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Dr. Joseph Harbison

Associate Professor (Medical Gerontology)
Associate Professor (Trinity Inst. of Neurosciences (TCIN))
ST JAMESS HOSPITAL
      
Profile Photo

Dr. Joseph Harbison

Associate Professor (Medical Gerontology)
ST JAMESS HOSPITAL

 Joe.Harbison@tcd.ie

 3531 4284108

Associate Professor (Trinity Inst. of Neurosciences (TCIN))


I am Deputy Head of the School of Medicine with responsibility for Academic Affairs. I am also a Consultant Physician working in St James's Hospital Dublin, the largest hospital in the country. I helped establish the Stroke Service in this hospital and still work half time as a clinician there caring for patients and training Junior Doctors. I still participate in on-call medicine and am a Member of the National Clinical Advisory Group for Stroke. In addition I am a teacher and researcher in Trinity College Dublin. I am Clinical Lead for the Irish National Audit of Stroke.
  Age related diseases   Ageing, stroke, dementia   Aging/Gerontology   Anatomy   Anticonvulsants   Brain   Clinical sleep research   Elderly Health   Gerontology   Medical/Diagnostic Imaging   Nervous System   Neurobiology   Neurochemistry and neuropharmacology   Neuroimaging   Neurology   Neuroscience   Pharmacology   Pharmacotherapy   Radiology, tomography and medical imaging   Sleep Disorders   Stroke   Stroke rehabilitation   Telemedicine
Project Title
 Irish National Audit of Stroke
From
2013
To
Ongoing
Summary
INAS is the national structure for collection of data on stroke in Ireland. Data is collected by stroke Teams in 24 Irish Hospitals using an online data form which is incorporated with routine collected HIPE data. This HIPE portal allows analysis of specific stroke data with other routinely collected health data. The Audit was founded as the national stroke Register in 2013 and incorporated into NOCA in 2018. we currently hold data on over 70,000 individual stroke events and this year have incorporated 12 new data items in respect of risk factor, degree of impairment and prior stroke to the dataset. The Audit is funded with permanent staff
Funding Agency
National Office of Clinical Audit
Programme
Dept of Health
Project Type
National Audit
Person Months
12
Project Title
 Federating European REgistries for Stroke (FERES)
From
2021
To
Summary
This is an initiative to allow simultaneous analysis of data from multiple European Stroke Registries and Audits without the need of sharing data across borders. It uses an innovative hub and spoke method of analysis and is a pan-European collaborative project.
Funding Agency
EAN
Project Type
Collaborative Rsearch
Person Months
2
Project Title
 Hypotension, vasoreactivity and white matter intensities in the ageing brain: The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA
From
01/09/2014
To
321/08/2019
Summary
This was a project using the 3T MR scanned subset of the TILDA study to determine if there was an association between white matter disease and variation in blood pressure. It was based on previous research suggesting white matter disease was associated with variations in autonomic function.
Funding Agency
Health Research Board
Programme
Health Research Awards - Population Health Research
Project Type
Research
Person Months
2
Project Title
 Irish Stroke Clinical Trials Network
From
2014
To
2023
Summary
This was a collaboration to facilitate the conduct of multicenter trials in stroke in Ireland. amongst the trials it helped support include CONVINCE study of Colchicine in secondary prevention of stroke and the ESCAPE trial of thrombectomy for cerebral infarction.
Funding Agency
Health Research Board
Programme
Clinical Trial Networks
Project Type
Trials Network
Person Months
6
Project Title
 Developing a new approach to stroke rehabilitation for the upper limb based on TMS neurofeedback
From
01/10/2019
To
14/08/2025
Summary
This is a study led by Dr Kathy Ruddy examining the potential of using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as an adjunct to therapy in rehabilitating stroke patients with motor deficits.
Funding Agency
Health Research Board
Programme
Emerging Investigator Awards
Project Type
Research
Person Months
2

