Pre-Conference Symposia – International Stroke Conference

HEADS-UP – Health Equity and Actionable Disparities in Stroke: Understanding and Problem-solving
This symposium is a multidisciplinary scientific forum focused on race-ethnic disparities in cerebrovascular disease, with the overarching goal of reducing disparities in stroke and accelerating translation of research findings to improve outcomes for race-ethnic minorities who reside in the US. HEADS-UP is a collaborative initiative with the American Stroke Association (ASA), a national organization "dedicated to advancing the science of stroke prevention, treatment and recovery through research and education", and the National Institutes for Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

In addition to exciting lectures being given by leaders in this field, twenty early career scholars will present their disparities research work at a dedicated poster session as well as participate in career development sessions. A plenary lecture in honor of the late Edgar Kenton, MD will be given by an outstanding researcher selected by the HEADS-UP Program Committee, with a solid track record of studying or addressing stroke disparities.

Formerly known as Stroke in the Real World, this symposium is designed to provide cutting edge information for healthcare professionals caring for patients with, or at risk for stroke. This one-day symposium highlights scientific advances in cerebrovascular disease while emphasizing their application in the real world. The symposium informs the audience about issues along the full continuum of stroke care and covers varied topics of interest to healthcare providers working in the emergency department, hospitalist settings, primary care, general neurology, pharmacies, and other stroke care arenas. This year’s symposium will focus on addressing challenges in acute stroke management.

Formerly known as Stroke in the Lab World, this conference focuses on promising new developments in the lab and their possible effects on future stroke treatment.

The American Heart Association is launching a new Pre-Conference Symposium on Brain Health, held in conjunction with the International Stroke Conference. This one-day scientific convening will explore cutting-edge topics at the intersection of vascular neurology, cognitive neuroscience, aging, and public health. Emerging areas such as digital lifestyle interventions, neuroeconomics, and brain capital will be included. Sessions will address the prevention of cognitive decline, the interplay between cardiovascular and brain health, social determinants of brain aging, neuroimaging and biomarker discovery, and scalable interventions to promote lifelong brain health.

The pre-conference will feature multidisciplinary speakers and an engaged audience of investigators and clinicians committed to advancing translational and population-level solutions for brain health and resilience. This event reflects the AHA’s growing commitment to fostering science that supports optimal brain function across the lifespan.