About the Authors

BRadford C. BErk, MD, PhD, is a board-certified cardiologist and a Distinguished University Professor in Medicine, Neurology, Pathology, and Pharmacology & Physiology. Currently, he is the director of the University of Rochester Neurorestoration Institute (URNI).

Dr. Berk was recruited to URMC in 1998 as chief of the Cardiology Division. Prior to his recruitment to Rochester, he served on the faculties of Harvard Medical School, Emory University, and the University of Washington. He founded URMC’s Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute, which rapidly became one of the nation’s top ten most highly funded cardiovascular research programs. Dr. Berk served as Chairman of Medicine from 2001 until 2006. In 2006, Dr. Berk became CEO of URMC and Senior Vice President of Health Sciences at the University of Rochester.

In 2015, Dr. Berk stepped down as CEO and became the founding director of the URNI. The mission of the URNI is to bring the highest-quality multidisciplinary care and most innovative approaches to restore function in individuals who have suffered damage to their brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.

His research has focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms of cardiovascular disease; specifically, the roles of oxidative stress and inflammation in the development and progression of disease. Recently, he has been studying the role of inflammation in acute and chronic spinal cord injury. He also is one of the founding members of NeuroCuresNY, the first large-scale clinical research platform that will use an upper-limb robot to investigate the effects of drugs to improve stroke recovery.

He is on the editorial boards of Circulation, Circulation Research, and the Journal of Clinical Investigation, and he has published more than three hundred articles, chapters, and books.

Dr. Berk serves on the Empire State Stem Cell Board. He was a member of the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Advisory Council that functions as the advisory group to the director of NHLBI. He has served as chairman of the National Institutes of Health Vascular Biology study section, on the American Heart Association Scientific Research Council, and numerous international scientific review committees. He was also president of the North American Vascular Biology Organization. Dr. Berk is an elected member of the Association of American Physicians and the American Society of Clinical Investigation.

Dr. Berk is married to Dr. Coral Surgeon. He has three grown children (who have three terrific spouses) and seven grandchildren. He is an avid skier and cyclist and loves to travel. He collects wines, art, and good times with family and friends. He lives and works in Rochester, New York.

drbradberk.com | drbradberk

MArtha WAtson MUrphy is an award-winning author who has written, co-written, edited, or developed more than thirty books. Her areas of interest include health; food and the people who bring it to us; life in out-of-the-way places; how-to; memoir; business; and our relationship with dogs.