2007 Distinguished Research Professor: Joseph Broderick

Health care providers and medical researchers have a profound impact on people’s health and lives. But very few physicians and scientists are able to say their work has actually changed the face of medicine.

Joseph Broderick, MD, can.

Broderick was a leader in the testing of t-PA—the only FDA-approved treatment for breaking up the clots associated with ischemic stroke.

He took findings from studies of this clot-busting medication to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, where he and his colleagues demonstrated that patients with ischemic stroke have much higher medical costs than those with other types of stroke. He showed that t-PA offers improved outcomes for these patients and was instrumental in the reimbursement increase for treating patients with this medication—a step that is changing stroke therapy.

For this, and for countless other significant contributions to the field of neurology, Broderick has been awarded the Distinguished Research Professorship.

Broderick was literally born into medicine. His father and two uncles were physicians, his mother and two aunts were nurses and his grandfather was a dentist. One of seven children—five of whom are physicians—Broderick graduated summa cum laude from undergraduate studies at Xavier University. He also finished first in his UC College of Medicine class in 1982, and went on to complete a neurologic training and a cerebrovascular fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Md.

In 1987, he returned to UC to join the faculty of the neurology department. He was promoted to full professor in 1996, and in 2000 became department chairman. He has led the department to a funding stature on a par with the best neurology departments in the country—consistently ranking among the top of its kind nationally for National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding.

Alone, Broderick holds more than $48 million in committed research funding from the NIH, and in his research role has published 204 articles in peer-reviewed journals, 27 non-peer-reviewed articles, 210 abstracts and 27 book chapters. He holds two patents.

According to College of Medicine dean David Stern, MD, "Dr. Broderick is an outstanding physician, leader, teacher and researcher. His contributions have been instrumental in the upward movement of the university’s ranking of National Institutes of Health awards to medical schools."

But his contributions go further than research. As a physician, Broderick has melded together other doctors, nurses, researchers and health professionals from many disciplines to form one of the most well-known stroke care and research teams in the United States.

The Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Stroke Team treats stroke patients in a network of 17 Tristate hospitals—all the while identifying patients for clinical and epidemiological studies that advance our knowledge about the populations most affected by stroke and provide physicians with data on best practices in stroke treatment.

Although the caliber and impact of his work speak for themselves, sentiments from colleagues across the country underscore Broderick’s commitment to stroke care and research.

A peer from one institution refers to Broderick as "one of the few most respected and accomplished leaders in clinical research of acute stroke therapy …" He says the stroke program in Cincinnati is "the single most frequently identified program for stroke clinical care, research and training nationally and internationally, and is a model of how such a program should run."

He sums up Broderick’s work with "Joe Broderick’s name is synonymous with the best of stroke therapy and is also synonymous with the University of Cincinnati. He has been a model academician and has devoted his energies to the betterment of the University of Cincinnati. There is no better ambassador for your institution."