He received his college and medical education at the American University of Beirut (AUB).
Barakat has held academic teaching positions at AUB, Vanderbilt and Georgetown universities.
Barakat's focus in research has been with children with rare hereditary and congenital kidney disease.
Jose described four siblings with familial nephrosis, nerve deafness, and hypoparathyroidism.
[7][8] Barakat syndrome is an inherited condition characterized by hypoparathyroidism, sensorineural hearing loss, and renal (kidney) disease.