The National Stroke Foundation is committed to funding high quality research and has developed a strategic research strategy which addresses gaps in knowledge and meets priority needs for stroke care.

The development of the strategy has been overseen by a Research Advisory Committee chaired by Professor Richard Smallwood. Committee members include Associate Professor Julie Bernhardt, Dr Erin Lalor, Associate Professor Chris Levi, Professor Richard Lindley and Ms Susan Williams.

View the NSF Research Strategy.

The National Stroke Foundation has awarded four research grants to further research into rehabilitation or quality of life after stroke as the first step in its research program. The four grants were awarded from a field of high quality submissions, to the following people: 

• Dr Toby Cumming, National Stroke Research Institute, VIC
  The effect of very early mobilisation after stroke on cognitive impairment, depression and quality of life.
  
  

• Dr Jonathan Sturm, Gosford Hospital, NSW
  A simple intervention to prevent depression and improve quality of life after stroke.
  
  

• Stacey George, Repatriation General Hospital, SA
  An evaluation of rehabilitation of vision following stroke.
  
  

• Dr Annie McCluskey, The University of Sydney, NSW
  Translating evidence into practice: Helping people with stroke to get out of the house.
  

National Stroke Research Institute

The National Stroke Research Institute was a subsidiary of the National Stroke Foundation until July 1 2007. At this time, The National Stroke Research Institute (NSRI) amalgamated with the Howard Florey Institute and the Brain Research Institute to form the Florey Neuroscience Institutes.

The National Stroke Foundation’s Board believes that the NSRI’s participation in the new Florey Neuroscience Institutes will attract and retain high-quality researchers, enabling a broader and richer stroke research agenda leading to improved clinical outcomes for patients.  The Board also believes there is potential for expansion of clinical work at the Austin Hospital.

The Board considers that there could be a role for the NSF to assist the new organisation in disseminating its research findings to educate the community and influence government policy development.

The new organisation will work to be one of the ten leading neuroscience research institutes in the world within a decade.

The Florey Neuroscience Institutes is a $150 million project with funding from the Victorian and Australian governments, philanthropic foundations and private donors.  When complete it will have 500 researchers working in new buildings at the Austin Hospital and the University of Melbourne.