Chair of Cardiology
Cleveland Clinic London
Professor Bernard Prendergast is the Chair of Cardiology at Cleveland Clinic London and a Consultant Cardiologist at Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. He has been Honorary Secretary of the British Cardiovascular and Cardiovascular Intervention Societies and maintains research interests that focus on the field of heart valve disease and have resulted in publication of over 400 articles. He is a frequent lecturer on the international stage and is the Co-Chairman of PCR (the world’s largest education programme in. interventional cardiology) and the principal Course Director of PCR London Valves (the world’s largest specialist meeting in valve intervention).
Dr. Samir Kapadia is the Chairman of the Robert and Suzanne Tomsich Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute at Cleveland Clinic. He is a Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. He is board-certified in internal medicine, cardiology, and interventional cardiology.
His specialty and clinical interests are Percutaneous treatment for valve disease, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), Mitraclip, complex coronary interventions, atrial septal defect (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure, carotid interventions, peripheral interventions.
Dr. Kapadia has performed 1,000 TAVR procedures and thousands of other cardiovascular procedures throughout his career.
Dr. Kapadia received his medical degree with honors from Smt. NHL Municipal Medical College in Gujarat, India. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, where he was named Outstanding Resident. Dr. Kapadia completed fellowships in cardiology and interventional cardiology at Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, and was named Chief Interventional Fellow. Dr. Kapadia was appointed to Cleveland Clinic in 2003 as a Staff Interventional Cardiologist.
Prior to his appointment to Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Kapadia had an academic appointment to the Department of Medicine at the University of Washington, Seattle, and was an Interventional Cardiologist at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle. Research, Publications and Speaking: Dr. Kapadia has published more than 300 articles and abstracts in professional scientific journals.
Dr. Serge Harb is a staff cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic and an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. He specializes in structural and multimodality cardiac imaging and completed his entire training, including internal medicine, general cardiology, and advanced cardiac imaging, at the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Harb has authored more than 150 manuscripts published in peer-reviewed cardiology journals, with his research primarily focusing on structural imaging and valvular heart disease.
Dr. Abdullah Nabi Aslan graduated from Marmara University in 2009 and earned his title as a cardiology specialist in 2014 in Ankara, Turkey. He worked as an interventional cardiologist at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital until 2023. Currently, Dr. Aslan is an associate professor of Cardiology at Ankara Yildirim Beyazıt University. In September 2023, he joined Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi as an associate staff physician in interventional cardiology, bringing his extensive expertise to the region.
Staff Physician
Cardiovascular Medicine, Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, UAE
Dr. Ahmed Bafadel, MD, is a Staff Physician in the Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Bafadel was an Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging Fellow at Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, USA.
Dr. Bafadel received his medical degree from King Saud Medical School, Saudi Arabia and trained in internal medicine at Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He completed his Cardiology fellowship at Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He also completed a master’s in Business Administration at Cornell University, New York, USA, where his work and research focused on new medical technology, including medical wearables and telemedicine, in addition to increasing the efficiency of healthcare systems.
Following that, Dr. Bafadel worked as a Teaching Faculty and Cardiologist at King Saud Medical School, Saudi Arabia, where he was involved in a Cardiology Fellowship Program for training Cardiology Specialists. He later moved to the United States to gain experience in advanced Cardiovascular Imaging in the Heart and Vascular Institute at Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, USA. During his time serving at Cleveland Clinic, he was trained in structural 3D Echocardiography guidance of percutaneous valve implantation, Nuclear Cardiac Imaging and Cardiovascular CT. His research on transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and nuclear cardiology has been presented in international cardiac conferences.
He is board certified by both the Royal College of Physicians of Canada (FRCPC) and the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) in Cardiovascular Disease, as well as Internal Medicine. He also holds certification boards from the National Board of Echocardiography, the Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology and the Certification Board of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography.
Dr. Bafadel enjoys spending his free time with his family and friends, as well as playing tennis.
Dr. Alaa Saeid is a dedicated cardiologist with a strong foundation in internal medicine. Graduated from RAK College of Medical Sciences in 2012, Dr. Alaa gained valuable clinical experience during his internal medicine residency at Al Ain/Tawam Hospitals. Post-graduation, He served as an internal medicine attending at Tawam Hospital for two years before embarking on a cardiology fellowship at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
Currently in the final year of his cardiology fellowship, He is particularly interested in interventional cardiology. With a passion for this field, He is committed to pursuing a career in interventional cardiology and actively participates in research and meetings initiatives to advance the field.
Dr. Dima Quraini is a clinical cardiologist at the Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. After graduating from medical school at Universite de Montreal, Dr Quraini completed her internal medicine training at St Elizabeth’s Medical Centre in Boston, Massachusetts where she also served as chief medical resident. She then completed her cardiovascular fellowship at Tufts Medical Centre in Boston, Massachusetts where she dedicated a year of training in advanced cardiac imaging. Her research on 3D echocardiography has been cited in recent imaging guidelines.
