23rd International Headache Congress

Mario Peres, MD, PhD, is President of the International Headache Society (IHS), Founder and Director of the São Paulo Headache Center, and a neurologist and senior researcher at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in São Paulo, Brazil. He is also a postgraduate professor at the Institute of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, and has worked in headache medicine for more than 25 years.

Dr Peres completed his PhD in Neurology at the Federal University of São Paulo and a Headache Medicine Fellowship at the Jefferson Headache Center, Thomas Jefferson University, in Philadelphia.

He has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters and a book for people living with headache disorders. His research interests include migraine epidemiology and burden, comorbidities, chronobiology, melatonin, spirituality and religion in health, cluster headache, global access to care and transcultural headache medicine.

Professor Messoud Ashina is Professor of Neurology at the University of Copenhagen and Director of the Center for Discoveries in Migraine, a Center of Excellence funded by the Danish National Research Foundation. He also serves as Senior Consultant at the Department of Neurology, Danish Headache Center, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen.

He received his medical degree from the Azerbaijan Medical Institute and later obtained his PhD and Doctor of Medical Sciences (DMSc) from the University of Copenhagen.

Professor Ashina is Past President of the International Headache Society (2019–2021) and Past General Secretary of the European Headache Federation. He is a Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology and a member of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters.

His pioneering research has advanced understanding of migraine and cluster headache pathophysiology, identifying new signalling pathways and therapeutic targets including PACAP, VIP, amylin, adrenomedullin, prostaglandins and the ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel.

He has authored more than 700 publications and has received numerous awards, including Monrad Krohn’s Prize for the Advancement of Neurological Research, the TÜBA Academy Prize in Health and Life Sciences, and the KFJ Prize for Outstanding Research in Health Science.

Anna Andreou is a Senior Lecturer at King’s College London and a Consultant Scientist in Headache and Pain at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. At King’s College London, she leads the Headache Research Group and serves as the lead for Neuropharmacology within Biomedical Sciences.

She completed her PhD in Neurological Sciences, with a focus on migraine, at the Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, University College London. Her postdoctoral training included positions at the University of California, San Francisco, and Imperial College London.

Dr Andreou has received several grant awards, including the Migraine Trust Junior and Senior Fellowships and the Medical Research Foundation Mid-Career Fellowship. Throughout her career, she has bridged clinical practice and laboratory science with the aim of improving outcomes for people with headache and facial pain.

She has received numerous accolades for her contribution to the headache field, including the Migraine Research Award from the American Headache Society, the Headache Research Excellence Award from the International Headache Society and the Industry and Innovation Award at the 2025 Women in Neuroscience UK Awards. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Biomedical Science.

In addition to her research activities, Dr Andreou is a Trustee of the International Headache Society and serves as Associate Editor for Cephalalgia. She has chaired several national and international committees dedicated to headache education, communications and policy development. She currently leads the National Audit of Headache Disorders in the UK and chairs the British Pain Society Headache Special Interest Group.

Hsiangkuo (Scott) Yuan is Associate Professor of Neurology and Director of Clinical Research at the Jefferson Headache Center, Thomas Jefferson University.

His clinical and research interests include migraine therapeutics, cerebrospinal-fluid and venous disorders, neuromodulation and advanced neuroimaging.

Dr Yuan has published extensively in headache and pain research, contributes to international guideline committees and serves as Associate Editor for Cephalalgia, Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine and MedLink Neurology.

Dr Yuan leads several federal, society-sponsored and industry-sponsored clinical studies and has mentored numerous trainees in research methodology and design. He is honoured to serve as Co-Chair of the Scientific Programme Committee.

Dimos-Dimitrios Mitsikostas is Professor of Neurology at Aeginition Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.

He is Head of the Headache Outpatient Department and Ward A of Emergency Neurology and Stroke.

He is a member of the Management Group of the Headache Scientific Group and a member of the Coordinating Committee for Functional Neurological Disorder at the European Academy of Neurology. He also serves as President of the Hellenic Headache Society.

He is a former President of the Executive Board of the European Headache Federation.