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Gustavo Saposnik

Excecutive Director, NeuroSmart Solutions and Director, Stroke Outcomes & Decision Neuroscience Research Unit
Accepting Patients
Call:
416-864-5155
Fax:
416-864-5150
Email:
gustavo.saposnik@unityhealth.to
Visit:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustavo-saposnik/
Office Address
55 Queen St E Suite 931
Toronto, ON M5C 1R6
Department: Medicine,
Division: Neurology,
Languages: English, Spanish,
Speciality: Stroke Neurology,
Location: St. Michael's Hospital,
Pronouns: He/His/Him
Faculty Appointment: University of Toronto; Siriraj Hospital at the University of Mahidol (Thailand)
External Roles: VP World Stroke Organization; Senior Scientist at the Li Ka Shing and at ICES (Central), President and CSO, NeuroEconSolutions
Clinical Interests: Stroke, neurology
Academic Interests: Stroke, decision making, medical education, AI, technology, therapeutic interventions
Research Interests: Stroke, decision making, medical education, AI, technology, therapeutic interventions
Biography

Dr. Gustavo Saposnik is a neurologist, senior scientist, and global healthcare consultant dedicated to transforming healthcare through innovation. With expertise in stroke care, decision neuroscience, and therapeutic inertia, he bridges clinical practice with groundbreaking research to improve patient outcomes.

He completed his medical training at the University of Buenos Aires (1990), followed by a neurology residency (1991-1996) and a stroke & critical care fellowship (1997-1999). He co-founded the first university stroke unit (2000-2003) and earned a Clinical Effectiveness MPH from Harvard and Buenos Aires University (2001-2003). After a Stroke Clinical & Research Fellowship at the University of Western Ontario (2003-2006), he joined the University of Toronto in 2006, founding the Stroke Outcomes & Decision Neuroscience Program and advancing to Associate Professor in 2012.

Dr. Saposnik holds a PhD in Neuroeconomics from the University of Zurich (2020) and completed the OMA-Rotman Physician’s Leadership Program (2023). His pioneering work on therapeutic inertia (TI) in neurology has influenced multiple fields. He founded NeuroSmart, a patient-centered research program at the University of Toronto to bring practical solutions under uncertainty.

A dedicated stroke clinician and educator, Dr. Saposnik is known for his scientific rigor, patient-centered approach, and commitment to excellence.

Summary – Key Accomplishments

  1. Scholarship: Pursuing further education while being an Associate Professor and full-time clinician-scientist:
    Successfully obtained a PhD in Neuroeconomics at the University of Zurich (2020) and completed the Rotman-OMA Physician Leadership Program (Graduation: December 2023).
  2. Research:
    • h-index: 85 (Scopus); 300+ peer-reviewed publications (55 of them were led by my students).
    • ~698 cites/year and ~80 citations per paper. Media report.
    • Chair or member of the writing group of National and International Stroke Guidelines (11).

Research Innovation: Reduction in therapeutic inertia through the TLS, Creation of stroke risk prognostic scores to assess outcomes (e.g., iScore, PLAN, SPAN-100), Foundations of therapeutic inertia: applying eye trackers and AI-based software to identify how physicians make live decisions.

  1. Personal Awards: 12 personal awards (5 personal salary awards), two group awards, and a mentorship award since 2012.
    Progressive recognition of peer-reviewed personal salary awards since my fellowship: Focus in Stroke Award (2004-2007), HSF Clinician Scientist Award (2007-2012), HSF New Investigator & MacDonald Awards (2012-17), CIHR NI Award (2012-2017; Declined), HSF Mid-Career Award (2017-2021). UofT Clinician Scientist Merit Award (2022-2025).
  2. Leadership roles:
    • Founder and Chair of SORCan (www.sorcan.ca) that achieved 30+ peer-reviewed publications.
    • 2020-24 Editor-in-Chief at the WSA: responsible for the educational portfolio to serve the WSO mission.
    • President/CSO, NeuroEconSolutions; Executive Board Member, WSO
    • Editorial Experience: Section Editor (Stroke Journal), Editorial Boards of the top 3 stroke journals.
    • Stroke expert participating in Policy and Government Committees (OMHLTC, EAP, HSF, WSO)
    • Presentations as an invited speaker (conferences (S. America, Canada, Italy, Spain, Norway, S. Korea, Thailand, Emirates, Germany, USA), Visiting professor (S. Korea, Thailand, China).
  1. Medical education:
    • Cross Appointment- Adjunct Professor of Stroke Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
    • Curriculum development & Faculty: Future Leaders Program at the WSO (2021 and 2022 cohorts).
    • 2022 Mentorship Award at Unity Health Toronto.
    • Curriculum development and novel strategies in medical education, World Stroke Academy, WSO
    • Supervision and mentorship of over 30 students, fellows, and over 12 faculty members. (see report).
  2. Keynote or speaker invitations:
    • More than 50 invitations as an international expert speaker by Scientific organizations (e.g.: AHA, European
      Stroke Society, WSO, HSF, Chinese Stroke Association, Shanghai Stroke Association, etc.), Academic institutions (U of Perugia, Mahidol University, Yonsei University), industry workshops in decision neuroscience (Roche, Celgene Inc., Novartis, Servier) in the last 3 years.
  3. Humanitarian stroke education across China (2024), Invited by Bethune Canadian-Chinese Association and Ministry of Foreign Affairs in China.

Last updated March 06, 2025