Gillian Mead

About

Professor Mead MB BChir MA MD FRCPE, FESO, FRSE, ARSM, FMedSci

Professor Mead graduated from University of Cambridge in 1988. She trained in general and geriatric medicine in London and Liverpool. Her research training was at University of Manchester, where she performed a trial of carotid endarterectomy in acute stroke, and was awarded an MD (University of Cambridge) in 1996. She also won the Woodford Williams Prize and Taylor Brown prizes (British Geriatrics Society), the Patey prize (Surgical Research Society) and the Palamountain prize (Research into Ageing) for her research.

She completed her clinical training in Edinburgh in 1999. After a six month senior lecturer post in stroke and general medicine in Auckland, New Zealand, she returned to Edinburgh as a clinical academic in 2000. She was promoted to Reader in Geriatric Medicine in 2009 and awarded a personal Chair in 2012. She worked clinically as a consultant geriatrician and stroke physician in NHS Lothian until September 2025. She has been Head of Ageing and Health, at University of Edinburgh, since 2023. She co-founded the Cochrane thematic group in Heart, Stroke and Circulation in 2023. She is now leading a collaborative research project to explore the long-term needs of stroke survivors in Nepal.

Her research aims to improve 'Life after Stroke' through interdisciplinary research. Her Google Scholar H Index is 80 and she has delivered invited lectures in more than 20 countries. She and her team have received multiple prestigious awards for research, including Research prizes including Lady Illingworth Award from Tenovus Scotland (2020) and William Farr Medal, 2016 from Worshipful Society of Apothecaries, and the Barbro J Johannson award for stroke recovery from the World Stroke Organisation (2023).

She was elected as Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2022) and to Academy of Medical Sciences (2023).

Employment

Employment history is unavailable.

Education

Education history is unavailable.

