Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Engineering, Temple University, 2012
  • M.S., Bioengineering, Temple University, 2009
  • B.S., Electrical Engineering, Temple University, 2006
Professional Affiliations
  • Member, Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
  • Member, Siegel Rare Neuroimmune Association (SRNA)
  • Member, The International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM)
Languages
  • Arabic
  • French

Dr. Barakat leverages her training and experience in electrical and biomedical engineering to evaluate the risk and performance of active (battery-powered) medical devices in both wearable and implantable technologies. Additionally, with over 10 years of experience in clinical imaging, Dr. Barakat supports her clients in investigating the safety and performance of medical radiation sources (e.g., MRI, CT and X-ray) across a wide range of disciplines including adult and pediatric neurology, cardiology, and urology. 

Her expertise includes designing clinical user studies, signal processing and interpretation of physiological data, as well as assessing safety and compatibility of active medical devices in magnetic resonance environments. Dr. Barakat assists clients in matters related to postmarket surveillance, regulatory submissions, risk management, failure analysis and intellectual property.

Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Barakat was a scientist at Boston Children's Hospital and a faculty member at Harvard Medical School. She investigated the clinical utility of multimodal imaging in traumatic spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, and rare autoimmune disease. She worked in protocol development, image processing/analysis, and biomarker identification. Dr. Barakat's research experience also includes brain-machine interfaces, as well as the study of Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) platforms and their responsiveness to detect functional changes in children with cerebral palsy. She was a recipient of NIH research funding to study pediatric neuro-inflammatory disease, and was awarded the Derek Hardwood-Nash Award for best paper in pediatric neuroradiology by the American Society of Neuroradiology.