Reorganization and stability for motor and language areas using cortical stimulation: case example and review of the literature.

Mohamad A.  Mikati M.D., is the Wilburt C. Davison Professor of Pediatrics, Professor of Neurobiology, and Chief of the Division of Pediatric Neurology. Dr. Mikati’s clinical research has centered on characterization and therapy of pediatric epilepsy and neurology syndromes, describing several new pediatric neurological entities with two carrying his name (POSSUM syndromes # 3708 and 4468), developing novel therapeutic strategies for epilepsy and related disorders particularly Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood, and applying cutting edge genetic and Magnetic Resonance Imaging techniques to drug resistant pediatric epilepsy.  In the laboratory he has elucidated mechanisms of seizure related neuronal injury, particularly those related to the ceramide pathway, and demonstrated neuroprotective effects of several agents including erythropoietin. Most recently he has concentrated his laboratory research on the pathophysiology of ATP1A3 dysfunction in the brain as model for epilepsy and of Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood. He has more than 290 peer reviewed publications, 400 abstracts 41 chapters one book and two booklets. He also has more than 10,497 citations in the literature with an h-index of 58 and an i-10index of 190. Dr. Mikati has written chapters on epilepsy and related disorders in the major textbooks of Pediatrics and Pediatric Neurology including Swaiman’s Pediatric Neurology and Nelson’s Pediatrics. Before joining Duke in 2008 he had completed his M.D. and Pediatric training at the American University of Beirut, his Neurology at the Massachusetts General Hospital, his Neurophysiology at Boston Children’s Hospital and had been on the Faculty at Harvard as Director of Research in the Epilepsy Program at Boston Children’s Hospital and then as Professor and Chairman, Department of Pediatrics, Founder and Director of the Adult and Pediatric Epilepsy Program at the American University of Beirut. Dr. Mikati has had several international leadership roles including being President of the Union of the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Pediatric Societies, on the Standing Committee of the International Pediatric Association (IPA), Chair of the Strategic Advisory Group on Early Childhood Development of the IPA, Officer of the International Child Neurology Association, Consultant to UNICEF, WHO, and the American Board of Pediatrics. He was selected to organize and chair the American Epilepsy Society's Merritt-Putnam Symposium and was one of only two Pediatric Neurologists, initially chosen worldwide, on the WHO advisory committee for the International Classification of Disease. He has received several national and international honors including, among others, Merritt Putnam American Epilepsy Society Fellowship Award, Harvard Community Health Plan Peer recognition Award, Debs Research Award, Hamdan Award for contributions to Medicine, Hans Zellweger Award for contributions to Pediatric Neurology, Patient Choice Award and the Michael Frank Award for research and lifetime contributions to the field of Pediatric Neurology.

My current research efforts focus on evaluating and remediating cognitive functioning in children with illnesses that impact the central nervous system. Current projects include: 1) evaluation of a cognitive intervention for children with sickle cell disease; 2) intervention aimed at improving adherence to medication regiments in children with sickle cell disease; and 3) remediation of cognitive deficits in children undergoing treatment for pediatric tumors.  I also consult on several multi-center projects aimed at evaluating cognitive functioning and quality of life in children with disease.  

My clinical areas of expertise include spinal surgery, especially cervical spine surgery where I have performed almost 8,300 cervical spine procedures and recently was ranked the top cervical spine surgeon in the country by MPIRICA (an analytical company that reviews surgical outcomes).  I believe the whole patient is important and we emphasize time with the patient and careful discussions regarding possible surgery. Our excellent results are due to a great team of physicians, nurses, CRNAs, and anesthesiologists.  I also believe in the spiritual side in taking care of my patients. As a design surgeon we are developing better ways to treat cervical spine disease through innovative approaches to the cervical spine.

Through my Masters in Academic Medicine degree, I developed the Surgical Autonomy Program which is now used in 7 Neurosurgery Programs across the country and is an innovative way to teach, assess, and provide feedback to residents in the intraoperative environment.  Over the last twelve years we have developed the first ever Division of Global Neurosurgery and Neurology (launched in 2014), where I serve as the Division Chief and the Division boasts over 100 members including faculty, graduate and medical students, undergraduate students and an outstanding staff of researchers, most located in the Duke Global Health Institute.  The Division has published over 120 manuscripts between 2014 and 2023.  We have primarily worked in building capacity, teaching, and collaborative research projects in Uganda.  In 2019 I was invited to join the faculty at the Duke-Singapore Global Health Institute and we are working with the Singapore Neuroscience Department to develop outreach and increase capacity in Jaffna, Sri Lanka.