Meet Neurologist Dr. Rana Zabad

Dr. Rana Zabad

About Dr. Zabad

As a board-certified neurologist and fellowship-trained neuroimmunologist with more than 17 years of clinical, academic, and research experience, Dr. Zabad completed her neurology residency at Wayne State University and a nearly 3-year fellowship in Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology at the University of Calgary, where her training emphasized translational neuroimmunology and immune-mediated neurological disease.

Dr. Zabad previously served as Professor and Division Chief of the Multiple Sclerosis Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Her research background includes leadership and participation in Phase I–III clinical trials in multiple sclerosis and progressive MS, as well as emerging cellular therapies, including allogeneic CAR-T therapy in autoimmune disease. She has contributed to pivotal MS therapeutic programs, long-term extension studies, and translational work involving cytokine biology, neuroinflammation, NMOSD, and MOG-associated disease. She has authored peer-reviewed publications and invited reviews focused on neuroimmunology and autoimmune neurological disorders.

In addition to her academic and research experience, Dr. Zabad has extensive experience providing neurological care in tertiary academic centers, rural/community settings in Alberta, Canada, and regional practice environments across rural Nebraska. She collaborated in developing regional MS 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 models serving rural communities.

Her clinical philosophy is grounded in her guiding principle: “Serious Neurology, Humane Medicine”—combining rigorous neurological care and scientific innovation with compassion, accessibility, and respect for patients' and families' lived experience.

Publications

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Zabad+R

Personally Speaking

Outside of medicine, she enjoys cooking, which reflects many of the same values she brings to clinical care — creativity, intuition, and connection. She has also always been drawn to aviation and the discipline and perspective it requires; "had I not pursued medicine, I often think I would have become a pilot," Dr. Zabad stated.

"I grew up in my father’s bookstore, surrounded by books, ideas, and an enduring culture of curiosity that shaped me from an early age. My first fascination with medicine began in childhood through my personal experience and through reading science books long before I imagined becoming a physician. That early exposure fostered a lifelong passion for learning, critical thinking, and understanding the human experience through both science and storytelling."

Whether in medicine, research, teaching, or daily life, she remains deeply motivated by curiosity, human connection, and the belief that serious science and humane care should always coexist.

Appointments

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Zabad at Saunders Medical Center, please call  402-443-4191.