Meet the Board

Kailash Bhatia is a Professor of Clinical Neurology at the Department of Clinical and Movement Neuroscience of the Institute of Neurology, UCL, Queen Square, London.
Prof. Bhatia has been an active member of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS) over the past 22 years and has served on various committees. He was privileged to receive honorary membership of the MDS in 2021 and was also honored to be invited to deliver the Stanley Fahn Oration in 2022 at the MDS congress in Madrid. He is the current co-chair of the EAN Coordinating Panel on Rare Diseases and served as the special EAN liaison for the EAN/IAN (Indian Academy of Neurology) collaboration in 2021-22. He has accepted and trained a number of fellows from various countries under the EAN’s fellowhip programmes, has taken part in numerous EAN schools and workshops, and contributed to the EAN online web forums. 

As President my vision is to support the core values of the EAN in promoting education, science, advocacy and membership. I believe our future revolves around promoting diversity, spreading education and fostering collaborations with other international forums and societies.

Irena Rektorova MD, Ph.D. is Professor of Neurology and Head of the Movement Disorders Centre at the First Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, and Coordinator of the Brain and Mind Research Programme at the Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic.

Her main clinical and research interests include movement disorders, degenerative brain diseases with cognitive impairment, brain imaging and non-invasive brain stimulation techniques. She is a member of the Management Group of the EAN Neuroimaging Scientific Panel and member of other relevant panels. She is also the Steering Committee member of the Neuroimaging Study Group of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society and member of its Congress Scientific Programme Committee. She has worked as an Associate Editor for Parkinsonism and Related Disorders journal and Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Irena Rektorova has previously served on the EAN Board as Chair of the Education Committee (2023-2024) and also served as Chair of the EAN Teaching Course sub-Committee (2020-2022).

The EAN congress showcases new research, clinical advancements, and discoveries in neurology and neuroscience, providing participants with comprehensive overview and high-level education in a friendly atmosphere. I am honoured to contribute to the success of this annual event.

Elena Moro is professor of neurology at the Department of Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurological Rehabilitation of CHU Grenoble in France. She graduated in medicine at the University of Trieste, Italy, and completed her residency in neurology at the Rome Catholic University. She then went on to complete a fellowship in movement disorders in Grenoble, France. After receiving her PhD in neurosciences, she joined the Division of Neurology at Toronto Western Hospital, Canada, as medical director of the surgical programme for movement disorders. In 2012, she moved to Grenoble, France, where she is currently director of the Movement Disorders Center and head of the Department of Psychiatry, Neurology, Neurological Rehabilitation and Forensic Medicine.

Her main research is focused on restoring brain function, especially with deep brain stimulation. To date, she has published more than 200 papers based on clinical research in movements disorders. Prof. Moro has trained many medical students, PhD students and neurology fellows. She has previously served on the EAN Board as Treasurer (2018-20) and Secretary General (2020-22).

I would like to see more and more women neurologists actively involved in our society: let's do this together.

Jana Midelfart-Hoff is a distinguished Consultant in Neurology currently serving at the Stategovernor Vestland while holding a Professorship at VID Specialized University in Bergen, Norway. Since 2020, she has been the President of the Norwegian Neurological Association. Midelfart-Hoff possesses extensive clinical and scientific expertise, with a particular interest in interdisciplinary projects involving fields such as obstetrics and ophthalmology. Her PhD thesis, "Giving Birth with Myasthenia Gravis" (2006), delved into the interplay between Myasthenia Gravis and reproductive health.

Passionate about enhancing public understanding of brain health, Prof. Midelfart-Hoff actively engages in public education through podcasts and regular appearances on Norwegian public broadcasts. Her topics range from "Why is My Handwriting Deteriorating?" to "Why Do Some Pop Songs Stick to Your Brain?". She is also a strong advocate for European neurological collaboration, fostering both scientific and social connections across the continent.

I feel very privileged to be able to work for and promote neurological co-operation across Europe. There are more things to unite us than to separate us, and to work together for better brain health is a great goal.

Bernhard J. Steinhoff is Chief Physician and Medical Director of the Kork Epilepsy Center in Kehl-Kork, Germany, and Professor of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology at the University of Freiburg.

After studying medicine at the University of Freiburg, he completed his PhD at the University of Heidelberg in 1989. He began his career at the Kork Epilepsy Center, later undertaking specialist training and research at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, the Cleveland Clinic (USA), and Georg August University of Göttingen, where he completed his habilitation in Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology.

