NI Stroke Clinician Scientist Award Launched
The Northern Ireland Stroke Clinician Scientist Award was launched at the Long Gallery in Stormont on Monday 21 September 2009. Guests included stroke consultations and members of the Health Committee.
This event signified the start of an exciting research project, which is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland. The study will be led by Dr David Wilson MD MRCP (UK) and will aim to generate more information about stroke, stroke medicine and to improve current services and treatment for people who have survived stroke.
Dr Wilson will aim to develop tests to detect the risk of dementia in patients who have experienced a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or ‘mini stroke’. Patients who have experienced a TIA are at high risk of subsequently developing a stroke and multiple TIAs may lead to dementia.
The study is designed to evaluate memory function after TIA and identify risk factors for subsequent strokes or memory problems.
The study will also evaluate several experimental blood tests of patients with a TIA to improve the diagnosis of TIA and to identify patients who are at risk of developing subsequent memory problems and strokes. This would allow for earlier intervention and institution of preventative treatment.
Dr David Wilson, will be based at Queens University Belfast and will receive a £300,000 three year fellowship grant.
