Michael Brainin

Brainin was born in Vienna. He received his doctor's degree at the University of Vienna in 1976. He served his residency at the Landeskrankenhaus for Neurology and Psychiatry Gugging, where he also worked closely with the Gugginger Artists (a famous art brut collective) and supported the Democratic Psychiatry movement. In 1983, he received the specialist doctor's decree for neurology and psychiatry. During 1989/90, he worked at the Stroke Center of the Neurological Institute at New York's Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center Until his retirement from hospital work in 2016 he was Principle Co-Investigator of numerous international studies on new treatments for stroke, including thrombolysis and neuroprotection. From 1995 onwards, Brainin was affiliated with the Danube University Krems, In 1998, Brainin was appointed head of the Center for Postgraduate Studies in Neurosciences. In 2005 he was appointed full professor and chairman of the Department for Clinical Neurosciences and Preventive Medicine where he remained until his retirement in 2020. co-editor of the European Journal of Neurology == Scientific merits ==

In 1998, Brainin co-founded the Austrian Stroke Society (ÖGSF) and was elected as its first president, where he pioneered the planning and establishment of acute stroke units. at the Danube University Krems in 2007, an international program for the training of stroke specialists. He organized and co-chaired numerous international congresses, including the World Stroke Congress in 2020. program). Brainin furthermore advised many countries on the creation and implementation of strategies for stroke treatment, stroke prevention and specialist training (including a training program of 9,000 doctors which he led in Vietnam, as well as other programs in Myanmar, China, Russia and the Philippines). He also supported the founding of the African Stroke Organisation. His scientific achievements include the development of dysphagia screening, the Gugging Swallowing Screen (GUSS). To harmonize post-stroke care Brainin initiated the development of the Post Stroke Checklist (PSC). A focus of his research was Post-Stroke Cognitive Decline: He initiated and carried out with his team the first randomized polyintervention trial (ASPIS) for the prevention of post-stroke cognitive decline. == Awards ==

In 2017, Brainin received the Science Award of the State of Lower Austria, (Romania) and Hanoi (Vietnam), as well an honorary professorship at Zhengzhou University and Korean Stroke Societies. Brainin is also an honorary member of the Austrian Stroke Society and has been awarded with the annual Hans Chiari Lecture in 2022. In 2021, Brainin received the Presidential Award from the European Stroke Organization (ESO), the Ring of Honor In 2022, Brainin was further awarded the WSO Leadership Award as well as the Daniel Lackland Excellence Award in Diplomacy and Advocacy for Population Hypertension Risk Reduction by the World Hypertension League. In 2024, he was elected as member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts as well as a member of the Academia Europaea. == References ==