2nd Meeting TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH on STROKE (TREES)

This meeting aimed at attracting the interest of the entire stroke research community highlighting both the challenges and the opportunities of recent advancements in preclinical and clinical knowledge of pathophysiology in stroke. In fact, translational stroke research occurs at the interface between basic science and clinical research, and encompasses contributors with varied backgrounds and areas of expertise. The entire spatiotemporal evolution of stroke pathology needs to be better understood, both early after the ischemic event, when reperfusion and neuroprotection are key targets, as well as days-weeks-months poststroke, when repair and regeneration are relevant targets. Much information has been gathered about the microscopic anatomy and physiology of the brain, but more is still to be learned. We need to know more about how blood flow is regulated by various cells (neurons, astrocytes, and endothelial cells) and various chemical substances, and how the cells and substances interact. Most relevant from a translational medicine standpoint is how to apply in a clinical setting what is known about the molecular biology of the brain and vascular function. Possible identification of druggable targets may pave the way to future neuroprotection strategies. Moreover, they might predict outcome before reperfusion treatments, and therefore support decision making with a precision-medicine approach.