Prof. Aleksandra Pikula, BSc. (Hon), MD, Dipl. ABPN (USA), ABLM

Dr. Aleksandra Pikula is an Associate Professor of Medicine (Neurology) at the University of Toronto, a Clinician-Investigator at Krembil Brain Institute, Director of Stroke Neurology Research at UHN, Co-Director of Women's Neurology Fellowship at U of T and Founder of the EMBRACE Lifestyle Program for Optimal Brain Care & Stroke Prevention. She is a founder and director of the largest multidisciplinary Stroke in Young Adults (SiYA) Program in Canada.

Dr. Pikula is quadruple board certified in Internal Medicine by NYU, Neurology by Boston University, Vascular Neurology by Boston University, the Harvard School of Medicine and the Framingham Heart Study, and Lifestyle Medicine by ACLM.

Dr. Pikula’ s overarching clinical and research interests are focused on sex-disparities in stroke prevention and outcomes, studying the effect of various factors (psychological, social, lifestyle) on HRQOL and brain care/health in young adults. This led to an emerging interest in developing innovative clinical strategies for brain care/stroke prevention – The EMBRACE Lifestyle Program and the W - KNOW BRAIN CARE Study focusing on high-risk patients’ knowledge & awareness about impact of lifestyle on brain health.

Dr. Pikula chair the U of T Women’s Brain Health Rounds with Dr. Gillian Einstein through support by the Women’s Brain Health Initiative & the Wilfred & Joys Posluns Chair in Women’s Brain Health and Aging. The rounds serve as unique international opportunities for students, faculty, residents, and patients to share translational science around women’s brain health. As an Associate Editor, Dr. Pikula was able to secure support from the Frontiers in Global Women’s Health through Article Collection to allow students and junior faculty members publish their work around the same topic. Dr. Pikula’ s work had been published in high impact journals and recognized by, amongst others, the NIH/NINDS & ANA, the AHA/ASA and the CIHR through continuous research support.