member at the University of Sharjah (2022–2024), where she contributed to teaching bedside sessions, problem-based learning, and student assessments. Her academic contributions include publications and poster presentations at leading local and international forums such as the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the Dubai Health Research Conference, and the Emirates Diabetes & Endocrine Congress (EDEC). Rana holds a Master of Science in Health Data Analytics (with Distinction) from De Montfort University and certified in Data Science & Machine Learning from the London International Studies and Research Centre. Her research has explored critical topics including the impact of diabetes education on glucose control and the effect of COVID-19 vaccination on insulin requirements in type 1 diabetes patients. Passionate about integrating patient education, clinical expertise, and data analytics, Rana is committed to advancing diabetes care and improving patient outcomes.

Certified General Nursing College Diabetic Management Course in Leicester Diabetes Center Diabetic Management Course at Harvard Medical School Experience of Diabetes Care and Education Specialist for 14 years. currently practising at Mediclinic Al Jowhara Hospital Al Ain.

Richard Holt trained at the University of Cambridge and the London Hospital Medical College. He is Professor in Diabetes and Endocrinology at the University of Southampton and an Honorary Consultant Physician in Diabetes and Endocrinology at the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust. Professor Holt’s current research interests are broadly focussed around clinical diabetes but specifically encompass studies of the relationship between mental health and diabetes. His clinical responsibilities include the diabetes and pregnancy clinic, young adult diabetes clinic and the cystic fibrosis related diabetes service. Professor Holt was the Editor-in-Chief of Diabetic Medicine (2016-2020) and is a past-Chair of the Council of Health Care Professionals of Diabetes UK. Professor Holt was a member of the 2008 NICE diabetes and pregnancy guideline development group and the NICE Type 2 diabetes: preventing the progression from pre-diabetes programme development group. Professor Holt is the Editor-in-Chief of the 6th edition of the Textbook of Diabetes. Professor Holt is the Chair of the EASD Committee for Clinical Affairs and is the EASD co-chair of the EASD-ADA consensus report of the management of type 1 diabetes in adults and EASD Diabetes Distress Guideline Development Panel.

Certified Diabetes Educator at Rashid Center for Diabetes and Research, with over 12 years of experience in nursing and 6 years specializing in diabetes care. She hold a Bachelor's degree in Nursing and a Postgraduate Diploma in Diabetes Care, and I'm a DAFNE-certified educator. Her key areas of interest include Type 1 diabetes and diabetes in pregnancy, where she is passionate about empowering patients through education and evidence-based care.

Sarah Mayson, MD is an associate professor of medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, Colorado, USA. She received her medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and completed internal medicine residency and fellowship in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at the University of Pennsylvania, also in Philadelphia. She the Director of the Fellowship Program in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism and leads the thyroid nodule clinical program at the University of Colorado Hospital. She is also a current member of the American Thyroid Association adult thyroid nodule guidelines taskforce.

Dr. Sathya J. Kakade is a consultant ophthalmologist and vitreo retinal surgeon based in Abu Dhabi, currently serving as Clinical Lead of Ophthalmology at Burjeel Medical City since 2021. With over two decades of experience across India and the UAE, he has developed extensive expertise in diabetic retinopathy, macular disorders, uveitis, ocular inflammation, and retinopathy of prematurity, and is highly experienced in both medical and surgical retina, including complex vitrectomies and retinal detachment surgery.. An active academician and speaker, Dr. Kakade has delivered numerous invited lectures, coordinated fellowship programs, and published widely in peer reviewed journals and case report series, contributing to advances in diabetic retinopathy, uveitis, macular disease, and rare retinal disorders. He is a member of several national and international professional societies and is fluent in multiple Indian languages as well as English, enabling him to care for a diverse patient population across the region.

Dr. Basaria is Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Associate Director of the Section of Men's Health, Aging and Metabolism at the Brigham and Women's Hospital. His expertise is in the field of Male Reproduction. His research focuses on understanding cardiometabolic complications of androgen deprivation therapy in men with prostate cancer and efficacy of testosterone replacement in men with opioid-induced androgen deficiency. He provides clinical care to patients with a variety of reproductive disorders.

Shimaa Elmowafi is a Diabetes Educator at Mediclinic Group, Dubai, with over 15 years of experience in healthcare. She holds a Diploma in Diabetes Management from Cardiff University and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Diabetes Management at the University of Sharjah. Shimaa is certified in multiple insulin pump technologies and specializes in advanced diabetes technology and education for both adult and pediatric patients, helping them achieve better outcomes through personalized care and innovation.

