Biosketch

Youssef Fares, MD, PhD, EMBA is a leading neurosurgeon, academic, and healthcare executive, and currently serves as the Founding President of the Lebanese Academy. He is Professor of Neurosurgery at the Lebanese University and CEO and Chairman of Al-Zahraa Hospital University Medical Center. Prof. Fares has held prominent academic leadership roles, including Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Founding Director of the Neuroscience Research Center, and Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at the Lebanese University.

Prof. Fares completed his medical degree at the University of Granada, his PhD in Medicine and Surgery at the Autonomous University of Madrid, and his neurosurgery training at the Jiménez Díaz Foundation University Hospital. He also holds an Executive MBA in healthcare management from the American University of Technology.

A prolific scholar, Prof. Fares has authored over 130 peer-reviewed publications spanning neurosurgery, neuroscience, and conflict medicine. His research contributions include pioneering work on the clinical use of intrathecal baclofen for spasticity, neurological outcomes in conflict settings, and the development of several clinical assessment scales for neurological disease and injury classification. His commitment to advancing research infrastructure led to the establishment of the Neuroscience Research Center, a multidisciplinary hub fostering graduate and postgraduate research in Lebanon.

Prof. Fares is an elected member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, a Fellow of the World Academy of Medical Sciences, and holds fellowships with the American College of Surgeons, the International College of Surgeons, and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. In recognition of his efforts in building scientific capacity in Lebanon, he received the TWAS Arab Regional Award from The World Academy of Sciences. His leadership extends to editorial roles in international journals, and he serves on multiple scientific and governmental boards.