Joanna Wardlaw

Joanna Marguerite Wardlaw (born 4 November 1958) is a Scottish physician, radiologist, and academic specialising in neuroradiology and pathophysiology. Wardlaw worked as a junior doctor before specialising as a radiologist. She continues to practice medicine as an Honorary Consultant Neuroradiologist with NHS Lothian. She has spent her entire academic career at the University of Edinburgh.

Early life and education Wardlaw was born on 4 November 1958 in London, England. She was educated at Park School, an all-girls school in Glasgow, Scotland. In 1994, she completed a Doctor of Medicine (MD).

Career and research Having worked as a junior doctor, Wardlaw specialised as a radiologist. In 1986 she became a Member of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom (MRCP), and in 1988 a Fellow of both the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP) and the Royal College of Radiologist (FRCR). Since 1994 she has been an honorary consultant neuroradiologist with NHS Lothian.

From 1994 to 1998, Wardlaw was a MRC senior lecturer at the University of Edinburgh. She was a Reader from 1998 to 2001.

Wardlaw is recognised as an expert in brain blood vessel diseases and neuroimaging. Her current research is focused on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of strokes, particularly cerebral small vessel diseases. In 2011 she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE), Scotland's national academy of science and letters. She was made a Fellow of the American Heart Association in 2014. In the 2016 New Year Honours, she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) "for services to neuroimaging and clinical science".

In 2008, Wardlaw was awarded the President's Medal of the British Society of Neuroradiologists. In 2018, she received both the Karolinska Stroke Award for Lifetime Contribution to Excellence in Advancing Knowledge in Stroke and the American Stroke Associations' William M. Feinberg Award for Excellence in Clinical Stroke.

Selected works