Cerebrovascular Disease

BIOGRAPHY

ACADEMIC POSITIONS:
• Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Canada
• Director, Neurology Program, University of Alberta, Canada
• Director, WHO Center for Stroke Surveillance and Epidemiology

EDUCATION:
Dr Shuaib completed his medical education in Pakistan in 1980. He subsequently trained in Medicine and Neurology at the University of Calgary and Stroke Research at the University of Western Ontario (London) and Duke University (Durham NC, USA).

RESEARCH INTERESTS:
My research focus is on the understanding of mechanisms of neuronal cell death in focal and global models of cerebral ischemia and clinical trials in stroke prevention and acute management. In experimental ischemia, we have two well established models of brain injury. Our focal ischemia model utilizes a distal internal carotid artery occlusion with a clot. We have evaluated the extent of injury, rapidity with which this injury develops and the neuroprotective effects of a number of GABA-agonist compounds. We are presently also very interested in evaluating the therapeutic effects of thrombolysis, antiplatelet agents (in particular, IIb/IIIa antagonist) and a combination of such agents when used in the time interval after an arterial occlusion.