Department

Neurocritical Care

Ali Seifi, MD, FACP, FNCS, FCCM

Professor of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Anesthesia

Personal Statement:

Ali Seifi, M.D., FACP, FNCS, FCCM, Director of the Neuro-ICU, is a professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio who has served as an attending physician since 2012. He has cross appointments in the departments of Neurology, Anesthesiology, and Internal Medicine. Dr. Seifi oversees the care of patients in University Hospital’s state-of-the-art Neuro-intensive Care Unit (NICU), as well as leads the unit’s daily operations. This NICU is the only intensive care unit in the region fully dedicated to the care of neurologically ill patients and staffed with physicians and nurses specially trained in the care of patients with brain, spine, and nervous system diseases. Dr. Seifi received his medical degree from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS), where he graduated with honors in 1996. He did his first residency in Anesthesiology and Critical Care at SUMS and then did his second residency in Internal Medicine at New Jersey’s AtlantiCare Medical Center. Finally, he did two years of an extensive Neuro-critical Care fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, a well-known center for Neurosciences. He is triple board-certified in Anesthesiology, Internal Medicine, and Neurocritical Care.

His principal clinical interest is in the care of critically ill patients, especially with an emphasis on neurosurgical and medical aspects. Dr. Seifi is actively involved in teaching medical students and residents and has been awarded Excellence in Teaching, recognized by the medical students at the University of Texas Health at San Antonio for five years. In 2023 he was awarded as the Star Educator by the Academy of Educational Scholars at the University of Texas Health at San Antonio.  He is currently conducting several research projects as a principal investigator and has several patents and entrepreneurial projects. One of his patents is a device that terminates transient hiccups named the “Forced Inspiratory Suction and Swallow Tool” (FISST), which successfully processed to production as HiccAway. This device has shown more than 90% effectiveness in a trial published in JAMA in 2021 and has been pitched on the well-known ABC TV Shark-Tank show with a successful deal with Mark Cuban. His other patents are an induced hypothermia machine calibrator system which is designed in collaboration with the department of biomechanical engineering at UT Austin. And lastly, he patented an innovative method for treating the Anti-N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor autoimmune encephalitis.


Education

Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Thomas Jefferson Affiliated AtlantiCareRegional Medical Center, Atlantic City, NJ, USA
Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS), Shiraz, Iran

Awards & Accomplishments

Dr. Seifi was presented with the “Excellence in Teaching” award (elected by medical students) in 2015, 2016, and 2017 by the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Recognized Reviewer-Neuro Critical Care: I was awarded as the recognized reviewer by Journal of Neuro Critical Care- Springer Publisher in 2015 Recognition as the best Teacher and Speaker: I was awarded by OMICS international conference series as the best speaker . Award by Dr A. Jawad,PhD University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. 2015 Recognized Reviewer-Clinical Therapeutics: I was awarded as the recognized reviewer by by Journal of Clinical Therapeutics- Elsevier publisher. 2015 Excellence in Teaching Award 2015 , University of Texas Health Science Cent: I was awarded as the “Best Teacher Faculty” in 2015 by Medical Students at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. This was selected based on my teaching activities for medical students who rotated in neurology floor MS3 and MS4s. 2015 Recognized Reviewer-Neurological Sciences: I was Recognized by Journal of Neurological Sciences – Elsevier Publisher as the special reviewer. 2015 Recognized Reviewer- Neuro Critical Care: I was awarded as the recognized reviewer by Journal of Neuro Critical Care- Springer Publisher in 2014 San Antonio Scene Magazine, Top Doctors 2013-2014: I was recognized as the “Top Doctors” in San Antonio Scene Magazine, 2013 American College of Physicians( ACP ) Award: I was awarded the best research of the Year 2009 in the national ACP competition on “Atomoxetine induced Myocardial Infarction”. 2010 American College of Physician ( ACP ) Award: New Jersey Chapter, I was awarded the “Second Place Award” for my research project. 2009 Research Honor Student- Shiraz University: I was awarded by the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences( SUMS ) as the recognized student researcher at the end of my anesthesiology residency. 2002 First Rank in Board of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care: I was awarded the highest rank between all the anesthesiologist who took the Anesthesiology Board in 2002. Research Honor Student- Shiraz University: I was awarded by the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences( SUMS ) as the recognized student researcher in 1996. Research Honor Student- Shiraz University: I was awarded by the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences( SUMS ) as the recognized student researcher in 1994 by vice dean of research. 1994 Research Honor Student – Shiraz University: I was awarded by the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences( SUMS ) as the recognized student researcher. 1992

Under the mentorship of Ali Seifi, MD, FACP, William Chase Johnson, MS3, received The UT Health San Antonio Dean’s Research Award. For his project: “Reevaluating the Weekend Effect on SAH: A Nationwide Analysis of the Association Between Mortality and Weekend Admission.”

(Pictured Dr. Robert Hromas, MD, Dean of The Medical School)

News

Dr.Seifi is also working on bioengineering and designing intensive care unit devices in cooperation with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Texas (UTSA) and Department of Bio Engineering at UT Austin. He is currently working on making a computerized infusion pump software, a smartphone application for detection of hydrocephalus, mathematical brain tumor modeling, and designing cooling machine simulator. Dr Seifi is volunteering to help medical students and residents who are interested in clinical research projects in any clinical field including: Anesthesiology, Neurosurgery, Critical Care, Internal Medicine and medical device designin