Brett Kissela, MD, appointed director of the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute

A nationally recognized leader in neurology and stroke research, Kissela has served the University of Cincinnati for more than two decades in a range of impactful leadership positions. With this appointment, he is stepping down as chair of the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, a role he held with distinction while simultaneously serving as executive vice dean and senior associate dean of clinical research for the UC College of Medicine and chief of research services for UC Health. He will maintain these crucial roles alongside his new appointment at UCGNI, providing visionary leadership in clinical, research and academic affairs, while helping shape the future of neurosciences across UC and the region.

Kissela shared, “It's a profound honor to assume the role of director at the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute. I am incredibly eager to collaborate with our exceptional teams to not only expand access to cutting-edge care but also to significantly enhance our research capabilities and drive patient-centered innovation forward. This transition is particularly exciting as it allows me to dedicate even more focused time to advancing critical clinical research, which remains a core passion.”

“We extend our deepest gratitude to Dr. Kissela for his exemplary leadership as chair of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, a role in which he elevated our neuroscience programs to national prominence. We are thrilled to fully support his transition to director of the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute — a role perfectly suited to his expertise. His invaluable service continues as executive vice dean and senior associate dean of clinical research,” shared Gregory C. Postel, MD, dean of the College of Medicine, Christian R. Holmes endowed professor, executive vice president for health affairs at UC and chair of the UC Health Board of Directors. “This strategic alignment enables him to intensify his focus on critical clinical research, undoubtedly accelerating discoveries and improving patient outcomes across our academic health center.”

Under Kissela’s leadership as chair, the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine rose to nationwide distinction, achieving major milestones in education, research and clinical care. He championed interdisciplinary care models, strengthened academic programs and mentored a new generation of physician-scientists and clinical investigators — efforts that cemented the department’s reputation as a national academic powerhouse. His appointment to lead the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute reflects a continued commitment to translational research, collaborative care and innovation in the neurosciences, including a focus on becoming a true learning health system.

This heightened focus on clinical research aligns with Kissela's long-standing commitment to advancing neurological understanding and patient outcomes. Kissela received his medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine. He completed his neurology residency at the University of Michigan and a fellowship in cerebrovascular disease at UC. He also earned a master’s degree in epidemiology from UC. Kissela joined UC in 1999. His extensive research has concentrated on the outcomes and recovery after stroke, with a special interest in the impact of diabetes on stroke incidence and outcomes, as well as the epidemiology of stroke outcomes. He has also explored how medical and psychiatric comorbidities, alongside white matter disease burden, affect recovery. 

Kissela also has served as multiple principal investigator of the NIH-funded Center for Clinical and Translational Science and Training (CCTST), UC’s hub of the national CTSA (Clinical and Translational Science Award) program, which supports and improves clinical and translational research across the academic health center. 

In recognition of his contributions to medicine and the community, Kissela was recently honored with the prestigious 2025 Dr. Creighton B. Wright Healthcare Leadership Award at the American Heart Association’s Heart Ball. He also received the Daniel Drake Medal in 2024, the College of Medicine's highest honor for outstanding contributions to medical education, scholarship and research.

As Kissela steps into the director role, Joseph Broderick, MD, a nationally renowned stroke expert and esteemed physician leader, will transition to senior adviser to UCGNI, effective July 1, 2025. Broderick's foundational contributions have been instrumental in the institute's growth, reputation and significant impact through the years. In his new capacity, his unparalleled expertise and institutional knowledge will remain invaluable to UCGNI’s mission to advance neurological care, research and education. Broderick will also continue his vital work within the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, notably by leading the StrokeNet National Coordinating Center and co-leading an initiative with Hyacinth I. Hyacinth, PhD, to establish an Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. 

With Kissela’s new appointment beginning July 1, 2025, Reena Shah, MD, associate professor of clinical, has been named interim chair of the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine. A national search will be conducted to fill the permanent chair position.

The Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine is a key component of the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute and UC Health, offering subspecialized care across a broad range of neurologic and rehabilitation conditions. The department’s divisions — including stroke, epilepsy, neurocritical care, neuromuscular medicine, behavioral neurology and more — are known nationally for their clinical excellence, robust research enterprise and fellowship training programs.

Founded in 1947 by Charles Aring, MD, the department has remained at the forefront of academic neurology, from launching the nation’s first multidisciplinary stroke team to serving as a regional hub for NIH StrokeNet.

The UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute is home to more than 125 physicians and researchers working collaboratively to provide world-class care, pursue groundbreaking research and train the next generation of neuroscience leaders. Learn more at https://med.uc.edu/UCGNI.