Solomon Tesfaye is consultant Diabetologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and Honorary Professor of Diabetes Medicine at the University of Sheffield. He is Research Director of Diabetes and Endocrinology at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. He is also Visiting Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Adjunct Professor at Xiangya Hospital Central Southern University, China. His research projects include the epidemiology, risk factors, pathogenesis, central nervous system involvement and treatment of diabetic neuropathy and neuropathic pain. Prof Tesfaye chaired the International Consensus Panel on Diabetic Neuropathy that developed consensus guidelines for diabetic neuropathy diagnosis and management (Tesfaye et al., Diabetes Care 2010, cited >3030 times). He has published a textbook of Diabetic Neuropathy and over 250 original articles and reviews in diabetic neuropathy including landmark studies in the NEJM and the Lancet and has an H-Index of 83 on Google Scholar. Professor Tesfaye was awarded the Prestigious Camillo Golgi Prize of the European Diabetes Association in 2014 for major scientific contributions in Diabetic Neuropathy. He also received the Arnold Bloom Award of Diabetes UK in 2017 for innovative and patient-centered diabetes care. He has also received several other prizes including the NHS-Hero Award, the Neuropathy Trust Award and the European Diabetes Association NEURODIAB Lifetime Achievement Award in Rome in 2024. Professor Tesfaye has served as grant review panel member for the JDRF, US NIH, Diabetes UK, UK NIHR, EFSD, UK MRC; and has been a member of 6 NICE guideline committees on neuropathic pain management and neuropathy screening and the DPFS panel of the UK MRC. Finally, he has received many research grants totaling over £21 million as PI and co-applicant.

Dr. Susan J. Mandel, MD, MPH—Sylvan H Eisman Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. Her clinical practice focuses on thyroid neoplasia. Her current research interests include sonography in the evaluation of patients with thyroid nodules and cancer. She was the first to publish evidence of increased levothyroxine requirements in pregnant women with hypothyroidism and went on to lead the clinical research that established I-123 as the preferred isotope for whole-body thyroid cancer scans. Dr. Mandel was on the writing groups for the 3 previous versions of the ATA Management Guidelines for Patients with Thyroid Nodules and Differentiated Thyroid Cancer and is co-chairing the 2025 ATA Guidelines for Patients with Thyroid nodules. She also was on the writing group for the ATA and Endocrine Society guidelines on the Management of Thyroid Disorders during Pregnancy. Dr. Mandel initiated and directed the Ultrasound workshops for the ATA and Endocrine Society. Dr. Mandel has received the Endocrine Society's Distinguished Educator Award, the 2019 ATA WIT Woman of the Year award, and the AACE H. Jack Baskin Endocrine Teaching Award. She is the 2025 recipient of the ATA Lewis Braverman award recognizing excellence mentoring, productive thyroid research and service to the ATA. She also received the Louis Duhring Outstanding Clinical Specialist Award from Penn Medicine. Dr. Mandel is past President of the Endocrine Society (2018-19) and of the Association of Program Directors in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism (2009-2011). She currently serves as Secretary of the International Society of Endocrinology. During her 21 year tenure as Program Director of the Fellowship program at Penn, she trained over 70 fellows, 9 of whom have served as Endocrine Fellowship Program Directors. She has over 100 peer reviewed publications in journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA and the Annals of Internal Medicine. She has also authored chapters on thyroid disorders in Harrison’s Textbook of Medicine and thyroid nodules in Werner and Ingbar’s The Thyroid.

Prof. Dr. Thomas Danne is serving as Chief Medical Officer International of Breakthrough T1DTM formerly known as Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). He is a Professor of Pediatrics at NOVA Medical School, Lisbon, Portugal. Previously he was the Director of the Department of General Pediatrics Endocrinology/Diabetology & Clinical Research at the “AUF DER BULT” Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Hannover Medical School, Germany, which is the largest pediatric diabetes center in Germany. He trained at the Free University Berlin Children´s Hospital in Berlin and was Consultant Pediatrician at the Charité Children´s Hospital of the Humboldt University Berlin. He is a former Research Fellow of the Joslin Diabetes Center of Harvard Medical School in Boston. He has served 16 years as Chairman of the SWEET-registry (www.sweet-project.org), a world-wide T1D registry, as Vice-Chairman of the INNODIA-iVZW (www.innodia.eu), a consortium for disease modifying therapy in T1D. He has served as Secretary-General and President of the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) Also, he is the Past-President of the German Diabetes Association (DDG). He has been awarded the “Helmut-Otto-Medal” of the German Diabetes Association, the “Somogyi-Award” of the Hungarian Diabetes Association the ISPAD “Prize of Achievement” and the “Lifetime Achievement Award” of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). His research interests include basic and clinical research in type 1 diabetes with special emphasis on cellular solutions, early diagnosis, disease modifying therapy, and diabetes technology.

