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Present

Radiation Oncologist at the Prostate Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, Specialists in Urology, Bonita Springs and Naples, Florida, USA.

Recent

Professor of Medicine at the University of North Dakota, School of Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology,  Roger Maris Cancer Center, MeritCare Hospital, North Dakota, USA

Member of the research committee of the University of North Dakota, School of Medicine and MeritCare Hospital.

Chairman of GI Cancer committee of MeritCare Hospital.

Member of the Lung Cancer committee of MeritCare Hospital.

Member of the Breast Cancer committee of MeritCare Hospital.

Expertise

I have an expertise in different techniques of radiation oncology:
High Dose Brachytherapy and Interstitial implants of Prostate, Breast.
Mamosite® and Contoura® HDR Brachytherapy of the Breast.
High Dose Brachytherapy of uterus, vaginal cavity, esophagus, rectum, biliary duct, bronchus, skin…
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy, RapidArc® IMRT of different sites.
Radiosurgery.
Electron Therapy.
Orthovoltage superficial treatment.
3D Conformal technique.
Prostate seeds implants.
OBI, Calypso® and CBCT.
SBRT: Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy.

Training

July 2002-June  2005
Residency  training in Radiation Oncology at Notre-Dame Hospital, Montreal (University of Montreal) and at the Montreal General Hospital (McGill University).

Training in different radiation techniques: 3D conformal radiation, IMRT, Brachytherapy (HDR and LDR), Radiosurgery, fractionated stereotactic radiation, virtual simulation, orthovoltage, electron therapy, TBI (electron and photon)…

Training and experience in different radiation oncology software : Theraplan, GE planning system, Eclipse, Varis, Brainlab, Nucletron Brachytherapy planning system, Real Time Nucleotron LDR prostate Brachytherapy system, Corvus, ADAC, Impact…

2002-2003               
Chief Resident of the Radiation Oncology program at the University of Montreal.

2001-2002               
Quality control and case management for the Department of Medicine at Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH), New York.

2002                     
Physician at the Coumadin Center of the Staten Island University Hospital, New York.

2001-2002            
Chief Resident of the Department of Medicine at the SIUH, New York.

2001-2002            
Research in Radiation Oncology at the SIUH, SUNY Downstate University, New York.

1999-2002            
Organ transplant technician for the NY Tissue Service Inc, New York.

1998-2001               
Residency in Internal Medicine-Primary Care at the SIUH, New York.

1998-1999               
Internship in Internal Medicine-Primary Care at the SIUH, New York.

1998-2000            
Training in Forensic Medicine and autopsies at the Richmond County and Brooklyn Medical Examiner Offices.

1999-2002            
Research and development of the Minimally Invasive Autopsy at the SIUH, New York.

1997                     
Training in Forensic Medicine at the Charles Nicolle Hospital, Rouen, France.

1996-1998               
Training as a medical student at the Hotel-Dieu de France Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon.

Education

June 2006 
Board Certified  in Radiation Oncology.

July 2002                  
Chief Resident in Internal Medicine Diploma.

August 2001            
Board Certification in Internal Medicine.

June 1999             
Board Certification in Forensic Medicine.

June 1998                 
Medical Doctor, graduation from the Saint-Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon.

June 1991             
French Baccalaureate; Math and Physics class.

June 1991             
Lebanese Baccalaureate; Math and Physics class.

Credentials

USMLE :                     
Step 1, 2, 3.
Licence:                    
Florida, North Dakota and Minnesota .
Lebanon.

Research studies

• Retrospective study on the treatment of locally advanced esophageal cancer with a combination of high dose brachytherapy followed by chemo-radiation using IMRT.
• Retrospective study on the radiological response of brain metastases treated with radiosurgery.
• Retrospective study on specific mortality of patients treated with prostate seeds implants for prostate cancer: Study currently being done with medical students of University of North Dakota, School of Medicine: submitted for publication.
• Study on contamination of Samarium 153 with Europium 154 in patient treated for bone metastases: Retrospective study  done with the medical residents and physics department of MeritCare Hospital.
• Retrospective study on prostate cancer patients treated with HDR Brachytherapy at MeritCare Hospital: submitted for publication.
• Participation in many clinical trials of the RTOG, COG, NCIC, NCI, NSABP: University of Montreal, McGill University and MeritCare Hospital.
• Senior Medical Researcher for NanoMED INC: development and application of the nanotechnology in radiation oncology. The research is in collaboration of the University of Lyon (France), University of Laval (Canada), University of Montreal and the Ecole National Superieure des Mines (France).
• Writing of a grant proposal and of a phase I/II clinical trial for the treatment of Glioblastoma with Radiation and Gemcitabine.
• Writing of a grant proposal and of a phase I/II clinical trial for the treatment of low grade glioma with Radiation and erythropoietin.
• Participation in a study of a dose escalation for the prostate cancer: University of Montreal.
• The Minimally Invasive Autopsy: Laparoscopic and needle biopsy autopsy under ultrasound: SIUH, New York.
• Participation in a study on the influence of music on the hormones: Wagner College, New York.
• Research on the prevalence of fungal infections in the intensive care unit: Pfizer research grant, New York.
• Treatment of HIV patients with Dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), Diphenylcyopropenone (DNCP) and squaric acid skin patches; phase I/ II clinical trial: SIUH, New York.
• Treatment of Hansen’s disease with IL 12; phase I/II clinical trial: SIUH, New York.