Page 1 of 2
Details Date
Director of Irish Heart Foundation 2019
Lead National Clinical Programme for Stroke 2010
Clinical Lead National Audit of Stroke Care 2019
UK Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme, External Reviewer 2018
CROI National Institute for Prevention and Cardiovascular Health, Advisory Board Member 2017
Editorial Board, European Stroke Journal 2026
Chair National Advisory Committee on Medication Safety. 2011
Member of Library Committee of Royal College of Physicians of Ireland 2016
Committee member for the Nurse and Midwife Medicinal Product Prescribing Review of Existing Systems and Processes
Stroke Action Plan for Europe. I was the only Irish Representative at the original drafting meeting in Munich in 2020 and drafted part of the interim report in 2025. Recently the Minister of Health signed a commitment to attaining to objectives of the plan. 2020
Language Skill Reading Skill Writing Skill Speaking
English Fluent Fluent Fluent
French Medium Medium Medium
Irish Basic Basic Basic
Italian Medium Medium Medium
Details Date From Date To
Fellowship of the European Stroke Organisation 2009
Fellow of the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland 2014 date
British and Irish Association of Stroke Physicians 2003 date
British Geriatrics Society 1997 date
World Stroke Organisation 2013
Chapman L, McCormack J, Brych O, Cassidy T, Harbison J., A retrospective cohort study reporting outcomes and quality-of-care measures for in-hospital stroke patients using a national stroke audit database., Journal of stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, 36, (6), 2026, p108652-, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Maes L, Verschuere C, Walsh C, Weimar C, Purroy F, Price C, Fonseca C, Hill MD, Jatuzis D, Kõrv J, Kruuse C, Mikulik R, Nederkoorn P, Czlonkowska A, Fischer U, McCormick M, Castellanos M, Baptista M, Marto JP, Thavanesan K, Williams DJ, Kelly P, Lemmens R; CONVINCE investigators., Validation of the SMART-REACH model after stroke and the effect of colchicine by atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk category: a secondary analysis of the CONVINCE randomised clinical trial, European Stroke Journal, 11, (4), 2026, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Christensen H, Pezzella FR, Roaldsen MB, Tomek A, Wilkie A, Christensen L, Dichgans M, Drummond A, Laatikainen T, Molina CA, Sunnerhagen KS, Toni D, Abilleira S, Aguiar de Sousa D, Arsovska A, Audebert H, Bartolovic J, Béjot Y, Biessels GJ, Bouverie J, Budincevic H, Casolla B, Chabriat H, Charalambous M, Dawson J, Debette S, de Leeuw FE, Denes A, Diomedi M, Dippel D, Dirnagl U, Fischer U, Flomin Y, Fonseca AC, Forchammer B, Forster A, Frisullo G, Galofre M, Gdovinová Z, Gumbinger C, Harbison J, Hobbs R, Jatuzis D, Jurlina H, Katan M, Kidd L, Kiechl S, Kõrv J, Kruuse C, Lang W, Liesz A, Lorenzano S, Luft A, Lunde G, Macey C, Markus HS, Mead G, Michel P, Ozturk S, Paciaroni M, Pavlovic A, Persson CU, Quinn TJ, Rothwell P, Saba L, Santalucia P, Santo G, Simonsen C, Steiner T, Stolarz-Skrzypek K, Tiu C, Tsiskaridze A, Tsivgoulis G, Tuomilehto J, Ulberg T, Ursillo P, Urso A, van Euler M, Viigimaa M, Vivien D, Wagner M, Walker M, Webb A, Ramos DW, Zampolini M, Zedde M, Ford G, Kelly P, Mikulik R, Norrving B, Proios H, Sacco S, Sandset E, Wardlaw J, Vilionskis A, Caso V, Stroke Action Plan for Europe 2018-2030 (SAP-E): mid-term review and update, European Stroke Journal, 11, (1), 2026, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Moran CN, Jeffares I, McCormack J, Merriman NA, Bruen C, Jonsson A, Murphy P, Rabbi KA, Harbison J, Williams D, Kelly P, Collins R, Sexton E, Horgan F, Ní Bheacáin M, Byrne E, Thornton J, Tully C, Hickey A., Enhancing acute stroke care in Ireland: A scoping review and Delphi consensus for the Irish National Audit of Stroke (INAS) dataset, BMJ Open, 15, (11), 2026, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Synnott P, Walsh C, Weimar C, Purroy F, Price C, Fonseca AC, Hill M, Jatuzis D, Kõrv J, Kruuse C, Mikulik R, Nederkoorn P, Czlonkowska A, Fischer U, Nabavi DG, Harbison J, Cassidy T, O'Connor M, Iversen HK, Contemporary achievement of guideline recommendations for blood pressure management after stroke in the CONVINCE trial., European Stroke Journal, 6, (11), 2026, paakag051-, Notes: [doi: 10.1093/esj/aakag051.], Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Alexander Salerno, Georges Melissargos, Mira Katan, Michael Knoflach, Stefan Kiechl, Joseph Harbison, Leonardo Renieri, Danilo Toni, Lina Palaiodimou, Georgios Tsivigoulis, Andreas Ktenidis, Theofilos Mailis, Yannis Ioannidis, Patrik Michel, Philippe Ryvlin., Federating European REgistries for Stroke (FERES): principles, data model and future perspectives for a federated analysis of multiple prospective stroke registries, European Journal of Neurology, 2026, Journal Article, IN_PRESS
Raymond Simon Piggott, Laura M Piggott, Joseph Harbison, Walter Cullen., Clinical Placement Logbooks: How Do They Shape Medical Student Learning Behaviours?, BMC Medical Education, 2026, Journal Article, IN_PRESS
John McCabe, Robin Lemmens, Francisco Purroy, Cathal Walsh, Christian Weimar, Anna Czlonkowska, Urs Fischer, Ana Fonseca, Michael Hill, Dalius Jatuzis, Janika Kõrv, Christina Kruuse, Robert Mikulik, Darius Nabavi, Joseph Harbison, Margaret O'Connor, Helle Iversen, Katja Adie, Paul Nederkoorn, Christopher Price, Peter Kelly, Colchicine for Secondary Prevention After Stroke According to the Presence of Atherosclerosis, Stroke, 2026, Journal Article, IN_PRESS
Georgia Richard, Joseph Harbison, Colin Doherty, Clíona Ní Cheallaigh, ESOC2026A302 VASCULAR RISK AND CEREBRAL SMALL VESSEL DISEASE IN PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS: A CASE-CONTROL MRI STUDY, European Stroke Journal, European Stroke Organisation Conference, Maastricht, Netherlands, May 6th-8th 2026, 11, (Suppl 1), Oxford, 2026, ppi170-, Poster, PUBLISHED
Matthew Kavanagh, Joan McCormack, Rónán Collins, Tim Cassidy, Joseph Harbison, Olga Brych, ESOC2026A744 REVIEWING THE CORRELATION AND CONSISTENCY OF NON PHARMACOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF ROUTINE ACUTE/POST STROKE CARE ACROSS ALL STROKE UNIT-EQUIPPED IRISH HOSPITALS, European Stroke Journal, European Stroke Organisation Conference, Maastricht, Netherlands, May 6th-8th 2026, 11, (Suppl 1), Oxford, 2026, ppi763-, Poster, PUBLISHED
  

