Assoc. Professor Dr. Alan Hakim, MA, FRCP
Principal Investigator, DICE Global Registry and Biobank
Content Lead, MOOCs
Alan Hakim, MA, FRCP
Dr. Alan Hakim, MA, FRCP, is Principal Investigator of the DICE Global Registry and Biobank and Content Lead for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) at The Ehlers-Danlos Society. Through these roles, he leads global initiatives designed to accelerate research, expand access to education, and improve understanding of the Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS), hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD), and related conditions.
A rheumatologist and acute physician with a specialist interest in heritable disorders of connective tissue, Dr. Hakim has dedicated his career to advancing clinical care, research, and education for people living with complex multisystem conditions. He is passionate about translating scientific knowledge into practical tools that improve diagnosis, treatment, professional education, and patient outcomes.
Dr. Hakim studied medicine at the University of Cambridge and Addenbrooke’s Hospital, receiving both bachelor’s and master’s degrees before completing postgraduate training in Cambridge and at University College London Hospitals. He was awarded consultant certification in 2000 and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 2005. In 2011, he completed a certificate in Translational Medicine at the University of Edinburgh.
Following an Arthritis Research clinical fellowship at St Thomas’ Hospital, London, he held consultant appointments at Whipps Cross Hospital and Barts Health NHS Trust. Alongside his clinical work, he has held senior leadership and director-level positions within the National Health Service and served for five years as a Secondary Care Non-Executive Board Member within NHS Clinical Commissioning.
As Principal Investigator of the Global DICE Registry and Biobank, Dr. Hakim leads internationally collaborative research initiatives that bring together clinical data, patient-reported outcomes, and biological samples to advance understanding of EDS and HSD. These resources are designed to support biomarker discovery, improve understanding of disease progression, facilitate therapeutic development, and accelerate research into the causes, diagnosis, and management of these conditions.
As Content Lead for the Society’s MOOCs program, Dr. Hakim is helping to develop the first comprehensive global educational pathway dedicated to EDS, HSD, and their related conditions. Through evidence-based online learning and future accredited educational programs, he aims to expand access to high-quality education for healthcare professionals, researchers, advocates, caregivers, and community members worldwide.
An accomplished researcher, educator, and author, Dr. Hakim has written numerous scientific papers, book chapters, and medical texts. He continues to contribute to international research and educational initiatives and serves as a member of The Ehlers-Danlos Society’s Medical and Scientific Advisory Board and the Steering Committee of the International Consortium on the Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders.