Research Awards

• Recipient of a Research Award in 2002 for the research project of the Minimally Invasive Autopsy from the Staten Island University Hospital, New York.
• Research award in 2000 at the American College of Physician national meeting for “the role of the autopsy as quality improvement and teaching tool”.
• Recipient of research grants from Merck, Pfizer and Lilly pharmaceutical companies :2001-2002.
• Recipient of a Certificate of Achievement from the American Medical Association :2001.

Publications

• Al Hallak M.N, Zouain N: “Cervical and Vulvar Intraepithelial Neoplasia after treatment with oral isotretinoin for severe acne vulgaris: A Case Report”.  Case Rep Dermatology 2009; 1:49-51.
• M.R McCurdy, T. Guerrero, N. Zouain, V. Johnson: “ Radiation Pneumonitis: Pulmonary Metabolic Response to Radiation  in Lung Cancer Patients” . Presented at the Annual ASTRO meeting 2009. 
• Al Hallak M.N, Zouain N: “ Extramammary Perineal Paget’s disease”.  Case Rep  Gastroenterology 2009; 3: 332-337.
• Al Hallak M.N, Zouain N, McCurdy M, Hayes J:  “The level of Europium-154 contaminating the 153Samarium-EDTMP activates the radiation alarm system at the US Homeland Security checkpoints’’.  Case Rep Oncology 2009 ; 2 :157-161.
• Hayes J, Zouain N : ‘Detection of contamination of 153Samarium-EDTMP by the Europium-154’.  Published  in ‘Medical Physics’ medical journal.
• McCurdy M, Zouain N: “Successful treatment of primary vaginal papillary serous adenocarcinoma using chemoradiation followed by brachytherapy”. Case Rep Oncology: 2009;2:97–102.
• “Case report of vaginal primary cancer treated with radiation treatment IMRT and HDR Brachytherapy and concomitant chemotherapy”: a presentation at the annual meeting of University of North Dakota, Faculty of Medicine. This manuscript received the Frank Low  research award.
• “Treatment of Non Small Lung Cancer with combined radiation-gemcitabine”: a literature review for Lilly pharmaceutical: 2003.
• “The role of autopsy as quality improvement and teaching tool”: American College of Physician national meeting of 1999.
• “The Minimally Invasive Autopsy”: Richmond Medical Community and American College of Physician local meeting, New York 2000.
•  Thesis: “Gunshot wounds to the head”: New York, 1999.
•  Thesis: “Cutaneous melanoma”: Beirut, 1997.

Conferences

I gave many conferences in Radiation Oncology, Forensic Medicine and Internal Medicine at the Staten Island University Hospital, University of Montreal, McGill University, University of North Dakota  and International Meetings.

Many TV, radio and newspapers interviews in Lebanon and in the US about Forensic Medicine and Radiation Oncology.

Press conference in New York about the Humanitarian project for the Lebanese children in need of complicated surgery.

Member of

• College des Medecins du Quebec.
• American College of Physician.
• American Society of Internal Medicine.
• American College of Radiology.
• American College of Radiation Oncology.
• American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.
• Association of  Radiation Oncologist of Quebec.
• American Society of Clinical Oncology.
• Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology.
• American Lebanese Medical Association.
• Lebanese Medical Society of Forensic Medicine.
• Lebanese Medical Order.
• Previous President of the Saint-Joseph University Alumni, Canadian Chapter.
• Lebanese Cultural Union, Montreal Chapter.
• North Dakota Medical Association.

Hobbies

Ski, Chess, Travelling, Swimming, history and reading