Since joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi in 2017, Dr Quraini has championed prevention and currently serves as director of the Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute outpatient clinic. Her passion for women’s cardiac health has led her to establish the Women’s Heart Health Clinic at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Dr Quraini is also an integral part of the structural imaging team and has developed departmental imaging protocols to help guide imaging during complex structural cases. In her free time, Dr Quraini loves to read and to spend time with her family traveling or in nature.
Staff Physician
Cardiovascular Medicine, Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, UAE
Dr. Emad U. Hakemi, MD, MS, is a Consultant Staff Physician in the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Hakemi served as section head of Structural Heart Disease Transcatheter Interventions at Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, US, where he performed a wide range of minimally invasive transcatheter therapies to patients with structural heart disease. Additionally, he participated in national and international multicenter clinical trials investigating advanced structural valve therapies offering patients access to minimally invasive options.
Dr. Hakemi received his medical degree with Honors from Ain Shams University, Egypt, and completed his Internal Medicine residency at John H. Stroger Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, US, where he also completed his General Cardiovascular Medicine fellowship serving as Chief Cardiovascular Medicine Fellow. He obtained his Masters of Science in Clinical Research at Rush University, Chicago, US.
Dr. Hakemi completed his Interventional Cardiology training at Columbia University Medical Center, New York, US. Here he trained in complex percutaneous coronary interventions, chronic total occlusion interventions, mechanical cardio-circulatory support, valvular heart disease interventions and structural heart disease interventions.
Dr. Hakemi is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine, American Board of Interventional Cardiology, American Board of Echocardiography and American Board of Nuclear Cardiology. He is actively participating in outcome based clinical research focused on coronary artery disease and structural heart disease.
Dr. Fatemeh Mohammed is a Chief Cardiology Fellow at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi Cardiology Program, where she is recognized for her leadership and commitment to advancing cardiovascular medicine. She earned her medical degree from University of Sharjah, followed by a residency in Internal Medicine at Tawam Hospital, where she developed a strong foundation in patient care.
During her fellowship, Dr.Fatemeh Mohammed has focused on heart failure and transplant, contributing to important research that has been presented at national and international conferences. Her work aims to improve patient education and their clinical outcomes.
Looking ahead, She aspires to specialize in heart failure, aiming to make significant contributions to both clinical practice and research in the field of cardiology.
Dr. Fereidoon Shafiei, MD, is a Staff Physician in the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Shafiei practiced as a Cardiac Electrophysiologist at Ballad Health Network in Kingsport, Tennessee, US. He also previously worked at Mediclinic City Hospital in Dubai, UAE.
Dr. Shafiei is a fellow of the Heart Rhythm Society and the American College of Cardiology. During his tenure, he has treated a spectrum of complex cardiac arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia, as well as device implantations such as pacemakers and defibrillators. He is also trained in lead management and performs lead extraction.
Dr. Shafiei received his medical degree with honors from the University of Pecs Medical School in Hungary. He completed his Internal Medicine residency and Cardiovascular Medicine fellowship at Louisiana State University Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana, US, where he also served as a chief resident during his last year of Internal Medicine residency.
He then completed his 2 years fellowship training in Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, US, and the Ohio State University Health Science Center in Columbus, Ohio, US. He is American Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine and Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology.
Dr Shafiei’s clinical and research interest is in complex arrhythmias and ablation. He is heavily involved with the electrophysiology lab team and has performed high volume complex ablations.
Dr. Shafiei is married and has 4 children. He enjoys swimming, scuba diving and outdoor activities.
Dr. Gopal Bhatnager, MD, is Chief of Cardiac Surgery in the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Bhatnagar served as Chief of Staff at Trillium Health Centre, Ontario, Canada.
Dr. Bhatnagar received his medical degree from the University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. He completed his residency in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Toronto and was the youngest Chief of Cardiac Surgery appointed at the same university. He also led the development of the Cardiac Surgery Department at the Trillium Health Centre.
With his involvement over twenty years, the Trillium Health Centre has become the third largest cardiac surgery center in the provence and the largest beating heart surgery service in Canada. At the Trillium Health Center, he served as Chief of Cardiac Surgery from 2000 to 2005 and as Medical Director of the Cardiac Program from 2001 to 2006. Dr. Bhatnagar then served as Chief of Staff from 2006 to 2015.
Dr. Bhatnagar resides in Abu Dhabi and his hobbies include jiu-jitsu and fitness.
Dr. Hussam Ghalib, is a Staff Physician in the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. He directs the Inpatient Services within the Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute (HVTI) as well as the Cardiomyopathy Center. Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Ghalib was at the University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, where he specialized in Cardiovascular Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Imaging and Advanced Heart Failure Management. Dr. Ghalib received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. He then served on faculty in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan Hospital for two years. He also completed a Cardiovascular Medicine fellowship at UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California with a focus on advanced heart failure and transplant.
