EDUCATION & ACADEMIC TITLES
MSc NHS Digital Leadership, Imperial College London
USMLE Steps I, II, III
FRCS (Surgical Neurology) – Royal College of Surgeons of England
MD, First Class Honours cum laude, University of Rome “La Sapienza”
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2021 - 2024 Consultant neurosurgeon Cleveland Clinic London
2013 - 2024 Consultant neurosurgeon Queens Hospital, Romford, UK
2010 - 2013 Fellowships in neuro oncology, spine, hydrocephalus, paediatric neurosurgery and pain management
2003 - 2010 Neurosurgery resident speciality training, National Hospital Neurology and Neurosurgery, London
MEMBERSHIP IN SOCIETIES & EDITORIAL BOARDS
Society of British Neurological Surgeons
National Institute of Excellence (NICE) – specialist advisor for interventional procedures
Congress of Neurological Surgeons
European Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgeons
Greek Chapter of International League against Epilepsy
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
2019 - 2022 DNA – Do Not Attend, using machine learning models to predict non attenders in NHS Trusts. Collaboration with NHS Digital. AI/ML models trained in HES data. Pilot study involves randomization of the intervention to measure impact
2018 - 2019 Optimization of DBS IPG stimulation parameters by phasic stimulation during tremor phase of essential tremor patients. Collaboration with Prof Brown at the University of Oxford. Stimulation of the DBS actuated in a closed loop driven by tremor phases.
2017- 2021 An artificial intelligence tool to predict clinical risk patterns and patient admissions in Emergency Departments This is a collaboration between Queens Hospital and The Alan Turing Institute trying to apply advanced machine learning approaches and Artificial Intelligence techniques in predicting patient clinical risk upon presentation to the hospital. The innovation relies on the use of Natural Language processing and Deep Learning models. https://www.turing.ac.uk/research/research-projects/analytics-dashboard-ae
2017 - 2018 General Data Protection Regulation(GDPR) and Big Data in the NHS. Policy project in collaboration with The Alan Turing Institute with the aim to define a robust framework easy to understand, interoperable between Trusts that can be used in Research /Standard Clinical Care in order to facilitate the use of Artificial Intelligence Tools within the confines of GDPR.
2017 - 2024 Undergrads designing AI for Health. Pilot programme with University of Hertfordshire. Final year undergraduate biomedical engineering students exposed to real healthcare problems to solve by using off- the self AI/machine learning solutions.
2016 - 2019 NGMed – Talos startup. Co-development of a neurosurgery medical device produced by NGMed startup. Acted as clinical consultant, presenter to the Greek department of health and other healthcare stakeholders, data guardian and risk assurance advisor.
2015 - 2024 Machine Learning assisted programming of Deep Brain Stimulation parameters by integrating B-band suppression bio-signals and wearable sensors. The aim is to integrate Local field potentials from active DBS electrodes with bradykinesia, tremor and rigidity in real-time to assist with DBS programming. Project in its development, this will be a very useful tool especially with the arrival of multi-contact electrodes and current steering techniques.
2014 - 2015 HORIZON 2020 European SME-Academia grant coordinator of EMPOWER: Epilepsy self-Management by Predictive Computer Models and Wearable Sensors. This was a preliminary research on the feasibility of a complete solution of a wireless EEG coupled with wearable sensors gathering bio-signals that could drive a predictive and detection model of epileptic seizures in children and adults. Joint effort between three major European Universities, 4 clinical sites and 3 SMEs. This was submitted as a Horizon 2020 grant.
Aug 2012 - now Coordinator of QSRNet. Initiative of Queen Square Research Network (QSRNet). The aim of the initiative is to form a network of interested people in the Neurosciences / Neurosurgical grounds to promote and organise research and audit projects in an open manner and through collaborative competition. The concept is based on value networks where the people contributing to the network drive the scope and results of the system itself
2011 - 2014 UCLH Coordinator and co-PI of ROSE Trial (Radiosurgery vs Open Surgery for Epilepsy). This trial aims to prove superiority or non-inferiority of gamma-knife in the treatment of mesial temporal sclerosis epilepsy. (Principal Investigator – in Progress)
2012 - 2013 National Institute of Health Research, Grant proposal on the use of Deep Brain Stimulation to treat refractory epilepsy patients with hypothalamic hamartomas (pilot study).
