Neonatal Cranial Ultrasound Course
Coming soon: June 18-20, 2025
The London (UK) Neonatal Cranial Ultrasound Course is coming Calgary, Alberta In addition to lectures, there will be hands-on cranial ultrasound sessions.
International experts from UK, The Netherlands, and Canada
Dr. Frances Cowan, Dr. Linda de Vries, Dr. Gerda Meijler, and Dr. Sylke Steggerda.
In collaboration with Drs. Lara Leijser, Hussein Zein, and Khorshid Mohammad from Calgary Newborn Neuro-Intensive Care (NNIC) groups.
Endorsed by the Newborn Brain Society
Full package course
The cranial ultrasound course has been conducted in London (UK) for over 20 years and is extremely popular.
In addition to lectures, there will be hands-on cranial ultrasound sessions
CME and more
Pre-course
Participants will gain access to recorded lectures and online modules with a CME certificate.
Post-course
Participants will receive CME certificates for the course and be granted access to the course lecture recordings through the course portal
Meet our speakers
Dr. Gerda Meijler - Isala, Zwolle, The Netherlands
Dr. Gerda Meijler is a pediatrician-neonatologist at Isala Woman- Children’s Center, Isala, Zwolle, the Netherlands.
Training
- Medical training University of Amsterdam (1974-1983)
- Pediatrics training Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital, Utrecht (1983-1987)
- Neonatology training Utrecht and Amsterdam (1988-1991)
Work
Worked as staff neonatolgist at:
- VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam
- Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden (the Netherlands)
- Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto
- 2013 - 2018 Vice-chair, Isala Woman- Children’s Center, Isala, Zwolle, the Netherlands
- Since 2018 staff neonatologist at Isala Woman- Children’s Center, Isala, Zwolle, the Netherlands
Research & Training
- PhD thesis (1999) on preterm brain imaging
- Research focus: fetal and neonatal neuro-imaging, neonatal cerebellar injury
Books
- Neonatal Cranial Ultrasonography (3rd ed, 2019)
- Editor for: “An Illustrated Guide to Neonatal Brain Injury for Clinicians Counselling Parents and Caregivers” (in progress)
Annual CUS course (London) since 2000
Member of the NBS and the NBS educational committee
Private
- Lived in Amsterdam until 2011, then moved to Toronto, now living in Zwolle (the Netherlands) since 2012
- Married, 4 children, 5 grandchildren
- Hobbies: photography; flutist in amateur orchestra; writer of children’s book on the human body “Hoe kunnen mijn ogen zien” (“How can my eyes see”) Clavis, 2024 (to be translated in English)
Professor Linda de Vries - Utrecht , The Netherlands
Dr. Linda de Vries is a Professor in Neonatal Neurology, Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Training
Dr. de Vries received her degree from the Medical School in Groningen, completed a Pediatric residency at the Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital in Utrecht, The Netherlands carried out a research fellowship at the Hammersmith Hospital in London, United Kingdom. Subsequently, she also trained as a Pediatric Neurologist in Leuven, Belgium
Work
Since 1989, she has worked in the Department of Neonatology in Utrecht since 1989, where she is a Professor in Neonatal Neurology since 2001.
Research & QI
Dr. de Vries's research focuses on the prediction of neurodevelopmental outcomes in high-risk preterm and full-term newborns, using neurophysiology and neuroimaging methods. These at-risk children are also seen by her in the follow-up clinic. She has a special interest in post-hemorrhagic ventricular dilation, neonatal stroke, and brain plasticity.
Professor Frances Cowan - London, UK
Dr. Cowan trained in medicine in Dublin, Ireland, qualifying in 1972 and went on to specialize in paediatrics and neonatology in the UK.
Training
Research in neonatal physiology with Prof Kenneth Cross lead to a PhD in Oslo, Norway, on the control of neonatal cerebral blood flow using Doppler techniques and collaboration with Prof Marianne Thoresen.
Work
Dr. Cowan worked for many years at the Hammersmith Hospital in London, UK with Dr Lilly Dubowitz and others in neonatal neurology, cranial ultrasound and MR brain imaging and neurodevelopmental follow-up.
Research & QI
Dr. Cowan is particularly interested in perinatal brain injury, its timing and risk factors, patterns of injury and their evolution, and the early determination of prognosis. A focus has been on the prediction of normality and severity of neurological abnormality trying to make the best use of investigations and resources, minimizing uncertainty for parents, and providing information for obstetricians.
Professor James Scott - Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Dr. James Scott is a consultant diagnostic neuroradiologist in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and is a Clinical Professor at the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary.
Training
Dr. James completed his fellowship training in neuroradiology at the University of Toronto and has been in active practice in Calgary since 2003.
Work
In addition to his performing clinical, teaching, and some research activities, Dr. Scott is also the Program Director for the Neuroradiology Residency and Radiology Fellowship programs. He has a special interest in neonatal imaging, imaging epilepsy, neuro-oncology, and US-guided biopsy of neck lesions.
Research & QI
Dr. Scott was a leading co-author of a national consensus approach for standardizing the screening and classification of preterm brain injury diagnosed with cranial ultrasound. He has more than 200 publications including book chapters, published proceedings/abstracts, and papers in refereed journals. Dr. Scott has guest lectured at local, national, and international meetings on a range of topics including preterm brain injury, MR spectroscopy, imaging epilepsy, and neurologic complications of recreational drug abuse.
