During this fellowship in cerebrovascular disease, the first year is devoted entirely to clinical research and consultation on a busy stroke service. Experience in an active noninvasive neurovascular laboratory is available. The second year is flexible with opportunities for bench research in the pathophysiology and treatment of cerebral ischemia or for training in clinical trials methodology. Stroke call is shared with stroke and critical care attendings and the two critical care fellows.

Available Positions: 1-2 fellows per year for July 2005 and 2006

Years in Training: 1 to 2 year fellowship with flexibility on research year including numerous bench translation or clinical research activities

Accreditations: ACGME

Why Choose UVa?

Since 1984, the University of Virginia Stroke Center has taken a leadership role in clinical stroke research. Beginning in 1987, UVA, along with the University of Cincinnati and Cornell, began the initial NIH-funded pilot studies of alteplase (t-PA) that ultimately led to FDA approval of this compound for patients with acute ischemic stroke. UVA also coordinated the multi-center, international studies of nicardipine, a calcium antagonist, for patients with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage. In the early 1990's, UVA was the coordinating center for several phase II and III randomized clinical trials exploring the 21-aminosteroid, tirilazad, for patients with acute ischemic stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and traumatic brain injury. In the mid-1990's, UVA coordinated the phase II studies of gavestinel, a glycine-site antagonist, in acute ischemic stroke. Beginning in 2000, studies of tenecteplase (TNK) in acute ischemic stroke began, and UVA is now coordinating an advanced phase 2 randomized, controlled, multi-center trial of this compound.

During this time period, UVA has pioneered the development and implementation of acute stroke intervention teams, reliable clinical and imaging endpoints for studies of patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, futility analyses for acute stroke studies, and clinical prediction models for use in clinical trials. During their training, UVA Stroke Fellows have made substantive contributions to the literature on the accuracy of transcranial Doppler in detecting vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage, medical complications of acute subarachnoid hemorrhage, neurological complications of bacterial endocarditis, combining clinical neuroimaging measures in the prognosis of ischemic stroke, mitochondrial function in experimental ischemia, and major neurological improvement following thrombolytic therapy of acute ischemic stroke.