Dr. Omar is a US Board-certified Neurologist and Neurological Oncologist with specialized training in Endovascular Neurosurgery. He completed his MD at the University of Cairo with Distinction, a PhD in cellular and molecular neurosciences from the University of Ottawa, Canada, a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Ottawa and a Masters and clinical fellowship in Endovascular Neurosurgery from the University of Oxford. He also completed a Neurology residency and chief residency at the University of Missouri – Columbia and a clinical fellowship in Neurological Oncology at the world-renowned Princess Margaret Hospital – University of TorontoDr. Omar’s main research interests include the development of innovative endovascular neurosurgical approaches for the management of brain and spinal cord malignancies. He developed an innovative molecularly-targeted approach for the management of surgically unresectable spinal cord hemangioblastomas for which he was named “Medical Innovator” for the year 2013. He also developed a novel in vivo model for examining cellular and subcellular dynamics involving endogenous neural stem cells following traumatic and ischemic insults to the brain. The model was subsequently used to develop methods for neural circuit reconstruction following brain damage. For his work, he won the highly coveted Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) national postdoctoral award and was ranked 6th across Canada in the year 2000. He was also named “Medical Innovator” for 2013 by the Sangamon County Medical Society and the Springfield Mayor for “Innovations in the treatment of brain and spinal cord tumors”. Honored in an award ceremony by the Mayor of Springfield, Mike Houston on March 7, 2013. He also held professorships at prestigious institutions such as the University of Chicago, Pritizker School of Medicine. Dr. Omar has published extensively in the areas of cellular and molecular neurosciences, neurooncology and endovascular neurosurgery. He also presented research both nationally and internationally and is frequently an invited speaker at major international conferences.
Neurology, NeuroOncology and Endovascular Neurosurgery