Rebuilding lives after stroke: Global opportunities for research This event is endorsed by World Stroke Organization, British & Irish Association of Stroke Physicians and NHS Research Scotland Stroke Research Network.Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability globally. With advances in acute treatments, more people are surviving a stroke. But many are left with significant disability including non-motor problems such as fatigue, mood disorders and cognitive impairment. There is an urgent need to find evidence-based solutions for the multitude of long-term problems experienced by stroke survivors, in the context of multiple long-term conditions and frailty. Professor Gillian Mead, Head of Ageing and Health at the Usher Institute, and a geriatrician and stroke physician, has championed research in ‘Life after Stroke’ and stroke recovery for many years.In this networking event, we are bringing together researchers and clinicians with an interest in Life after Stroke. We will hear from international experts in this field, including Professor Craig Anderson and Dr Juliet Bouverie OBE, discuss research priorities and the research methodologies needed to develop life after stroke research globally. We hope that this event will inspire new research collaborations in this crucial, but under-researched field.Although the focus of the event is on stroke, it will also be of interest to those working in other disease areas where long-term consequences are common and under-researched, and where patients often have multiple long-term conditions and frailty. Programme OutlineTimeActivity13.00RegistrationUsher 1898 café available for purchasing of refreshments13.15Welcome and IntroductionProfessor David Weller, James Mackenzie Professor of General Practice, Usher Institute, The University of Edinburgh13.20Session One: From priorities to research to implementationMore details available below15.00Refreshments15.30Session Two: Global perspectives in life after stroke researchMore details available below17.10Drinks reception and networking18.00Close Register on Eventbrite Session One: From priorities to research to implementation Session One Programme This session is chaired by Michaela Gilarova and Ki Tong, both PhD students from the Advanced Care Research Centre at the Usher Institute.13.20 | Priorities for Life after Stroke Research: The Stroke Association perspectiveJuliet Bouverie, OBE, Chief Executive of the Stroke Association13.40 | Systematic reviews and their crucial underpinning role in Life after Stroke researchAlex Todhunter-Brown, Professor of Evidence Synthesis, Glasgow Caledonian University and Co-lead of NESSIE (NIHR Evidence Synthesis Scotland Initiative), Usher Institute14.00 | Life after stroke: more than just about the stroke, a geriatrician’s perspectiveSusan Shenkin, MD, Professor of Healthcare for Older People, Usher Institute14.20 | Rebuilding life after stroke through physical activity: translating evidence into ‘real life’Frederike van Wijck, Professor of Neurological Rehabilitation Sciences and Co-director of Research Centre for Health, Glasgow Caledonian University14.40 | Interactive DiscussionChaired by Professor David Weller, James Mackenzie Professor of General Practice, Usher Institute Speaker Biographies Juliet Bouverie Juliet has been Chief Executive of the Stroke Association since June 2016. She leads a team of 800 staff, 1500 volunteers and an annual income budget of around £42m.Juliet co-chairs NHS England’s Stroke Delivery Programme Board and is a member of the NHS Assembly. She is a World Stroke Organisation Fellow and former Board member. She is also Chair of the Richmond Group of Charities which exists to influence policy and systems change for people with multiple long-term conditions. Juliet has a degree in Modern Languages in Oxford and a postgraduate diploma in management. She ran the London Marathon for the Stroke Association in April 2019.The Stroke Association is the only charity in the UK providing lifelong support for all stroke survivors and their families. The charity provides tailored support to tens of thousands of stroke survivors each year, funds vital scientific research, and campaigns to secure the best care and support for everyone affected by stroke. Visit the Stroke Association website for further information Alex Todhunter-Brown Alex is Professor of Evidence Synthesis at Glasgow Caledonian University. Alex has particular expertise relating to systematic reviews of complex interventions, leading methodological work, completing and supporting systematic reviews on a number of topics, including stroke.She is Co-Lead of the Cochrane Heart, Stroke and Circulation Thematic Group, and was previously a Co-ordinating editor with the Cochrane Stroke Group. Alex has over 150 publications, an h-index (Scopus) of 48, and is cited as being in the top 2% of scientists in her discipline. She Co-leads the NIHR Evidence Synthesis Scotland InitiativE (NESSIE), which conducts evidence syntheses for the UK NIHR Evidence Synthesis Programme.Alex has an active interest in active and meaningful public involvement in