Fellowship · Pittsburgh, PA
Sponsored by UPMC Medical Education
MD UPMC Altoona
Neurologist, Adjunct Assistant Professor at DREXEL UNIVERSITY
Acute ischemic stroke treatment, Strokes due to large vessel occlusion
Faculty
Neurologist, Assistant Professor of Neurology at UPMC Medical Education
Assistant Professor of Neurology
Meghana Gaekwad earned her medical degree at Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College in India, completed neurology residency at Allegheny General Hospital, and trained in vascular neurology at the University of Minnesota. She is an assistant professor of neurology at the University of Pittsburgh and cares for stroke and hospitalized neurology patients across UPMC. Her academic interests include acute stroke management, secondary prevention and inpatient neurology. She also teaches fellows, residents and medical students.
Acute stroke management, Secondary stroke prevention, Inpatient neurology
Director of Cerebrovascular Neurosurgery
Michael J. Lang completed medical school at Ohio State University, neurosurgical residency and fellowships at Thomas Jefferson University, and cerebrovascular and skull-base fellowship training at Barrow Neurological Institute. He is an assistant professor of neurological surgery at the University of Pittsburgh and directs cerebrovascular neurosurgery at UPMC, where he practices vascular and endovascular surgery. His research addresses clinical outcomes in cerebrovascular disease and epilepsy surgery and MRI-compatible robotics. Under his direction, the cerebrovascular center pioneered approaches combining microsurgical and endovascular techniques for brain aneurysms.
Clinical outcomes in the treatment of cerebrovascular disease, Clinical outcomes in epilepsy surgery, MRI-compatible robotics, Combined microsurgical and endovascular approaches to brain aneurysms
MD UPMC Altoona
Neurologist, Adjunct Assistant Professor at DREXEL UNIVERSITY
Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology
Mohamed Shehab-Eldin earned his MD at Mansoura University in Egypt, completed neurology residency at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, and undertook vascular neurology and endovascular neurosurgery fellowships. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Pittsburgh and an interventional and vascular neurologist at UPMC Altoona. His research interests include endovascular management of acute ischemic stroke, carotid disease, and intracranial atherosclerotic disease. He also educates residents and fellows in stroke management and prevention.
Endovascular management of cerebrovascular disease
Stroke Attending
Murat Sari earned an MD and was identified as a T32 cardiovascular epidemiology fellow at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health in 2023. He is a stroke attending at UPMC and is listed among its Stroke Institute faculty. In September 2023, he gave a University of Pittsburgh Neurology Grand Rounds lecture on health disparities affecting stroke care.
Health disparities affecting stroke care
Associate Director, Comprehensive Stroke Center, UPMC Presbyterian Stroke Program
Nirav Bhatt earned his medical degree at C.U. Shah Medical College in India and completed neurology residency and vascular neurology fellowship training at the University of Miami and Jackson Memorial Hospital. After serving on the neurology faculty at Emory University, he became an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh and an associate director of the UPMC Stroke Institute. His research interests span pre-hospital stroke management, acute stroke care and secondary prevention in high-risk patients. He received the American Academy of Neurology’s A.B. Baker Teacher Recognition in 2022.
Pre-hospital management of stroke, Acute stroke care, Secondary prevention of stroke in high-risk patients
Division Chief, Cerebrovascular Medicine
Raul G. Nogueira earned his medical degree at the Federal University of Ceará in Brazil and completed neurology residency and subsequent fellowships at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. He is Professor of Neurology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, chief of its Division of Cerebrovascular Medicine and director of the UPMC Stroke Institute. His research addresses ischemic stroke treatment and prevention, endovascular approaches to migraine, and brain-computer interface technology. He founded the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology and co-founded the NeuroPrecision Lab.
Innovative treatment and prevention of ischemic stroke, Endovascular approaches to headache and migraine, Clinical translation of brain-computer interface technologies, Design of the SVIN Registry
Associate Program Director, Neurology Residency Training Program
Rebecca Pollard earned her MD and completed neurology residency and vascular neurology fellowship at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She is an assistant professor of neurology at the University of Pittsburgh and associate program director of its neurology residency. Her vascular-neurology practice focuses on the diagnosis, management and prevention of stroke, while her academic interests include acute reperfusion therapies, secondary stroke prevention and medical education. She teaches and mentors students, residents and fellows and has received multiple teaching awards.
Acute stroke reperfusion therapies, Secondary stroke prevention
Assistant Professor of Neurology
Sarah Wondisford earned her MD at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, completed internal medicine and neurology residencies at Cooper Medical Center, and trained in vascular neurology at UPMC. She is an assistant professor of neurology at the University of Pittsburgh and practices stroke neurology and neurohospitalist medicine at UPMC. Her research focuses on secondary stroke prevention and clinical trials of obstructive sleep apnea treatment and stroke risk. She also teaches medical students, residents and fellows.
Secondary stroke prevention, Clinical trials of obstructive sleep apnea treatment and stroke risk
Faculty
Neurologist, Assistant Professor of Neurology in the Stroke Division at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Stroke (Vascular Neurology) Fellowship
Swapna Musunur completed neurology residency at the University of Pittsburgh in 2026. She is a current fellow in UPMC’s Stroke (Vascular Neurology) Fellowship for the 2026–27 academic year.
Stroke (Vascular Neurology) Fellowship
Usama Khan is a current fellow in the Stroke (Vascular Neurology) Fellowship at UPMC for the 2026–27 academic year.
Stroke (Vascular Neurology) Fellowship
Uyen Vu is listed as a current fellow in the University of Pittsburgh’s Stroke (Vascular Neurology) Fellowship for the 2026–27 academic year.
Stroke (Vascular Neurology) Fellowship
Yazan Ashouri is a current fellow in the Stroke (Vascular Neurology) Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC for the 2026–27 academic year.
