Dr. Albert’s research is at the interface between molecular biology and psychiatry and focuses on the mechanistic link between the transcriptional regulation of genes of the serotonin and dopamine systems and mental illness. Since cloning the 5-HT1A and dopamine-D2 receptor genes, his laboratory has identified signaling mechanisms and novel transcription factors involved in their regulation. In collaboration with psychiatrists, his laboratory has identified novel functional polymorphisms in the 5-HT1A and dopamine-D2 receptor genes and their association with depression, suicide and treatment response. More recently, his laboratory has begun to use animal models to evaluate the roles of these transcription factors in vivo. For example, in probing the molecular mechanisms that regulate the 5-HT1A gene his lab identified human 5-HT1A variant (rs6295) that increases 5-HT1A autoreceptor expression and is associated with SSRI-resistant depression. To test whether these transcription changes really affect depression they have knocked them out in serotonin neurons of adult mice. This results in SSRI-resistant anxiety and depression-like behaviors. The lab is now testing whether other types of antidepressants or direct stimulation of serotonin neurons will reverse the depression in these mice.

In addition to genetic studies, Dr. Albert has also established a new mouse model of post-stroke depression and currently examine pharmacological, exercise and optogenetic approaches to enhance recovery. This mouse model responds to SSRI but not to exercise and chronic SSRI induces a regrowth of serotonin projections to the injured brain that correlates with recovery. The Albert lab is currently addressing the mechanisms of this regrowth and its importance in behavioral recovery.

Her laboratory is the Research in Exercise and Cardiovascular Health Laboratory research and has focused on exercise interventions (R01HD093694, R01AG053952, R01AR071263, R01AG049749) to optimize vascular health and brain aging in older adults and people post-stroke. Additional projects have been funded through R21, K01, R01s, American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Physical Therapy Association’s Academy of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy. Dr. Billinger is an internationally renowned speaker on exercise testing and interventions with an emphasis on people living with stroke. Dr. Billinger has over 100 publications in peer-reviewed journals. She served as Chair, Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery Committee for the AHA Stroke Council and was the lead author for the AHA Scientific Statement, Physical Activity and Exercise Recommendations for Stroke Survivors in 2014. Dr. Billinger has served as a member of the AHA/ASA Oversight Committee for the Bugher Foundation Centers of Excellence in Stroke Collaborative Research for Regeneration, Resilience, and Secondary Prevention (2015-2019) and now serves as an Oversight Committee member for the Centers of Excellence in Hemorrhagic Stroke (2020-current). Dr. Billinger was awarded the AHA Stroke Council Lecture Award in 2016 and Excellence in Neurologic Research from the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy, American Physical Therapy Association (2021) and the Kansas City Central Exchange STEMMy Educator Award in 2021. She was recognized by the World Stroke Organization Board of Directors in 2022 as one of the outstanding women who have made important and significant contributions to the field of stroke and brain health around the world. In 2023, Dr. Billinger received the distinguished KU Scholarly Research Achievement Award and from her alma mater, Fort Hays State University, the Alumni Achievement Award.

In 2020, Dr. Boulos was awarded by the American Academy of Neurology the Wayne Hening Sleep Medicine Investigator Award in recognition of outstanding achievements in Sleep Science research. Dr. Boulos has published more than 80 peer-reviewed journal articles in many high impact journals such as Lancet Respiratory Medicine, Neurology, Stroke, Chest, Sleep Medicine Reviews, and Sleep. In addition, he has secured funding on dozens of grants, approximating more than 4.5 million dollars in funding as PI/co-PI. Dr. Boulos’ research is supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Heart and Stroke Foundation, RLS Foundation, Branch Out Neurological Foundation, the Innovation Fund of the Academic Health Sciences Centres of Ontario, and several industry partners.

Moreover, Dr. Boulos has delivered numerous invited lectures at international and national conferences, and his work has also led to appearances with many major media outlets such as Yahoo!, CTV news, Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, as well as podcasts with the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Manulife Insurance, the CBC, and Zoomer Radio.

Furthermore, he has been a mentor to many trainees, and most of his students are authors of the resulting publications. Since starting at Sunnybrook, he has supervised nearly 90 research trainees at all levels of training, from undergraduates to post-doctoral candidates. His outstanding teaching has been recognized by teaching awards, and he serves as a full member of the School of Graduate Studies at the University of Toronto.

With his original training in physical therapy, Numa carefully aligns his experimental work in animals to human studies to provides complementary data that address critical clinical questions. His lab uses a variety of electrophysiological and neuroanatomical techniques in different models (rat, capuchin, vervet and macaque) to study motor control, plasticity supporting motor recovery after brain injury such as stroke, and the effects of rehabilitation and neuromodulation on this plasticity. His leadership is well demonstrated by numerous invitations to give lectures, implication in national and international meetings and contributions to several international recommendation papers in the field of stroke recovery. Publications:68; Google H-index:29; i10-index:48; Citations:4140.

Dr. Demchuk completed his medical degree (with distinction) from the University of Saskatchewan in 1993, followed by neurology residency from the University of Calgary (1993-97); and fellowship in cerebrovascular disease (1997-99) from the University of Texas-Houston.

Dr. Demchuk’s primary research interests focus on vascular imaging and clinical trials in acute stroke. Univ of Calgary has contributed several imaging scales and tools to help stroke clinicians worldwide better select patients for acute stroke treatment in the emergency setting. His favorite responsibility is the training of stroke fellows. The Calgary Stroke Fellowship program has trained over 110 fellows from 25 countries. 45 of which, practice stroke neurology across Canada.

Throughout his career he has received a number of awards, most recently in 2023, he was awarded the Raymond J Hnatyshyn Lecturer for stroke excellence in Canada and very recently received the Government of Alberta inaugural Dr. William Cochrane Health System Innovation Award.

Dr. Devereaux is a full Professor at McMaster University. He is the President of the Society of Perioperative Research and Care. Dr. Devereaux has published >450 peer reviewed papers and >90 book chapters, editorials, and commentaries, including 17 in the New England Journal of Medicine, 13 in the Lancet, and 11 in JAMA. He has an h-index of 122. He has given >1000 lectures and research presentations in 41 countries. Dr. Devereaux’s research program focuses on major vascular complications during and after surgery. He has led many large international randomized trials and prospective cohort studies focused on major perioperative vascular complications.

Dr. Finestone treats out-patients in the multi-disciplinary stroke rehabilitation setting of the Elisabeth Bruyere Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He also treats patients experiencing musculoskeletal and neurologic pain.

Dr. Finestone’s stroke research interests include: 1) Virtual Reality stroke rehabilitation technology to enhance exercise and balance- (patients play video games), 2) Driving and Stroke – he is the editor of the Section on Cerebrovascular diseases (including Stroke) – CMA Driver’s Guide, and invited member of the medical advisory committee of the Ministry of Transportation of the Province of Ontario, 3) Technology to assist toileting in stroke, disabled and geriatric populations. He has published many articles and book chapters. He is the recipient of the 2021 Best Paper Original Research – International Award by PM&R – The Journal of Injury, Function and Rehabilitation for his study on sitting balance exercise using virtual reality training for stroke rehabilitation inpatients.