Ralph L. Sacco, (MED’83)

Ralph L. Sacco, M.D., M.S., is the Chairman of Neurology, Olemberg Family Chair in Neurological Disorders, Miller Professor of Neurology, Public Health Sciences, Human Genetics, and Neurosurgery, Executive Director of the Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute at the Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, and Chief of the Neurology Service at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

A graduate of Cornell University in Bio-electrical Engineering and a cum laude graduate of Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, he also holds an MS in Epidemiology from Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health. Dr. Sacco completed his neurology residency training and postdoctoral training in Stroke and Epidemiology at Columbia Presbyterian in New York. He was previously Professor of Neurology, Chief of Stroke and Critical Care Division and Associate Chairman at Columbia University before taking his current position as Chairman of Neurology at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine.

He is the founding Principal Investigator of the 26-year NINDS-funded Northern Manhattan Study, the Florida Puerto Rico Collaboration to Reduce Stroke Disparities, and the Family Study of Stroke Risk and Carotid Atherosclerosis, as well as co-investigator of multiple other NIH grants. He has also been the Co-Chair of international stroke treatment and prevention trials. Dr. Sacco has published extensively with 726 articles (H-index of 115) in the areas of stroke prevention, treatment, epidemiology, risk factors, vascular cognitive impairment, brain health, human genetics, and stroke recurrence. His research has also addressed health care disparities. He has been the recipient of numerous awards including, the Feinberg Award of Excellence in Clinical Stroke, the Chairman’s Award from the American Heart Association, the NINDS Javits Award in Neuroscience, AAN Wartenberg Lecture Award, and WSO Global Leadership Award. He has lectured extensively at national and international meetings. He served on the National Academy of Medicine panel on Preventing Cognitive Decline and Dementia, 2017, and is an elected member of the NAM.

Dr. Sacco is a fellow of both the Stroke and Epidemiology Councils of the American Heart Association, the American Academy of Neurology, and the American Neurological Association, and currently serves as the immediate past President of the American Academy of Neurology. He is also a member of the American Association of Physicians. Dr. Sacco has been a member of the World Stroke Organization since 2008 and is on the Board of Directors. He was the first neurologist to serve as the President of the American Heart Association – 2010-2011.