SpeakersSpeakers & Chairmen

Professor in Internal Medicine & Rheumatology at Baghdad College of Medicine. Sr. Consultant at Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Medical City. Chairman of the Scientific Council of Internal Medicine & Scientific Committee for Rheumatic Diseases in Iraqi Board for Medical Specializations. Founder and President of the Iraqi League for Bone & Joint Health. President of the Arab League of Associations for Rheumatology (ArLAR). He Has more than 75 research in the field of Rheumatology, Clinical Immunology, and Osteoporosis.

Prof. Didier Hans is a distinguished academic and business leader in medical science, with over 30 years of expertise in bone health imaging and body composition assessment. He currently heads Research and Development at the Interdisciplinary Center of Bone Diseases of the Bone and Joint Department at Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), one of the top ten ranking hospital in the world. Previously, he has held significant research positions at the University Hospital of Geneva (HUG), in the United States at UCSF with Prof. HK Genant, and in France at HEH with Profs PJ Meunier & PD Delmas. Prof. Hans has authored over 400 peer-reviewed articles and has received numerous awards, including the 2019 ISCD (International Society for Clinical Densitometry) Researcher of the Year awards and in 2006 the ISCD Clinician of the year and in 2019, Researcher of the year. He serves on several editorial boards and holds prominent roles in international organizations such as the IOF (International Osteoporosis Foundation) and ISCD (where he was President). Prof. Hans has taught worldwide and has been a consultant for various companies. He co-founded Med-Imaps SA in 2006, which later became Medimaps Group SA. As its part-time CEO since 2012, he directs the company's global strategy and innovation, maintaining its position at the forefront of the industry. Prof. Hans holds a PhD in Medical Physics, a Professorship position from Lausanne Medical University and an Executive MBA from HEC Geneva. He has also successfully sold companies he co-founded, such as Synarc, Inc., and Ascendys Sàrl.

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.

Dr. Yousef Boobes is a consultant Nephrologist at SKC- Al Ain (STMC & Tawam Hospital) and an Adjunct Professor of Medicine in the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at the United Arab Emirates University. He has over 35 years of experience in the field of Nephrology. After completing his specialization in Nephrology in France in 1985, he held numerous leadership positions at several tertiary healthcare centers in France, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.Throughout his career, Dr. Boobes has been actively involved in teaching and research, having authored over 150 publications including papers, chapters, and abstracts. His early research primarily focuses on electrolyte kinetics during hemodialysis and extracorporeal technology.He established in 2019 together with Dr Al Jaberi (Endocrinologist) and Dr Khogali (Rheumatologist) a Chronic Kidney Disease – Mineral and Bone Disorder (CKD-MBD) Multidisciplinary Service.Dr. Boobes is currently the team leader of the therapeutic plasma exchange service at STMC & Tawam Hospital.

Dr Hélène CHE is a French rheumatologist currently based in Dubai (Happiness Clinic and NMC Royal DIP). Trained in Paris and Montpellier, she specializes in osteoporosis, metabolic bone diseases, and sports medicine. Alongside her clinical practice, she is actively involved in teaching and mentoring young physicians. Her expertise covers the full spectrum of rheumatology, from inflammatory to degenerative diseases, with additional experience in musculoskeletal ultrasound.

Dr. Reem Al-Jayyousi completed undergraduate and postgraduate training in Medicine and Nephrology in the UK. She holds a PhD from the University of Leicester and was involved in clinical research trials in the field of nephrology, systemic lupus and vasculitis. She worked as a consultant nephrologist in a large tertiary referral centre in the UK for 14 years and held senior roles in undergraduate and postgraduate training. She is an associate professor at MBRU and practises as a nephrologist at Mediclinic Parkview Hospital. Her special interest is auto-immune renal disease. She is bilingual (Arabic, English).

Dr. Shamma Ahmad Al Nokhatha is an Internal Medicine and Rheumatology Consultant working at Tawam Hospital and Sh. Tahnoon Bin Mohammed Medical City in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. A Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. She completed her fellowship in Rheumatology and Ultrasound-images in Ireland 2022. She is The President of Emirates Society of Rheumatology and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the College of Medicine and Health Sciences. Her interests and research focus on MSK ultrasound, interstitial lung disease, connective tissue disease, vasculitis, spondyloarthritis and DMARDs in rheumatic conditions.

Dr Martin Lee is a Consultant Rheumatologist working at Mediclinic Parkview. He worked at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Bath, UK before moving to Newcastle to work as a Consultant Rheumatologist, Associate Clinical Sub-Dean and Senior Clinical Lecturer for Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals and Newcastle University.He relocated to UAE in 2019 and is an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor at Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dubai. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP) and has published more than 100 manuscripts, abstracts and book chapters in rheumatology literature.In 2021 he became the scientific chair of the GCC Association of Immunology and Rheumatology. He organised and chaired the Middle East Rheumatology Conferences in 2021 and 2022. In his spare time, he writes children’s books and published his first book in December 2025. He has 3 more children’s books being published in 2026.

Dr. Carine Platat is a Professor of Human Nutrition at United Arab Emirates University, where she currently serves as Chair of the Department of Nutrition and Health. She holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France, and has built her academic career at UAEU through successive faculty appointments, contributing extensively to undergraduate and graduate program development and research training. Her research focuses on metabolic health, obesity, diabetes, MASLD, musculoskeletal health, diet sustainability, physical activity, and the physiology of life sciences in space. She has led multiple funded projects, including national and international collaborations with NASA, ESA, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, and UAE governmental agencies. Dr. Platat’s work integrates clinical investigations, dietary assessment, biomarker research, and ground-based spaceflight analog models to understand glucose metabolism, functional ingredients, and cardiometabolic risk. She continues to supervise MSc and PhD students.

Specialist orthopaedic and hand surgeon with over 35 years of international experience in orthopaedic trauma, sports injuries, hand surgery, pain management, and minimally invasive spine surgery across Egypt, France, Germany, USA, Italy, South Korea, and the UAE. Known for patient‑centred care, advanced arthroscopic skills in shoulder and knee, and integration of modern orthopaedic technologies to optimise functional outcomes.

Graduated from Medical college of Baghdad University and completed his career postgraduate and specialty training CCST 2008 in UK. He became a consultant rheumatologist and head of department at Hollinswood Rheumatology Unit/ Telford. Previous publication with NOF (National osteoporosis foundation of UK- NOF) and established research unit to collaborate for multicentre clinical trials. He moved to Abu Dhabi in 2013 with the same position at Mediclinic Airport Road Hospital Abu Dhabi. He held many other positions,He has served as vice president of Emirates Society for Rheumatology (ESR) 2016-2019, he has served as head of scientific committee for Annual Asian and Pacific Rheumatology Conference in (APLAR 2017) Dubai. Currently he serves as scientific advisor for Emirates Academy for Rheumatology (ERA). He is a peer review panel member for APLAR and ELAR journals. He contributed to various conferences, talks, publications, articles, committees. He is member of GRAPPA International psoriatic arthritis research group).