Department Chair
Cardiovascular Medicine
Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, UAE
Dr. John W. Rickard, MD, is the Department Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine within the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Rickard worked as a Staff Physician for over 9 years at Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, US. Prior to that he was an Associate Professor of Medicine/Cardiac Electrophysiology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD, US. Dr. Rickard has written over 100 peer reviewed manuscripts, many in top medical journals, has been a co-author on multiple international guidelines, and has significant experience in the care of patients with complex cardiac rhythm disorders.
Dr. Mahmoud Traina, MD, is a Staff Physician in the Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Traina was an Associate Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), California, US. He was also Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, where he doubled the capacity of the laboratory and introduced complex coronary interventions and the radial catheterization approach. During this time, Dr. Traina performed over 6,000 cardiac catheterizations, using advanced techniques and minimally invasive approaches.
Dr. Traina was the Associate Program Director of the Cardiology fellowship at UCLA, overseeing the training of over thirty fellows annually. He also served as core faculty of Internal Medicine Residency, supervising over eighty residents every year. He is known as a dedicated educator and has won several teaching awards.
He was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, US and received his medical degree from the University of California, Davis, California. His postgraduate training was at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he completed his training in Internal Medicine, Cardiology and Interventional Cardiology.
Dr. Traina’s research interests include optimization of radial access approaches, evaluation and management of cardiomyopathies and novel management of acute heart failure and atrial fibrillation. He has participated in multiple international multicenter trials and has over forty publications and abstracts in peer-reviewed journals. He has also been an invited speaker at both national and international conferences.
Dr. Traina enjoys spending his free time with his wife and two children.
Dr. Mo’ath Bani Ali completed his medical degree at Mutah University in 2017. After finishing his internal medicine residency at Jordan University Hospital in 2022 and obtaining the Jordanian Board certification, he worked as an Internal Medicine Specialist at King Hussein Cancer Center.
In September 2023, he began a Cardiology Fellowship at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, currently in his second year. He has published seven research papers, reflecting his dedication to advancing medical knowledge and patient care.
Dr. Mohamed Al Jaabari, MBBS is a Staff Physician in the Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Al Jaabari practiced as Cardiac Electrophysiologist at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) and Mafraq Hospital, Abu Dhabi.
Dr. Al Jaabari is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology and a fellow of the Heart Rhythm Society. During his tenure, he has treated a wide range of complex cardiac arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia, and performed advanced cardiac device implantation and extraction procedures.
Dr. Al Jaabari received his medical degree with honors from The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland. He completed an Internal Medicine residency training at Georgetown University, Washington Hospital Center, Washington D.C. where he also served as Chief Resident of the Internal Medicine Residency program, and also completed Internal Medicine residency training at Trinity University, Dublin, Ireland. He completed his fellowship training in Cardiovascular Medicine and Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, United States. He was also a core faculty of the cardiovascular disease fellowship program at SKMC.
Dr. Al Jaabari leads the Cardiac Electrophysiology Working Group of the Emirates Cardiac Society, and he has authored several book chapters in the field of electrophysiology.
Section Head
Clinical and Imaging Cardiology
Heart and Vascular Institute.
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, UAE
Dr. Mohammed Khalil is a cardiologist and imaging expert leading clinical and imaging services at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. He had an extensive experience in heart failure and imaging cardiology.
Dr. Ronney Shantouf is the Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, Co-Director of the Complex Coronary Program, and Staff Physician at the Heart and Vascular Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Shantouf was a Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where he served as the Director of the Cardiac Catheterization lab of Olive View-UCLA Medical Center from 2016 – 2019.
As an Interventionalist he has performed thousands of cardiac catheterizations throughout his career; and specializes in complex and high-risk coronary procedures including coronary atherectomy (laser, rotablation, orbital atherectomy, lithotripsy), invasive hemodynamic assessments including coronary spasm and microvascular dysfunction testing, radial coronary interventions, and intravascular imaging.
Dr. Shantouf is American Board certified in Internal Medicine, General Cardiology, and Interventional Cardiology. He received his Bachelor of Science degree summa cum laude in Neuroscience and Medical Degree from the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA). He went on to complete his Internal Medicine Internship and Residency at the UCLA Medical Center, General Cardiology Fellowship at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, and Interventional Cardiology Fellowship at University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
Chair of Cardiac Surgery
Chief Quality Officer
Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, UAE
Chair of Cardiology
Cleveland Clinic London
Professor Bernard Prendergast is the Chair of Cardiology at Cleveland Clinic London and a Consultant Cardiologist at Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. He has been Honorary Secretary of the British Cardiovascular and Cardiovascular Intervention Societies and maintains research interests that focus on the field of heart valve disease and have resulted in publication of over 400 articles. He is a frequent lecturer on the international stage and is the Co-Chairman of PCR (the world’s largest education programme in. interventional cardiology) and the principal Course Director of PCR London Valves (the world’s largest specialist meeting in valve intervention).
The planning committee, faculty and others in control of content (either individually or as a group) do not have relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.