research, with a particular focus on involvement in evidence syntheses. She is a founding member and joint lead of the Cochrane Co-production Methods Group. Susan Shenkin Susan is a Professor of Healthcare for Older People, Ageing and Health at the Usher Institute and an Honorary Consultant for NHS Lothian.View Susan's University of Edinburgh profile Frederike van Wijck Frederike van Wijck is Professor of Neurological Rehabilitation Sciences at Glasgow Caledonian University, where she co-leads the Stroke and Neurological Rehabilitation Research Group (SYNERGY).As a human movement scientist with a qualification in physiotherapy, Frederike is fascinated by how physical activity can enable people with long-term neurological conditions to achieve meaningful goals and rebuild their identity. She is particularly interested in rehabilitation as a learning process, hence her research focuses on the effects and experiences of interventions that employ learning strategies, including skill acquisition, exercise and fitness training, and behaviour change strategies. Together with Prof. Gillian Mead and their team, she has co-edited a handbook on exercise and fitness training after stroke, co-designed and delivered the UK’s first Exercise after Stroke specialist instructor training course, and set out guidelines for community-based exercise after stroke. She currently leads the International Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation Alliance Physical Activity Working Group. Whenever she is not writing about physical activity, she can be found roaming the Scottish hills, where there are endless opportunities to learn new skills. Chair Biographies Discussion Chair: David Weller David is James Mackenzie Professor of General Practice and Co-Head of Centre for Population Health Sciences at the Usher Institute.View David's University of Edinburgh profile Session Two: Global perspectives in life after stroke research Session Two Programme This session is chaired by Dr Amanda Barugh (Clinical Director, Stroke and Medicine of Elderly, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh) and James Beeston (PhD student, The University of Edinburgh)15.30 | Life after stroke research in Nepal; developing international research partnershipsDr Jiban Karaki, Research Associate, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Director of PHASE Nepal15.50 | Trial methodology for global Life after Stroke Research (including platform and implementation trials)Professor Amanda Farrin, Director Edinburgh Clinical Trials Unit, Usher Institute16.10 | Implementation research and digital interventions for stroke in Low-and-Middle Income Countries (LMIC)Ayeesha Kamran Karmal, Professor of Neurology and Director of Stroke Services, Aga Khan University Hospital, Pakistan16.30 | Life after stroke research: the World Stroke Organization perspectiveCraig Anderson, Senior Professorial Fellow, Professor Neurology and Epidemiology, UNSW, Sydney, Australia, and President-Elect World Stroke Organization16.50 | Interactive DiscussionChaired by Rustam Al-Shahi Salman, Professor of Clinical Neurology, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences & Usher Institute Speaker Biographies Speaker: Craig Anderson Dr Anderson is a Senior Professorial Fellow at The George Institute for Global Health, adjunct professor of neurology and epidemiology at the University of New South Wales, and distinguished professor at the Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-inspired Intelligence at Fudan University in Shanghai.Craig has received continuous fellowship and grant funding for over 20 years to undertake clinical trials in the prevention and treatment of stroke and aspects of cardiovascular disease that have influenced guidelines and practice. He has received numerous awards for research excellence from various professional stroke organisations, is Editor-in-Chief of Cerebrovascular Diseases, Associate Editor of the International Journal of Stroke, and President-elect of the World Stroke Organisation. Chair Biographies Discussion Chair: Rustam Al-Shahi Salman Rustam is Professor of Clinical Neurology at the Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences and Edinburgh Clinical Trials Unit (ECTU) at the Usher Institute.View Rustam's University of Edinburgh profile Session Chair: James Beeston James is a second year PhD student in the Chemistry Department at the University of Edinburgh, working with Dr Andres Garcia-Dominguez and Professor Guy Lloyd-Jones.He is working to uncover mechanistic detail around reactions of sulfur-containing substrates with phosphorus-containing reagents, which have applications within materials chemistry, biomass derivatisation and natural product synthesis.Previously, James completed an integrated Masters of Chemistry degree at Durham University with a year in industry at Lubrizol, Derbyshire working on novel additives for engine oils. May 11 2026 13.00 - 18.00 Rebuilding lives after stroke: Global opportunities for research 11 May 2026 | Usher Building Usher Building Registration
