Professor Dana Craiu is one of the most respected figures in Romanian and European Pediatric Neurology, a pioneer of modern epileptology in Romania and a passionate advocate for education, innovation, and excellence in healthcare. Throughout her career, she has followed a clear mission: to learn from the best European experts and centers of excellence and to transform that knowledge into sustainable programs, institutions, and opportunities for Romanian patients, families, and healthcare professionals.
As Professor of Pediatric Neurology and Vice-Dean of the “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest, Senior Pediatric Neurologist at the “Prof. Dr. Alexandru Obregia” Clinical Hospital, and President of the Romanian Society Against Epilepsy, she has become a bridge between Romanian medicine and the European scientific community, helping align national standards with the most advanced practices in pediatric neurology, epileptology, and rare diseases.
Learning from Europe, Building for Romania Professor Craiu’s professional journey has been marked by a constant pursuit of knowledge and excellence. Following advanced training in leading European centers, including her formative fellowship in epileptology in the Netherlands under Professor Walter van Emde Boas, she returned to Romania determined not simply to apply what she had learned, but to build the structures necessary for others to benefit as well.
Many of the developments that today represent standards of care in Romanian pediatric epileptology bear her imprint. The first Video-EEG laboratory, the introduction of pre-surgical evaluation for children with drug-resistant epilepsy, the development of expertise in epilepsy surgery, and the integration of genetics into clinical practice of neurological rare disorders in children, especially epilepsy, were all inspired by successful European models and adapted to Romanian realities.
Her vision has always extended beyond individual achievement. For Professor Craiu, excellence becomes meaningful only when it is shared, institutionalized, and transformed into opportunities for future generations of physicians and better care for patients.
Education as a Force for Change
Education occupies a central place in Professor Craiu’s work. Whether teaching medical students, training young neurologists, mentoring future specialists, or developing European educational programs, she has consistently viewed education as the most effective way to improve healthcare and reduce inequalities in access to expertise.
As Chair of the Education and Training Commission of the European Pediatric Neurology Society (EPNS), she contributes to shaping educational standards for pediatric neurologists across Europe. At the same time, she has remained deeply committed to ensuring that Romanian physicians have access to the same opportunities for learning and professional development available in leading European centers.
Through numerous national and international courses, workshops, and training programs, she has helped educate generations of specialists, strengthening Romania’s capacity to diagnose and treat complex neurological and rare disorders.
Together MANY for RARE: Knowledge, Awareness, and Hope
Among her most important recent initiatives is “Together MANY for RARE”, a project born from the conviction that rare diseases require not only medical expertise but also education, awareness, and solidarity.
The initiative aims to create a common educational platform for physicians, patients, families, teachers, decision-makers, and the wider community. By promoting knowledge about rare disorders, encouraging earlier recognition of symptoms, and facilitating dialogue among all stakeholders, the project contributes to reducing diagnostic delays and improving the lives of people affected by rare diseases.
For Professor Craiu, the project reflects a fundamental belief: no disease is too rare to deserve attention, understanding, and access to expertise. Through education, communities become more informed, healthcare professionals become better prepared, and patients become stronger partners in their own care.
Together WE for the FUTURE: Educating Future Generations
This is an educational project derived from the previous one, developed within the HUB for Education for Health together with Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy and other stakeholders.
Unlike traditional medical education initiatives, this project looks beyond healthcare professionals and addresses society itself, beginning with children and school-aged students. Its objective is to promote first aid knowledge, empathy, social responsibility, and a culture of care from an early age.
The project encourages young people to understand epilepsy, how to help a person with seizure (first aid), helping them become informed, compassionate citizens capable of supporting peers facing illness or special needs. By fostering empathy, inclusion, and civic responsibility, “Together WE for the FUTURE” seeks to build not only healthier communities but also a more humane society.
Professor Craiu believes that education for health should start long before a person becomes a patient. By reaching children and adolescents, the project contributes to creating future generations that are better prepared to make informed health decisions, more respectful of differences, and more willing to help those in need.
A Lasting Legacy
Professor Dana Craiu’s career demonstrates how knowledge acquired through international collaboration can be transformed into lasting national progress. By bringing European expertise to Romania and building institutions, educational programs, clinical services, and networks of excellence, she has helped change the lives of countless children with epilepsy and rare neurological disorders.
Her work is guided by a simple but powerful principle: excellence is valuable only when it serves others. Whether training young physicians, developing centers of expertise, supporting families affected by rare diseases, or educating future generations through innovative projects, Professor Craiu continues to build bridges between science, education, and society.
Through her activities, Romania has not only benefited from European expertise—it has become an active contributor to it.