Tojan Hassan, MSc, BSc (Nursing), is a Senior Diabetes Educator at University Hospital Sharjah and Clinical Adjunct Faculty at the University of Sharjah. With more than 12 years of advanced clinical and academic experience, she holds a Master’s degree in Diabetes Management and is certified in insulin pump therapy and continuous glucose monitoring. Her work focuses on advancing evidence-based diabetes care through patient education, clinical training, and research, contributing to the development of high-impact diabetes self-management programs.

Professor Wolfgang E. Schmidt studied Medicine and some Chemistry at the Universities of Kiel and Goettingen, Germany. He completed his Ph.D. at the Max-Planck-Institute of Experimental Medicine in Goettingen. He was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, with Prof. Viktor Mutt, at the University of Goettingen Medical School with Prof. Werner Creutzfeldt and at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, with Prof. Dan Podolski. From 1998 to 2025, he held a chair as Professor of Medicine, Gastroenterology and Diabetology at the St. Josef-Hospital, University Hospital of the Ruhr-University of Bochum Medical School (UK RUB), Bochum, Germany. There, he served as Chief Physician of GI/Hepatology and Diabetes Services and as Director of the Department of Medicine I. He was elected Vice Dean of the Medical Faculty for the term 2021-2025. His clinical and research areas were in the past and are still: incretins, entero-insular axis, gastrointestinal hormones; Type 2 Diabetes and obesity: pathophysiology, insulin resistance, islet cell dysfunction, novel therapies; metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD/MASH); acute and chronic pancreatitis; pancreatic cancer and gastrointestinal oncology. He served as Editor-in-Chief of “Regulatory Peptides” for more than 10 years and as a member of several Editorial Boards of scientific journals. At the University of Kiel, he has been the recipient of the “Top Lecturer Award” for over 6 years. Prof. Schmidt received 18 scientific awards and published more than 330 original peer-reviewed papers. He is married and father of 4 children. Since 2025, Professor Schmidt is Senior Professor of Medicine and Chief Physician of the Out-patient Services for Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Diabetes/Metabolism and Preventive Cardiometabolic Medicine at the Blankenstein Hospital, Katholisches Klinikum Bochum (KKB), University Hospital, Ruhr-University of Bochum (UK RUB).

Dr Yasir Elhassan, MBBS, MRCP (UK), PhD has recently joined Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi as a Consultant Endocrinologist. Previously Dr. Elhassan held the position of Consultant Endocrinologist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, UK and Honorary Associate Professor at the Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham. Dr Elhassan’s clinical and research expertise is in adrenal and gonadal disorders and he has published extensively in those areas including outputs that has informed clinical practice. He is also the first author of the UK Society for Endocrinology guideline on the evaluation of androgen excess in women. Dr. Elhassan held several national roles in the UK Society for Endocrinology including Lead of the Adrenal Network, Elected Member of the Clinical Committee, Member of the Programme Committee, in addition to selected membership in specialist groups that advised the Society in matters related to adrenal and gonadal disorders. Dr. Elhassan is a regularly invited speaker in major international conferences such as the British Endocrine Society (BES) Conference and the US Endocrine Society (ENDO) Conference. He has received several early career research-based awards from the UK Society for Endocrinology and the US Endocrine Society.