Rebuilding lives after stroke: Global opportunities for research This event is endorsed by World Stroke Organization, British & Irish Association of Stroke Physicians and NHS Research Scotland Stroke Research Network.Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability globally. With advances in acute treatments, more people are surviving a stroke. But many are left with significant disability including non-motor problems such as fatigue, mood disorders and cognitive impairment. There is an urgent need to find evidence-based solutions for the multitude of long-term problems experienced by stroke survivors, in the context of multiple long-term conditions and frailty. Professor Gillian Mead, Head of Ageing and Health at the Usher Institute, and a geriatrician and stroke physician, has championed research in ‘Life after Stroke’ and stroke recovery for many years.In this networking event, we are bringing together researchers and clinicians with an interest in Life after Stroke. We will hear from international experts in this field, including Professor Craig Anderson and Dr Juliet Bouverie OBE, discuss research priorities and the research methodologies needed to develop life after stroke research globally. We hope that this event will inspire new research collaborations in this crucial, but under-researched field.Although the focus of the event is on stroke, it will also be of interest to those working in other disease areas where long-term consequences are common and under-researched, and where patients often have multiple long-term conditions and frailty. Programme OutlineTimeActivity13.00RegistrationUsher 1898 café available for purchasing of refreshments13.15Welcome and IntroductionProfessor David Weller, James Mackenzie Professor of General Practice, Usher Institute, The University of Edinburgh13.20Session One: From priorities to research to implementationMore details available below15.00Refreshments15.30Session Two: Global perspectives in life after stroke researchMore details available below17.10Drinks reception and networking18.00Close Register on Eventbrite Session One: From priorities to research to implementation Session One Programme This session is chaired by Michaela Gilarova and Ki Tong, both PhD students from the Advanced Care Research Centre at the Usher Institute.13.20 | Priorities for Life after Stroke Research: The Stroke Association perspectiveJuliet Bouverie, OBE, Chief Executive of the Stroke Association13.40 | Systematic reviews and their crucial underpinning role in Life after Stroke researchAlex Todhunter-Brown, Professor of Evidence Synthesis, Glasgow Caledonian University and Co-lead of NESSIE (NIHR Evidence Synthesis Scotland Initiative), Usher Institute14.00 | Life after stroke: more than just about the stroke, a geriatrician’s perspectiveSusan Shenkin, MD, Professor of Healthcare for Older People, Usher Institute14.20 | Rebuilding life after stroke through physical activity: translating evidence into ‘real life’Frederike van Wijck, Professor of Neurological Rehabilitation Sciences and Co-director of Research Centre for Health, Glasgow Caledonian University14.40 | Interactive DiscussionChaired by Professor David Weller, James Mackenzie Professor of General Practice, Usher Institute Speaker Biographies Juliet Bouverie Juliet has been Chief Executive of the Stroke Association since June 2016. She leads a team of 800 staff, 1500 volunteers and an annual income budget of around £42m.Juliet co-chairs NHS England’s Stroke Delivery Programme Board and is a member of the NHS Assembly. She is a World Stroke Organisation Fellow and former Board member. She is also Chair of the Richmond Group of Charities which exists to influence policy and systems change for people with multiple long-term conditions. Juliet has a degree in Modern Languages in Oxford and a postgraduate diploma in management. She ran the London Marathon for the Stroke Association in April 2019.The Stroke Association is the only charity in the UK providing lifelong support for all stroke survivors and their families. The charity provides tailored support to tens of thousands of stroke survivors each year, funds vital scientific research, and campaigns to secure the best care and support for everyone affected by stroke. Visit the Stroke Association website for further information Alex Todhunter-Brown Alex is Professor of Evidence Synthesis at Glasgow Caledonian University. Alex has particular expertise relating to systematic reviews of complex interventions, leading methodological work, completing and supporting systematic reviews on a number of topics, including stroke.She is Co-Lead of the Cochrane Heart, Stroke and Circulation Thematic Group, and was previously a Co-ordinating editor with the Cochrane Stroke Group. Alex has over 150 publications, an h-index (Scopus) of 48, and is cited as being in the top 2% of scientists in her discipline. She Co-leads the NIHR Evidence Synthesis Scotland InitiativE (NESSIE), which conducts evidence syntheses for the UK NIHR Evidence Synthesis Programme.Alex has an active interest in active and meaningful public involvement in research, with a particular focus on involvement in evidence