Faculty - Human Brain Mapping Program, Pittsburgh
Faculty
Rafeed Alkawadri, MD
Cigdem Isitan Alkawadri, MD
Dr. Isitan is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Department of Neurology at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She treats patients with a variety of conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica, transverse myelitis, optic neuritis, neurosarcoidosis, autoimmune encephalitis, and other immune-mediated inflammatory conditions affecting the brain and spinal cord. Her research interests are centered around identification of neuroimaging biomarkers of early and subacute inflammation
Post-Doctoral Research Fellows and International Scholars
Dr. Rahul Jena
Dr. Rahul Jena, an international medical graduate from India, earned his medical degree from Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College, Pune, in 2024. After graduation, he joined the Human Brain Mapping Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center as a research fellow.
Dr. Jena is passionate about a career in academic neurology in the United States and is dedicated to embedding evidence-based medicine and patient-centered care as core values in practice. He believes these principles are crucial for improving patient outcomes and achieving clinical excellence. His interest in epilepsy has been further deepened by previous clinical experience in the United States.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Rahul enjoys watching tennis(former state-level player), exploring new coffee spots, reading, and watching movies.
Dr. Hamza Abdul Kareem
Hamza graduated from Jordan University of Science and Technology in 2016 and completed a Family Medicine residency at the same institution in 2022. He joined the Human Brain Mapping Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center as a research fellow.
His research interests include computational EEG and epilepsy, with a focus on advancing methods to study brain function and improve patient outcomes.
Alumni
Dr. Iktimal Alwan
Dr. Ayse Kacar Bayram
Ayse Kacar Bayram M.D. is working as Visiting Research Scientist in the Department of Neurology at Yale School of Medicine. She was accepted in 2017 after completion of 3-year postdoctoral fellowship training in epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology in the Pediatric Neurology Department, Erciyes University, School of Medicine, Turkey. In 2015, she was attended in epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology course in the Epilepsy Center at Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. Prior to her postdoctoral fellowship training, Dr. Kacar Bayram completed 5-year Pediatric residency training at the Dr. Sami Ulus Children's Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. She received her medical degree from the Ankara University Faculty of Medicine in 2003. Dr. Kacar Bayram has published her research in peer-reviewed international journals in her field, and presented her work at several national and international meetings.
Tritan Plute, MD candidate 2025
Barak Davidi
Muhammad Mubbashir Sheikh, MBBS
About me: Originally from Pakistan. After graduating from Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad, Pakistan. I worked as a clinical Intern and did clinical attachments for a couple of years in Medicine and Subspecialties (Emergency Medicine, Neurology) and a primary care physician. In the U.S., I got an opportunity to work as a research volunteer at the University of Tennessee at College of Medicine at Chattanooga, TN, and Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL. Later, I got an opportunity to work with Dr. Alkawadri at Human Brain Mapping Center, UPMC, PA. It was a self-driven dream and passion to train under the USA's dynamic healthcare system. The human Brain Mapping Program especially under the mentorship of Dr. Alkawadri, was just the perfect match. The program offers a steep learning curve in cutting-edge research skills and practical application at the bedside.
Current Position: Internal Medicine Resident Physician at UHS-Wilson Medical Center/SUNY Upstate University, Johnson City, NY, USA
Current interests: To maintain balance between theoretical and practical knowledge on daily basis during the clinical residency training
Future interests: Pulmonary/Critical Care, Neurocritical Care.
Hobbies: Video gaming, Cricket, Cards, and Cooking.