Professor Yousef AL Saleh graduated in 1991 from King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He completed the Membership of The Royal College of Physicians (London), MRCP (U.K.) in 1994 and the Arab Board of Medicine in 1996. Subsequently he did Fellowship Training in Endocrinology and Diabetes at The University of California, San Diego in 1997/1998. He is currently Professor of Medicine and Endocrinology and Medical Director of Health Oasis Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He is the past chair of Endocrinology and Diabetes at King Abdulaziz Medical City, National Guard Health Affairs and King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He chaired the Saudi Board of Medicine and Medical Subspecialties at the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties between 2011 and 2017. Professor AL Saleh is currently board member of the International Osteoporosis Foundation and the Saudi Osteoporosis Society. He served several terms as Secretary General and Vice President of the Saudi Osteoporosis Society. He is a past president of the Gulf Association of Endocrinology and Diabetes 2019/2020. He was the chair of the task force which established the Saudi Diabetes Fellowship Training Program in 2015. He has more than 110 publications in peer reviewed journals in the field of diabetes and endocrinology particularly on aspects of Osteoporosis and Vitamin D.

Zeina Younes is a clinical dietitian and research professional with over a decade of experience in diabetes care and medical nutrition therapy. As a Clinical Diabetes Dietitian Specialist at the Dubai Diabetes Center since 2014, she has empowered individuals with diabetes through evidence-based nutritional strategies, cutting-edge technology integration, and compassionate patient education. Zeina's work is also deeply rooted in research. She has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications focusing on diabetes distress, glycemic control, and self-management education across both pediatric and adult populations. Her academic foundation—holding dual Bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Nutrition & Dietetics, and a Master of Science in Nutrition—was further strengthened by her early research experience at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, particularly in reproductive health and endocrinology. Driven by a mission to improve patient outcomes through research-informed practice, Zeina continuously contributes to clinical research studies and remains actively engaged in scientific discourse. She is also an advocate for multidisciplinary care and innovative diabetes education models, using tools like Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) and insulin pump therapy to bridge the gap between clinical advancements and daily patient management. With a steadfast commitment to advancing diabetes care, Zeina continues to bridge research and clinical practice—striving to shape a future where every individual living with diabetes is empowered with the tools, knowledge, and support to thrive.

Zeinab Alishaq is a senior Diabetes Educator, healthcare leader, and systems thinker with over 18 years of experience spanning government and private healthcare sectors in the UAE. She is currently based at Mediclinic Al Ain Hospital, where she contributes to advanced diabetes education and patient-centered care within a high-performing clinical environment. Holding a Master’s degree in Education (Leadership, Management & Policy), Zeinab is known for integrating clinical excellence with behavioral science, psychology, and healthcare systems design. Her work extends beyond traditional education models to address the cognitive, emotional, and structural factors that shape long-term health outcomes. With a strong focus on upstream impact and sustainable transformation, Zeinab brings a systems-level perspective to diabetes care—advocating for models that empower patients, support professionals, and strengthen institutions. Her insights draw from real-world experience across diverse healthcare settings, making her a compelling voice in conversations on innovation, leadership, and the future of healthcare education.

Zobair M Younossi MD MPH is the Chairman of the Global NASH/MASH Council, Washington DC and Professor and Chairman of Beatty Liver and Obesity Research, Inova Health System, Falls Church, Virginia. Dr. Younossi earned his medical degree from University of Rochester (AOA 1989) with fellowship training in at Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation (1989-1995), while earning his Master of Public Health with multiple honours from San Diego State University (1995). He then worked at Cleveland Clinic Foundation (1995-2000) before establishing the Beatty Liver and Obesity Research program and Inova Liver Center, Inova Health System, Falls Church, VA. He has served as the Chairman of Department of Medicine, Inova Fairfax (2011-2024), President of Inova Medicine (2019-2024), Chairman of Research for Inova (2005-2022) and Vice Chairman of the Board of Inova Foundation (2011-2024). He currently also serves as the President of Chronic Liver Disease Foundation (2018-Present). Dr. Younossi has pioneered research in MASLD/NAFLD and outcomes research in Liver Disease and has authored over 870 articles, 1143 abstracts and 546 faculty lectures in national and international meetings. He has a Scopus H-index of 127 and is listed as the most cited scholars in Liver Disease and NAFLD according to Scholar GPS-2022 and Scholar GPS-2024. Dr. Younossi has served on the editorial board of several journals, including Co-Editor of Liver International and Associate Editor of J Hepatology. Zobair M Younossi, MD, MPH, FACG, FACP, AGAF, FAASLD

Ali Saeed Alzahrani, MD, FACE, ECNU Consultant Endocrinologist King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre Professor of Medicine, Alfaisal University Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ali S. Alzahrani, M.D. is a consultant endocrinologist at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre and a Professor of Medicine at Alfaisal University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He was the recipient of the 2015 International Clinician Award from the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), Orlando, Florida and the Ibn Seina Distinction Award from The AACE Gulf Chapter in 2016. He was the Editor-in Chief of the Annals of Saudi Medicine. He is an Editorial Board member of THYROID, the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (JCEM), JCEM Case Reports and Endocrine. He is an academic editor of the PLOS. Professor Alzahrani has more than 200 peer-reviewed articles, and he has presented more than 150 lectures nationally and internationally. He is a member of the American Thyroid Association Research Committee and the International Thyroid Oncology Group (ITOG). His academic interests are clinical and molecular research in the areas of endocrine oncology and endocrine genetics.

