On average, someone in the US has a stroke every 40 seconds. Primarily caused by a blocked or burst artery that delivers blood to the brain, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death, and the leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the Unites States.

Stroke risk factors, including high cholesterol and diabetes, are on the rise across all ages and demographics, meaning stroke is becoming an increasingly significant public health concern. The new Stroke & Applied NeuroScience Center at the University of Washington was established to harness the power of multidisciplinary collaboration to create better treatments, including earlier intervention, for stroke and other neurological conditions.