About US
Welcome to CanStroke Recovery Trials
The world’s first clinical trial platform devoted exclusively to advancing stroke recovery. CanStroke provides a robust, national infrastructure designed to accelerate and streamline stroke recovery trials across Canada, serving as a launchpad to test and assess new therapies, interventions, and devices.
Our platform unites research experts from diverse fields, including physiatry, neurology, neuropsychology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, clinical epidemiology, and neuroscience. Together, we lead large-scale, multi-site trials that drive discovery and improve stroke recovery care.
Harmonized training programs for coordinators and therapists,
Standardized outcome measures
Streamlined data collection and management protocols, and
Communication mechanisms to share best practices and insights.
We address the unique challenges of stroke recovery trials
participant recruitment at different stages of recovery
Whether a trial requires participants days or years post-stroke, our network supports multiple studies at various stages, providing access to a broader pool of candidates over time and significantly enhancing recruitment efficiency.
International Collaboration
CanStroke attracts research teams worldwide who are seeking a collaborative and expertly managed network for stroke recovery research.
Common Outcome Measures
Transform stroke care and improve outcomes for stroke survivors everywhere
Our team
Executive Committee
Sean Dukelow
University of Calgary
As CanStroke Principal Investigator and Chair, Dr. Sean Dukelow, MD, PhD, leads a team of the top…fulll bio
Janice Eng
University of British Columbia
Dr. Janice Eng is Canada Research Chair in Neurological Rehabilitation, Killam Professor in the University of…fulll bio
Mark Bayley
Toronto Rehabilitation Institute
Dr. Mark Bayley, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, is Program Medical Director and Physiatrist-in-Chief at…full bio
Farrell Leibovitch
Platform Director
Farrell Leibovitch is the Platform Director for CanStroke. Prior to taking on this role, he worked at theHSF Canadian partnership…fulll bio
Management Team
Farrell Leibovitch
Platform Director
Holly Vogel
Platform Coordinator
Karen Truong
Training & Events Manager
Olga Yaroslavtseva
central Trial Coordinator
Steering Committee
Led by Chair Dr. Sean Dukelow, University of Calgary, will provide broad oversight and leadership for the CanStroke Recovery Trials Platform.
Steering Committee members include:
- Chair – Dr. Sean Dukelow, University of Calgary/ Hotchkiss Brain Institute
- Site Leader Representatives – Representatives from participating sites
- NTA Trainee Representative from the CanStroke National Trainee Association
- Equity Diversity & Inclusion Advisor
- Pre-Clinical Advisor – Dr. Numa Dancause, Université de Montreal
- External Trial Advisor – Dr. Alexander Thiel, McGill University
- People With Lived Experience of stroke
Canadian Stroke Trainee Association in Research (CanSTAR) is the trainee association for CanStroke Recovery Clinical Trials Platform (CanStroke), the StrokeCog Clinical Trials Training Platform (StrokeCog), and the the Canadian Platform for Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation (CanStim). The group is led by elected trainee co-chairs.
There are also clinical trials coordinators at each of the CanStroke sites who are working to recruit, screen, and liaise with participants. Each of the ongoing trials has site coordinators and these individuals, in turn, receive training and support from the CanStroke management team.
To connect with a trial coordinator at any one of the CanStroke sites, please email farrell@canadianstroke.ca and your request will be directed to the appropriate person and applicable trial.
Site leader representatives
Established sites
Dr. Mark Bayley, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
Dr. Sandra Black, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
Dr. Sean Dukelow, University of Calgary/Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada
Dr. Janice Eng, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Dr. Bradley MacIntosh, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
Dr. Marilyn Mackay-Lyons, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
Dr. Michelle Ploughman, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Dr. Courtney Pollock, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Dr. Sepideh Pooyania, Riverview Health Centre, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Dr. Brodie Sakakibara, UBC-Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada
Dr. Ada Tang, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Dr. Robert Teasell, Western University, London, ON, Canada
Expansion sites
Dr. Nathanial Heinrichs, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada
Dr. Trish Helm-Neima, Island Health Integrated Services, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada
Dr. Catherine Mercier, CIUSS de la Capitale-Nationale, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
Dr. Benjamin Ritsma, Providence Care Hospital, Kingston, ON, Canada
Dr. Stephen Scott, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada
Dr. Nathania Liem, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, Windsor, ON, Canada
Dr. Jennifer Voth, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, Windsor, ON, Canada
Dr. Aleksander Tkach, Kelowna General Hospital, BC, Canada