Dr. Amena Sadiya, a licensed nutritionist and an International Board-Certified Lifestyle Medicine Professional. Currently, she serves as an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Sharjah and a Tutor at the University of South Wales, UK. In addition to clinical practice at Genesis Healthcare Centre, Dubai, UAE. Her academic background includes a Ph.D. and MSc in Food and Nutrition from India, along with clinical research training (GCSRT) from Harvard Medical School, USA. Throughout her career, she has designed and led evidence-based lifestyle intervention programs across the UAE and has been actively involved in both clinical practice and academic research. She has published several research papers and serves as a peer reviewer for three international medical journals. Dr.Sadiya, also had the privilege of speaking at various medical conferences, sharing insights on integrating nutrition and lifestyle into chronic disease management. In addition to this, she is the author of a book entitled 'Lifestyle Prescription for Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes', reflecting her commitment to practical, patient-centered solutions for improving metabolic health.

Dr. Elamin Abdelgadir is an Associate Professor of Endocrinology at Mohamed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, UAE, and a Consultant Endocrinologist at Dubai Hospital. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (UK), the American College of Physicians, and the American College of Endocrinology, and is also a Certified Thyroid and Neck Sonographer (ECNU) accredited by the American College of Endocrinology. He serves as Associate Editor for Obesity in Springer Nature journals and is an active member of several research collaborations, with over 100 original articles and abstracts in the fields of endocrinology, obesity, and metabolic disorders. He has contributed to numerous regional and international clinical guidelines, including leading a multi-society, endorsed guideline on post-bariatric hypoglycemia. In addition, Dr. Abdelgadir has held several leadership roles, including serving as Secretary General of the Sudan Diabetes Association – Gulf Chapter.

Dr.Fauzia Rashid graduated from Pakistan in 2000 with the role of honor. She is Consultant endocrine in department of diabetes and endocrinology in Dubai hospital and clinical Associate Professor MBRU ,Dubai ,UAE. She is a clinician-researcher with extensive experience in diabetes, endocrinology, obesity, and metabolic medicine. She has contributed to large population-based studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, clinical guidelines, and consensus statements. She has presented her work at major international conferences, including the IDF, Endocrine Society, and Emirates Diabetes & Endocrine Congress, and remains actively involved in collaborative research networks across the Middle East and beyond.

Dr. Alkaabi is a Professor of Medicine at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University and Vice Dean of the College of Medicine and Health Services (2018- to date). Former Acting Dean of the College of Medicine and Health Services (2019-2023). He also has a co-appointment as a Consultant Internist, Endocrinologist at Tawam Hospital and Al-Ain Hospitals. Dr. Alkaabi is the Vice-president of the Emirates Diabetes and Endocrine Society. Founder, Member (2012 to 2019), and Former President of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE)-Gulf Chapter. Prof. Alkaabi obtained his basic medical science degree from the University of St. Andrews Scotland in 1990 and his medical degree from University of Manchester- England in 1993. He subsequently trained in Internal Medicine in the United Kingdom followed by clinical fellowship program in Endocrinology and Metabolism in Canada where he spent two years and a half at the University of Alberta as a clinical fellow at the department of Endocrinology and Metabolism. Dr. Alkaabi’s research interests are in diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorders, obesity, cardiometabolic diseases, osteoporosis, and Vitamin D deficiency with 189 publications as articles and abstracts. He has various participations at national, regional and international meetings and is an organizer of many scientific conferences and meetings.

Prof. Khadija Hafidh has over 20 years of experience in Internal medicine, diabetes, obesity, metabolism and medical education. Currently, she heads the Diabetes Unit at Rashid Hospital, Dubai Academic Health Corporation. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and clinical Professor of Medicine at Mohamed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences. She is certified SCOPE obesity and Cardio-metabolic Health expert. She is a member of the steering committee for the UAE National Diabetes Guidelines and Editorial Board Member of the Dubai Diabetes and Endocrine Journal. Her research interest includes: cardiovascular complications in Diabetes and Obesity.

