Dr. Rana Zabad: Research, Education & Clinical Experience
Dr. Rana Zabad is a board-certified neurologist and fellowship-trained neuroimmunologist with more than 17 years of clinical, academic and research experience. Her career has focused on neurological disorders, multiple sclerosis, neuroimmunology and immune-mediated diseases affecting the nervous system.
Education & Training
Dr. Zabad completed her neurology residency at Wayne State University, followed by a nearly three-year fellowship in Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology at the University of Calgary in Canada.
Her fellowship training emphasized translational neuroimmunology and the evaluation and treatment of immune-mediated neurological diseases.
Academic & Research Experience
Before joining Saunders Medical Center, Dr. Zabad served as Professor and Division Chief of the Multiple Sclerosis Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Her research experience includes leadership and participation in Phase I–III clinical trials involving multiple sclerosis and progressive MS, as well as emerging cellular therapies for autoimmune disease, including allogeneic CAR-T therapy.
Her research and clinical interests have included:
- Multiple sclerosis and progressive MS
- Neuroimmunology and autoimmune neurological disorders
- Neuroinflammation and cytokine biology
- Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD)
- MOG-associated disease
- Emerging cellular therapies
- Long-term clinical and therapeutic studies
Dr. Zabad has contributed to peer-reviewed publications and invited reviews focused on neuroimmunology and autoimmune neurological disorders.
View Dr. Zabad's Publications
Expanding Neurological Care in Rural Communities
Dr. Zabad has provided neurological care in tertiary academic centers, rural and community settings in Alberta, Canada, and regional practice environments throughout rural Nebraska.
She has also collaborated in developing regional multiple sclerosis and neuroimmunology outreach efforts in North Platte, Nebraska, helping expand access to specialty neurological care for underserved populations.
She is particularly committed to improving access to high-quality neurological care through telemedicine, regional partnerships and multidisciplinary care designed to serve rural communities.
Serious Neurology, Humane Medicine
Dr. Zabad's approach to medicine is guided by a simple philosophy:
“Serious Neurology, Humane Medicine.”
She believes rigorous neurological care and scientific innovation should be combined with compassion, accessibility and respect for the experiences of patients and their families.
Personally Speaking
Outside of medicine, Dr. Zabad enjoys cooking, which she says reflects many of the same qualities she brings to patient care—creativity, intuition and connection.
She has also always been fascinated by aviation and the discipline and perspective it requires. As she puts it, “Had I not pursued medicine, I often think I would have become a pilot.”
Dr. Zabad grew up in her father's bookstore, surrounded by books, ideas and a culture of curiosity. Her early interest in medicine began through personal experience and reading science books as a child, fostering a lifelong passion for learning, critical thinking and understanding the human experience through both science and storytelling.
Appointments
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Zabad at Saunders Medical Center, please call 402-443-4191.
