Ali Rezai

Ali Rezai, MD is a pioneering neurosurgeon and neuroscientist leveraging the latest technology to treat several of the most daunting public health challenges. As the Executive Director of the West Virginia University Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, he has created a world-class patient care and research institute caring for patients from all 50 states and 15 countries with neurological and mental health conditions.

Dr. Rezai's research innovations have generated many breakthrough results, including recently using focused ultrasound to reduce amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s patients, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2024, and covered by the AP, NY Times, and Washington Post. He was also featured in two "60 Minutes" segments on CBS covering focused ultrasound for Alzheimer’s and severe addictions showing dramatic reduction of substance cravings and use.

He received his BS at University of California at Los Angeles, his medical degree from Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, and neurosurgical training at New York University. After serving in senior positions at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Rezai led the Neurological Institute at the Ohio State University (OSU). He has over 250 publications, 65 patents, and has received numerous awards, including the Cleveland Clinic and OSU Innovator of the Year, the North American Neuromodulation Society Lifetime Achievement Award, and the NIH-HEAL Award for Excellence in Research. Dr. Rezai is a frequent speaker at medical, scientific and tech conferences.