syntheses. She is a founding member and joint lead of the Cochrane Co-production Methods Group. Susan Shenkin Susan is a Professor of Healthcare for Older People, Ageing and Health at the Usher Institute and an Honorary Consultant for NHS Lothian.View Susan's University of Edinburgh profile Frederike van Wijck Frederike van Wijck is Professor of Neurological Rehabilitation Sciences at Glasgow Caledonian University, where she co-leads the Stroke and Neurological Rehabilitation Research Group (SYNERGY).As a human movement scientist with a qualification in physiotherapy, Frederike is fascinated by how physical activity can enable people with long-term neurological conditions to achieve meaningful goals and rebuild their identity. She is particularly interested in rehabilitation as a learning process, hence her research focuses on the effects and experiences of interventions that employ learning strategies, including skill acquisition, exercise and fitness training, and behaviour change strategies. Together with Prof. Gillian Mead and their team, she has co-edited a handbook on exercise and fitness training after stroke, co-designed and delivered the UK’s first Exercise after Stroke specialist instructor training course, and set out guidelines for community-based exercise after stroke. She currently leads the International Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation Alliance Physical Activity Working Group. Whenever she is not writing about physical activity, she can be found roaming the Scottish hills, where there are endless opportunities to learn new skills. Chair Biographies Discussion Chair: David Weller David is James Mackenzie Professor of General Practice and Co-Head of Centre for Population Health Sciences at the Usher Institute.View David's University of Edinburgh profile Session Two: Global perspectives in life after stroke research Session Two Programme This session is chaired by Dr Amanda Barugh (Clinical Director, Stroke and Medicine of Elderly, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh) and James Beeston (PhD student, The University of Edinburgh)15.30 | Life after stroke research in Nepal; developing international research partnershipsDr Jiban Karaki, Research Associate, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Director of PHASE Nepal15.50 | Trial methodology for global Life after Stroke Research (including platform and implementation trials)Professor Amanda Farrin, Director Edinburgh Clinical Trials Unit, Usher Institute16.10 | Implementation research and digital interventions for stroke in Low-and-Middle Income Countries (LMIC)Ayeesha Kamran Karmal, Professor of Neurology and Director of Stroke Services, Aga Khan University Hospital, Pakistan16.30 | Life after stroke research: the World Stroke Organization perspectiveCraig Anderson, Senior Professorial Fellow, Professor Neurology and Epidemiology, UNSW, Sydney, Australia, and President-Elect World Stroke Organization16.50 | Interactive DiscussionChaired by Rustam Al-Shahi Salman, Professor of Clinical Neurology, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences & Usher Institute Speaker Biographies Speaker: Craig Anderson Dr Anderson is a Senior Professorial Fellow at The George Institute for Global Health, adjunct professor of neurology and epidemiology at the University of New South Wales, and distinguished professor at the Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-inspired Intelligence at Fudan University in Shanghai.Craig has received continuous fellowship and grant funding for over 20 years to undertake clinical trials in the prevention and treatment of stroke and aspects of cardiovascular disease that have influenced guidelines and practice. He has received numerous awards for research excellence from various professional stroke organisations, is Editor-in-Chief of Cerebrovascular Diseases, Associate Editor of the International Journal of Stroke, and President-elect of the World Stroke Organisation. Chair Biographies Discussion Chair: Rustam Al-Shahi Salman Rustam is Professor of Clinical Neurology at the Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences and Edinburgh Clinical Trials Unit (ECTU) at the Usher Institute.View Rustam's University of Edinburgh profile Session Chair: James Beeston James is a second year PhD student in the Chemistry Department at the University of Edinburgh, working with Dr Andres Garcia-Dominguez and Professor Guy Lloyd-Jones.He is working to uncover mechanistic detail around reactions of sulfur-containing substrates with phosphorus-containing reagents, which have applications within materials chemistry, biomass derivatisation and natural product synthesis.Previously, James completed an integrated Masters of Chemistry degree at Durham University with a year in industry at Lubrizol, Derbyshire working on novel additives for engine oils. May 11 2026 13.00 - 18.00 Rebuilding lives after stroke: Global opportunities for research 11 May 2026 | Usher Building Usher Building Registration
May 11 2026 13.00 - 18.00 Rebuilding lives after stroke: Global opportunities for research 11 May 2026 | Usher Building