PG in Diabetes- University of Leicester

Dr. Mohamed Hassanein is a Professor of Medicine at Mohamed Bin Rashid University UAE, and a Senior Consultant in Endocrinology and Diabetes at Dubai Hospital. He previously served as Associate Director for Postgraduate Diabetes Education at Cardiff University, UK. He’s a graduate of Alexandria University, Dr. Hassanein is internationally acclaimed for his pioneering research on diabetes and Ramadan, contributing to landmark ADA, BMJ, Diabetes Canada, and IDF DAR guidelines. With over 110 peer reviewed publications and leadership in major national and international clinical guidelines. He also serves as Associate Editor of the Dubai Diabetes and Endocrinology Journal. Dr. Hassanein is winner of the prestigious 2024 Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Excellence in the 'Medical Innovation' category.

Dr. Farooqi received his Internal Medicine training in New York and then did his Endocrine Fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. He is US Board Certified both in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology and is a Fellow of the American College of Endocrinology, the American College of Physicians and the Royal College of Physicians, UK. He was also awarded the Fellowship of Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine recently. His passions include teaching. He has won multiple awards for teaching while serving as an Associate Professor at the University of South Florida. He has been a faculty member at Thomas Jefferson University and Harvard Medical School. At present, he is an Adjunct Professor at the Mohammad Bin Rashid University of Health Sciences as well as the Dubai Medical College. Initially he joined the Joslin Diabetes Center Affiliate in Florida and worked there for a decade as the Medical Director. He established and operated a highly successful Joslin affiliate in Safety Harbor, Florida. In 2008, he led the Joslin team that set up the state-of-the-art Joslin Diabetes Center Affiliate at Dubai Health Authority, now renamed as the Dubai Diabetes Center, one of the largest in the public sector in the UAE, which he stills leads. Dr. Farooqi has been an invited speaker at various Health Forums internationally and has helped design and conduct global diabetes education programs for physicians as a steering committee member. He has published many articles and serves as a reviewer or member of the editorial board of various international journals. Currently he is focused on telehealth using remote patient monitoring technology and clinical decision support systems to provide personalized diabetes management.

Dr. Raya Almazrouei, Consultant Endocrinologist and Head of Endocrinology Division at Tawam Hospital, Assistant Professor at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAEU. She specialized in Diabetes and Endocrinology through Diabetes & Endocrine fellowship at Imperial College London NHS Trust in UK. She holds the UK Specialty Certification in Endocrinology. In addition to her clinical expertise, Dr. Almazrouei has clinical research experience with severeal publications in the field of diabetes and endocrinology. Additionally she holds severeal certificates in the field of research incluidng Harvard Medical school Global Clinical Scholars Research Training (GCSRT) and Stanford Certificate of Achievement in medical statistics. Dr Almazrouei is a member of several international endocrine societies and she is a board member in Emirates Diabetes and Endocrine Society and the Gulf Association of Endocrinology and Diabetes Dr Almazrouei was awarded several research prizes and well done recognition awards.

Zeina Younes is a clinical dietitian and research professional with over a decade of experience in diabetes care and medical nutrition therapy. As a Clinical Diabetes Dietitian Specialist at the Dubai Diabetes Center since 2014, she has empowered individuals with diabetes through evidence-based nutritional strategies, cutting-edge technology integration, and compassionate patient education. Zeina's work is also deeply rooted in research. She has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications focusing on diabetes distress, glycemic control, and self-management education across both pediatric and adult populations. Her academic foundation—holding dual Bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Nutrition & Dietetics, and a Master of Science in Nutrition—was further strengthened by her early research experience at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, particularly in reproductive health and endocrinology. Driven by a mission to improve patient outcomes through research-informed practice, Zeina continuously contributes to clinical research studies and remains actively engaged in scientific discourse. She is also an advocate for multidisciplinary care and innovative diabetes education models, using tools like Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) and insulin pump therapy to bridge the gap between clinical advancements and daily patient management. With a steadfast commitment to advancing diabetes care, Zeina continues to bridge research and clinical practice—striving to shape a future where every individual living with diabetes is empowered with the tools, knowledge, and support to thrive.