Projects & Funding

• Visit to Nepal Stroke Services Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation
  2024 - 2024
• Remote Ischaemic Conditioning for Fatigue After Stroke (RICFAST) – A multi-arm, randomised controlled feasibility study Stroke Association
  2024 - Present
• NIHR Evidence Synthesis Scotland InitiativE (NESSIE) - Production of Evidence Syntheses for the Evidence Synthesis Programme National Institute for Health and Care Research
  2023 - 2028
• The effects of exercise on secondary prevention and quality of life in people with existing vascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials National Institute for Health and Care Research
  2023 - 2024
• Establishing the Cochrane Thematic Group in Heart, Stroke and Circulation Academy of Medical Sciences
  2023 - 2024
• Development and Implementation of Realistic Medicine for severe stroke through shared decision making a Royal infirmary of Edinburgh Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation
  2022 - 2023
• Acute illness, delirium and long-term cognitive decline in later life: causes and consequences Dunhill Medical Trust
  2022 - 2026
• Reaching consensus for core outcome measures for palliative and end of life care after severe stroke Chief Scientist Office
  2019 - Present
• Anaemic Management with red Blood Cell transfusion to improve post-intensive care disability: a randomised controlled trial (The ABC post-intensive care trial). Jon Moulton Charity Trust
  2019 - 2025
• Towards an Integrated Self-Monitoring SolutIoN for Stroke/TIA: TASMIN5S Stroke Association/British Heart Foundation
  2018 - 2020
• Post-stroke Intervention Trial in Fatigue (POSITIF) Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland
  2017 - 2020
• Developing educational resources for end of life care in stroke. Scottish Government
  2015 - 2015
• Testing for emotionalism after recent stroke Stroke Association
  2015 - 2017
• Clinical Training Fellowship for Dr Ho-Yan Yvonne Chun. Developing the stepped-care model for anxiety after stroke Chief Scientist Office
  2015 - 2017
• Too much sitting in extended bouts in stroke survivors: a qualitative study to inform novel interventions Chief Scientist Office
  2015 - 2017
• COCHRANE STROKE GROUP 2015 Chief Scientist Office
  2015 - 2020
• EFFECTS - a Swedish multicentre randomised placebo-controlled trial to establish the effect(s) and safety of routine administration of fluoxetin in patients with a recent stroke Swedish Research Council
  2014 - 2017
• SENIORS USP (Seniors - Understanding Sedentary Patterns) Medical Research Council
  2014 - 2017
• Physical activity for non-ambulatory stroke survivors living at home: developing a feasible and acceptable intervention Chief Scientist Office
  2014 - 2016
• Feasibility of a randomised controlled trial of a community-based cycling exercise programme to improve physical and psychological outcomes in stroke survivors Chief Scientist Office
  2014 - 2015
• Princess Margaret Research Development fellowship Stroke Association
  2014 - 2016
• Understanding the experiences and multi-dimensional needs of people with major stroke: a mixed methods study. Chief Scientist Office
  2014 - 2016
• Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recoverY (AFFINITY) National Health and Medical Research Council
  2014 - 2018
• Mobility, Mood and Place: a user-centred approach to design of built environments to make mobility easy, enjoyable and meaningful for older people Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
  2013 - 2017
• Understanding the nature of the clinical problem and determining factors associated with fatigue in stroke patients without depression. Nottingham Fatigue After Stroke (NotFAST study) Stroke Association
  2013 - 2015
• Can an arts based creative engagement intervention following stroke improve psychosocial outcome? A feasibility trial of a creative engagement intervention for inpatient rehabilitation. Chief Scientist Office
  2013 - 2015
• In-depth analysis of existing accelerometer data, to characterise patterns of sitting behaviour after stroke Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation
  2013 - 2014
• A Cochrane Overview of interventions to improve upper limb function after stroke Chief Scientist Office
  2013 - 2014
• Developing an intervention to increase exercise in schizophrenia Chief Scientist Office
  2012 - 2015
• Dunhill Medical Trust. The role of cortisol dysregulation in delirium after stroke Dunhill Medical Trust
  2012 - 2014
• A Multicentre randomised trial to establish the effect (s) of routine administration of Fluoxetine in patients with a recent stroke: start-up phase Stroke Association
  2012 - 2014
• Exercise for Depression National Institute for Health and Care Research
  2012 - 2013
• A Multicentre randomised trial to establish the effect (s) of routine administration of Fluoxetine in patients with a recent stroke: start-up phase Stroke Association
  2012 - 2015
• Towards the development of an intervention for post-stroke fatigue Chinese Government
  2011 - 2014
• The use of global position satellite tracking in wandering patients with dementia: feasibility study Chief Scientist Office
  2011 - 2012
• Physical fitness training after stroke: updating the Cochrane review Chief Scientist Office
  2011 - 2011
• A pilot study of brain imaging and cortisol dysregulation after stroke Medical Research Council
  2011 - 2011
• NRS Ageing Specialty Group lead for Scotland Chief Scientist Office
  2010 - 2015
• Promoting physical activity after stroke Stroke Association
  2010 - 2015
• Using pedometers to promote physical activity in patients after stroke: a pilot study Chief Scientist Office
  2009 - 2010
• A longitudinal cohort study of fatigue after stroke Chief Scientist Office
  2009 - 2012
• Fatigue after stroke: a longitudinal cohort study of frequency, prognosis and relationship with physical activityand physical de-conditioning NIHR Evaluation Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre
  2009 - 2011
• Development and Dissemination of Best practice Guidelines Scottish Government
  2009 - 2011
• Life course influences on Ageing BBSRC
  2009 - 2012
• Using pedometers to promote physical activity in patients after stroke: a pilot study Chief Scientist Office
  2009 - 2010
• Fatigue and quality of life after stroke: associations and influence on survival NIHR Evaluation Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre
  2008 - 2008
• Evaluation of telemedicine for brain attacks Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland
  2008 - 2009
• Efficacy of Nitric Oxide in Stroke (ENOS) Bupa UK Foundation
  2004 - 2006
• Randomised Exploratory Trial of Physical fitness training after stroke Chief Scientist Office
  2002 - 2004
• Association Longitudinal study of changes in muscle mass and muscle strength after stroke Stroke Association
  2002 - 2003
• Longitudinal changes in muscle strength and muscle mass after stroke. Stroke Association
  2002 - 2004
• Purchase of mobile carotid Doppler scanner Mason Medical Research Trust
  1997 - 1997
• A randomised pilot study of physical fitness training after stroke Chief Scientist Office
• An evaluation of fatigue measurements in stroke patients. Chief Scientist Office

Publications

Publications are unavailable.