Top recognition awarded to 11 stroke researchers for science, brain health contributions

Eleven top scientists in stroke and brain health will be recognized for their exceptional achievements at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2026

Feb. 3, 2026 at 10:39am by Ben Kaplan

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Eleven top scientists in stroke and brain health will be recognized for their individual exceptional professional achievements and contributions to stroke and brain health care and research during the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2026. The awardees include five groundbreaking scientists who have devoted their careers to stroke research and six other scientists who will be recognized for their new research findings to be presented during the conference.

Why it matters

The awards highlight the critical importance of stroke research and the dedication of leading scientists working to advance the understanding and treatment of stroke and related brain health issues. The recognition of these researchers helps raise awareness of the ongoing efforts to improve stroke prevention, care, and outcomes for patients.

The details

The 2026 honorees include Bruce Ovbiagele, M.D., M.Sc., M.A.S., M.B.A., M.L.S., FAHA, from the University of California, San Francisco, who will receive the Edgar J. Kenton III Lecture Award. Pooja Khatri, M.D., M.Sc., FAHA, from Yale University, will be honored with the William M. Feinberg Award for Excellence in Clinical Stroke. Raghu Vemuganti, Ph.D., from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, will receive the Thomas Willis Lecture Award. Kazunori Toyoda, M.D., Ph.D., FAHA, from the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center in Japan, will be recognized with the Ralph L. Sacco Outstanding Stroke Research Mentor Award. Seemant Chaturvedi, M.D., from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, will receive the David G. Sherman Lecture Award. Amar Dhand, M.D., Ph.D., from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, will be recognized with the Stroke Rehabilitation Award. Soomin Jeong, Ph.D., from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, will receive the Stroke Basic Science Award. Zhe Cheng, M.D., Ph.D., from Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University in China, will receive the Robert G. Siekert New Investigator Award in Stroke. Daniela Renedo, M.D., from Yale School of Medicine, will receive the Mordecai Y.T. Globus New Investigator Award. Zhiyu (Roman) Yan, M.S., a Ph.D. student at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, will receive the Vascular Cognitive Impairment Award. Sheng Zhang, Ph.D., from Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital in China, will receive the Stroke Care in Emergency Medicine Award.

  • The American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2026 will be held in New Orleans, Feb. 3-6.
  • The awards will be presented during the conference.

The players

Bruce Ovbiagele

M.D., M.Sc., M.A.S., M.B.A., M.L.S., FAHA, associate dean and professor of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco, chief of staff at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American Heart Association, and president of the Society for Equity Neuroscience.

Pooja Khatri

M.D., M.Sc., FAHA, chair of the department of neurology at Yale School of Medicine, and chief of neurology at Yale New Haven Hospital and the Yale New Haven Health System.

Raghu Vemuganti

Ph.D., the endowed professor of cerebrovascular research and the vice chair for basic research of neurological surgery at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health in Madison, Wisconsin.

Kazunori Toyoda

M.D., Ph.D., FAHA, deputy director general of the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center in Suita, Osaka, Japan.

Seemant Chaturvedi

M.D., a stroke neurologist and the Stewart J. Greenebaum Endowed Professor in Stroke Neurology, and director of the stroke division at the University of Maryland Medical School Stroke Program in Baltimore.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

The recognition of these 11 top stroke researchers highlights the critical importance of ongoing scientific work to advance the understanding and treatment of stroke and related brain health issues. Their dedication and contributions are helping to drive progress in stroke prevention, care, and outcomes for patients.