2010 - 2011 Berkeley award, UCL. Grant proposal on a joint development of an ultra-low wireless brain-machine interface between UCL – MIT & Harvard.
2009 - 2013 Multicentre Prospective study on neuropsychological profile and safety of patients undergoing neurostimulation of Posterior Subthalamic Area/Zona Incerta (Principal Investigator – in Progress)
2009 - 2013 Multicentre Prospective study on effects of Deep Brain Stimulation on burden and QoL of carers-patients undergoing neurostimulation (Principal Investigator – in Progress)
2001 - 2003 Post graduate research, University of Rome “La Sapienza” Research project: ‘Male germ stem cell manipulation and transplant’ - supervisor Professor Mario Stefanini, MD
1999 - 2000 Undergraduate research, Johns Hopkins Medical school, Research on effects of GATA-3 and NFk-B on IL-13 expression. Professor Steve Georas MD
1999 Predictive text in Greek language for mobile devices, IBM Italy. The aim if the project was to identify algorithms for automated intonation of Greek language words for mobile devices
ACADEMIC AND BUSINESS GRANTS
2020 - 2022 100,000£ European Institute of Technology grant to develop wearables for measuring vitals on clinical patients at home and hospital settings
2018 - 2020 58,000£ Health Foundation Charity - 12 months (Research NHS grant) An artificial intelligence tool to predict clinical risk patterns and patient admissions in Emergency Departments https://www.health.org.uk/improvement-projects/personalised-medicine-analytics-dashboard-for-triaging-patients-in-emergency-departments
DISTINCTIONS & AWARDS
2021 Best Artificial intelligence healthcare project of the year, Royal College of Statistics, London
2018 - 2023 Clinical Excellence Award, National Health Service, UK
2011 “Top Three posters on DBS” at the INS conference, London
2010 “Top Ten papers on pain” of the CNS San Francisco presentation
2010 “Top scoring papers” of the SBNS spring meeting presentation
1999 Scholarship from the Johns Hopkins Medical School, Baltimore, USA
1994 - 2000 Scholarship from the University of Rome
PUBLICATIONS
Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring in paediatric Chiari surgery-help or hindrance?Rasul FT, Matloob SA, Haliasos N, Jankovic I, Boyd S, Thompson DNP.Childs Nerv Syst. 2019 Oct;35(10):1769-1776. doi: 10.1007/s00381-019-04312-y. Epub 2019 Jul 25.
Edlmann, E. et al. (2019) ‘Dex-CSDH randomised, placebo-controlled trial of dexamethasone for chronic subdural haematoma: report of the internal pilot phase’, Scientific Reports, 9(1), p. 5885. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-42087-z.
Kolias, A. G. et al. (2018) ‘Dexamethasone for adult patients with a symptomatic chronic subdural haematoma (Dex-CSDH) trial: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial’, Trials, 19(1), p. 670. doi: 10.1186/s13063-018-3050-4.
Ma, R. et al. (2018) ‘Residual enhancing disease after surgery for glioblastoma: evaluation of practice in the United Kingdom’, Neuro-Oncology Practice, 5(2), pp. 74–81. doi: 10.1093/nop/npx023.
Giakoumettis D, Margetis K, Stranjalis G, Haliasos N, Papaioannou TG, Themistocleous MS. Antiepileptic treatment strategy in vascular malformations. Curr Pharm Des. October 2017. doi:10.2174/1381612823666171027142718.2.
Rasul FT, Bal J, Pereira EA, Tisdall M, Themistocleus M, Haliasos N. Current surgical options for the epileptic patients. Curr Pharm Des. October 2017. doi:10.2174/1381612823666171031101839.
