Professor Joanna Wardlaw is a globally recognized authority in neuroimaging and cerebrovascular research with a distinguished career spanning over three decades at the University of Edinburgh. She currently holds the position of Professor of Applied Neuroimaging, serves as Head of Neuroimaging Sciences and Edinburgh Imaging, and directs the Row Fogo Centre for Research into Ageing and the Brain while maintaining her clinical practice as an Honorary Consultant Neuroradiologist with NHS Lothian. Born in London in 1958, she completed her medical education at the University of Edinburgh, earning her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery with honors in 1982 and her Doctor of Medicine in 1994. Her leadership in establishing major research infrastructure, including the Brain Research Imaging Centre in 1997 and the Scottish Imaging Network SINAPSE in 2007, has transformed neuroimaging research capabilities across Scotland.
Professor Wardlaw's pioneering work has revolutionized the understanding and treatment of brain vascular diseases, beginning with her first trial of intra-arterial thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke during 1990-92 and culminating in the landmark Third International Stroke Trial involving over 3,000 participants. She has been instrumental in advancing the understanding of cerebral small vessel disease mechanisms, establishing worldwide research networks to develop standardized imaging assessment protocols, and identifying critical links between vascular pathology and cognitive decline. Her methodological innovations in brain imaging have provided essential diagnostic tools that are now widely implemented in clinical stroke management and dementia research globally. With more than 1,000 published papers, her research has established new paradigms for understanding vascular contributions to neurodegeneration, influencing clinical guidelines and treatment approaches worldwide.
Beyond her research contributions, Professor Wardlaw has profoundly shaped the field through her leadership in coordinating international research networks and developing advanced imaging facilities including the MR-PET scanner and new 3T MR scanner in the main Southeast Scotland acute hospital. She pioneered online distance learning MSc programs in Neuroimaging and Imaging for Research, training medical professionals across the globe in advanced imaging techniques. Currently, as Foundation Chair of the UK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh, her laboratory focuses on identifying vascular lesion progression patterns, symptoms of advancing small vessel disease, and impaired glymphatic function to develop targeted interventions. Her ongoing clinical trials LACI-1 and LACI-2 represent promising approaches to prevent the progression of vascular cognitive impairment and dementia, positioning her at the forefront of translational research that bridges clinical observations with imaging biomarkers.