Page 1 of 26
Joseph Harbison, Assessment of Acute Dizziness, 3rd International Vestibular Conference, Dublin, 21st May 2026, 2026, Invited Talk, PUBLISHED
Joseph Harbison, Transient Ischaemic Attack: Preventing Stroke, Harvard Emergency Physicians: Neurological Emergencies Course, Dublin, 1st May 2026, 2026, Harvard Emergency Physicians, Beth Israel Hospital, Invited Talk, PUBLISHED
European Stroke Journal, UK, Oxford University Press, 2025, Editorial Board, PUBLISHED
Joseph Harbison, INAS Update, Irish Heart Foundation, Annual Scientific Meeting, Croke Park, Dublin, October 2025, 2025, Irish Heart Foundation, Notes: [I present at this meeting most years], Invited Talk, PUBLISHED
Joseph Harbison, The Life and Legacy of John Stearne (1624-1669), RCPI St Luke's Symposium, RCPI Dublin, 16th October 2024, 2024, Invited Talk, PUBLISHED
Joseph Harbison, Syncope and Stroke, 9th International Syncope Conference, Dublin, 17 May 2019, 2019, FASU St James's Hospital, Invited Talk, PUBLISHED
Joseph Harbison, The health economics of Atrial Fibrillation Screening, American Heart Association, Scientific Sessions, Anaheim California, 2017, 2017, Invited Talk, PUBLISHED
Biography of Sir Nathaniel Barry, RCPI Lives of the Presidents, https://heritage.rcpi.ie/Projects/Lives-of-the-Fellows/Search-Results/bio/91, 2017, [Joseph Harbison], Item in dictionary or encyclopaedia, etc, PUBLISHED
Biography of Samuel Arnoldi, RCPI Lives of the Presidents, https://heritage.rcpi.ie/Projects/Lives-of-the-Fellows/Search-Results/bio/69, 2017, [Joseph Harbison], Notes: [Samuel Arnoldi was the first graduate of the School of Physic TCD], Item in dictionary or encyclopaedia, etc, PUBLISHED
Biography of Robert Griffith, RCPI Lives of the Presidents, https://heritage.rcpi.ie/Projects/Lives-of-the-Fellows/Search-Results/bio/60, 2017, [Joseph Harbison], Item in dictionary or encyclopaedia, etc, PUBLISHED