Professor Khorshid Mohammad Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Dr. Khorshid Mohammad is a Staff Neonatologist at Alberta Health Services, Calgary Zone, a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, and a Neonatology Medical Site Lead for Alberta Children’s Hospital.
Training
Dr. Mohammad graduated in 2006 from the University of Damascus and Arab League with Master and Specialty degrees in Pediatrics. He completed neonatal fellowship training at the University of Calgary in 2010, Neonatal Neurology training at the University of British Columbia, and Targeted Neonatal Echocardiography at the Universities of British Columbia and Calgary in 2013.
Work
In 2014, Dr. Mohammad established the Newborn Neuro-Intensive Care program in Calgary in collaboration with Pediatric Neurology. Dr. Mohammad is a founding member of the Sonographic Clinical Assessment of the Newborn (SCAN) program.
Education
Dr. Mohammad’s main areas of interest are innovation in education and Quality Improvement. Dr. Mohammad established a neonatal brain monitoring simulation lab including cranial ultrasonography phantoms and simulators, neonatal brain MRI simulator, Neonatal EEG simulator, Neonatal neurological exam using Virtual reality, and smartphones applications. He developed several teaching modules in Neonatal Neurology and organized several conferences, workshops, and courses in Neonatal Neuromonitoring.
Research & QI
Dr. Mohammad’s Quality Improvement work has led to a significant reduction in mortality and brain injury in extremely premature infants and term infants suffering from asphyxia and seizure. Dr. Mohammad’s areas of research interest are education, brain perfusion, monitoring, and Quality Improvement neuroprotection strategies.
Dr. Sylke Steggerda is a Pediatrician - Neonatologist at Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden (the Netherlands)
Sylke Steggerda, MD, PhD, received her degree from the Medical School in Utrecht.
Training
Sylke Steggerda, MD PhD, received her medical degree from the Medical School in Utrecht. Afterwards, she worked as a resident in Pediatric Neurology at the Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital in Utrecht, and completed a Pediatric residency and a Neonatology fellowship at the Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
Clinical Work
Since 2006, Sylke works at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Leiden as an all-around neonatologist and consultant in neonatal neurology. She is the chair of the Dutch-Flemish working group on neonatal neurology and a steering committee member of the European working group on advanced neonatal cranial ultrasound. She is involved both as an organizer and tutor in multiple international teaching initiatives in neonatal brain imaging.
Research and QI
Sylke obtained her PhD in 2014. Her research focuses on neonatal neuro-imaging (with a special interest in neonatal cranial ultrasonography), neonatal cerebellar injury, preterm stroke and brain development in monochorionic twins. She is the co-author of the third edition of ‘Neonatal Cranial Ultrasonography’, a handbook on cranial ultrasound in the newborn.
Dr. Lara Leijser, MD, PhD, MSc
Clinician scientist and physician lead, research at Alberta Children's Hospital NICU.
Training
Dr. Lara Leijser is a Pediatrician – Neonatologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Section of Newborn Critical Care, at the University of Calgary, Canada. She completed a PhD in ‘Imaging the preterm infant’s brain’ at Leiden University, The Netherlands, and Imperial College London, United Kingdom, before graduating from a Pediatric residency program in The Netherlands. Subsequently, she completed Neonatal and Neonatal Neurology fellowship programs at The Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital in Utrecht, The Netherlands, and The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada.
Work
Dr. Leijser joined the Neonatal team in Calgary in 2018 and is a member of the University of Calgary Newborn Neuro-Intensive Care program and the Sonographic Clinical Assessment of the Newborn (SCAN) training program. Dr. Leijser published over 40 peer-reviewed manuscripts in the field of neonatal neurology during her training and collaborated with the main lecturers on the Neonatal Cranial Ultrasound course. Dr. Leijser will contribute to the lectures and simulation workshops on the course.
Research & QI
Dr. Leijser has a special clinical and research interest in neonatal brain injury, neuro-imaging, and neurodevelopmental outcomes, and published over 40 peer-reviewed manuscripts in this field
Dr. Hussein Zein, Neonatologist, Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics & Medical Director
Neonatologist, Alberta Health Services, Calgary Zone. Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. Medical Director, NICU, Foothills Medical Center.
Training
Dr. Zein started his career in neonatology in 2006 as a senior registrar in Saudi Arabia. He then moved to Canada (2014) and completed his fellowship training in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine and Neonatal Neuro-Critical Care at the University of Calgary, Alberta. He is a Subspecialist Affiliate of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Dr. Zein completed his MSc in Neuroscience from the University of Calgary.
Work
Dr. Zein is a faculty member of the Calgary Newborn Neuro-Intensive Care program. He is the medical site lead of the NICU at the Foothills Medical Center, Director of the Harvey Sarnat Clinical Research Fellowship in Neonatal Neurocritical Care, Chair of the Neonatal Neuro-Critical Care committee, and Physician lead of the Preterm brain injury prevention QI project.
Research & QI
Dr. Zein's main area of research interest is neuroprotection and development of the premature brain.
Agenda
Coming soon...