Prof. Steinhoff has held numerous leadership roles, including President of the German Epilepsy Society and Co-chair of the Therapeutic Strategies Commission of the International League Against Epilepsy. An active EAN member since 2014, he served as Co-chair of the Scientific Panel on Epilepsy (2022–2026) and remains an elected panel member. He has published extensively and received several awards for his contributions to epilepsy research and education.

Seizures, syncope, epilepsy, unexpected loss of control and brain function – what a both frightening and fascinating part of human life. My intention is to foster better understanding and research mainly in epileptology and clinical neurophysiology and to promote my scientific interests as important part of the EAN framework.

Gereon R. Fink has been a Professor of Neurology and Head of department in Cologne, Germany, since 2006. He is a fellow of the EAN and a member of the Scientific Panel on Higher Cognitive Functions. He is interested in investigating neural mechanisms underlying cognitive and motor dysfunction in neurological disorders (e.g., stroke, Parkinson’s disease) using behavioural, neuromodulatory, and functional imaging methods.

Before moving to the Hammersmith Hospital and the Functional Imaging Laboratory in London, Fink started his career at the Max-Planck Institute for Neurological Research, Cologne. After returning to Germany and finishing his neurology training in Cologne and Düsseldorf, he became director of the Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Center Jülich, in 2005. From 2001 to 2006, he worked as a professor of neurology at the Department of Neurology of the University Hospital Aachen before moving to his current position.

He served as president of the German Neurophysiological Society from 2011 to 2012 and the German Neurological Society from 2017 to 2018.

Improving the health of our neurological patients and preventing neurological diseases depends on science, building a deep foundation of knowledge that guides our actions. The EAN offers the unique opportunity to bring together brilliant minds working collectively to address significant societal challenges.

Benedetta Bodini is Professor of Neurology at Sorbonne University, Principal Investigator within the REGAIN-MS team at the Paris Brain Institute, and a neurologist at Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris. She trained at Sapienza University of Rome, holds a PhD in Neuroscience from University College London, and completed postdoctoral research in Paris and London. Her research focuses on the biological mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration and tissue repair in multiple sclerosis, with the aim of developing advanced structural, molecular and metabolic imaging biomarkers to support precision medicine and neuroprotective strategies. She leads several translational research programmes while mentoring the next generation of clinician-scientists by supervising medical students, neurology residents, and PhD candidates. Professor Bodini has contributed to the EAN Communication Committee for six years, including four as Editor of EAN News, and now serves as Chair of the Committee.

Communication is how discoveries translate into impact. My vision is for the EAN to inspire, connect and empower the neurology community across Europe and beyond, so that every breakthrough brings us closer to making a difference to patients' lives.

Nathalie Nasr is Professor of Neurology, Clinical Neurologist and Stroke Physician at Poitiers University Hospital in France. After obtaining her PhD on the regulation of cerebral blood flow in stroke and cerebrovascular disease, she was appointed Research Fellow in Neurology at Cambridge University Hospital, before becoming Associate Professor of Neurology at Toulouse University Hospital, prior to her current position.

She has previously served on the board of the National College of Professors of Neurology and is currently National Coordinator of the French Diploma of Neurosonology in Neurovascular Pathology at Paris Cité University, and of the Inter-University Diploma of Ethics in decision making in the context of uncertainty. Her clinical research focus is on the impact of cardiovascular stress on the prognosis of stroke and premature cerebrovascular ageing.

She is co-chair of the EAN Scientific Panel on Neurosonology and contributes to the EAN Scientific Panels on Stroke and on Autonomic Nervous System Disorders, as well as the Coordinating Panel on Neuroscience/Translational Neurology.

My feeling is that engagement in science and knowledge is a continuation of our love to the world in a different manner. Rainer Maria Rilke wrote this about art. I think it also applies to the field of knowledge. 

Katarzyna Krzywicka, is a neurology resident at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), the Netherlands, with a strong academic and clinical interest in cerebrovascular diseases. She obtained her medical degree from the University of Groningen and completed an MPhil in Clinical Sciences (Experimental Medicine) at the University of Cambridge and obtained her PhD at the University of Amsterdam. Her research has focused on stroke, with expertise in cerebral venous thrombosis, and she has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications as part of international collaborative research networks. In addition to her clinical training and research, Dr. Krzywicka is actively engaged in neurological education and professional development through the EAN Resident and Research Fellow Section, where she contributes to initiatives that support young neurologists and foster international collaboration. Her work aims to bridge clinical practice and research to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of patients with cerebrovascular disorders.

As the RRFS representative to the Board, I am passionate about bringing young neurologists together to share knowledge, build lasting collaborations, and drive innovation. Together, we can strengthen our community and improve neurological care for patients across Europe.