  


Page 1 of 2
Award Date
William Stokes Award, St James's Hospital 2015
NHS R&D Fellowship 1999
President TCD Biological Society 2016-2017
Fellow of Trinity College Dublin April 2024
My research spans stroke medicine, cardiac rhythm disturbances, and medical education. In stroke, my interests include acute management, epidemiology, and the relationship with Atrial Fibrillation (AF). As Clinical Lead of the Irish National Audit of Stroke (INAS), we publish regularly and have recently expanded our data collection, including the NIHSS scale for the first time. INAS is linked to the HIPE dataset, enabling broad associative analyses. One MD graduate recently completed work on in-hospital stroke; a new fellow commenced an MD on frailty and stroke in July 2026. The audit employs a 0.5 audit manager and 0.5 data analyst, combined salary €75,000 / annum. I am a member of the international AF Screen Collaboration, with publications on AF screening and AF-associated cognitive impairment in Circulation, including contributions to the health economics white paper. I also sit on the Executive Committee of the Irish Stroke Clinical Trials Network and the research committee of the Irish Heart Foundation. My service has participated in several landmark international trials, including CONVINCE (Colchicine and stroke), ELAN (anticoagulation timing in AF), and AVERT DOSE (post-stroke rehabilitation). Earlier milestones include DIAS 4, Ireland's first thrombolysis trial, and ESCAPE, its first thrombectomy trial. I collaborated with TILDA on neuroimaging and cerebrovascular disease, and have recently proposed incorporating an autism screening tool into the next wave to address the significant gap in neurodiversity prevalence data in older populations. Additional interests include post-stroke complications including fatigue and anxiety and a new project examining blood-brain barrier dysfunction in burns patients. I am a scientific and management board member of FERES, a consortium federalising five national stroke databases for cross-dataset comparison, and sit on its scientific and management boards. In medical education, I co-supervise a doctoral candidate on differential undergraduate outcomes and have published on student selection, curriculum, assessment, and medical history.