James F. Meschia, M.D., FAAN, FANA, FAHA, is Professor of Neurology and Chair Emeritus at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Board-certified in Neurology and Vascular Neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Dr. Meschia has made significant contributions to stroke research and clinical care. As the inaugural medical director of Mayo Clinic’s first Joint Commission-certified stroke center, Dr. Meschia pioneered studies on inherited risk factors for ischemic stroke, leading the Siblings with Ischemic Stroke Study (SWISS) and the Ischemic Stroke Genetic Study (ISGS). He also served as Principal Investigator for the NINDS Stroke Genetics Network (SiGN) consortium.

Dr. Meschia has a longstanding commitment to advancing stroke prevention, serving on the Executive Committee of the CREST trial, as co-Principal Investigator of CREST-2, and Principal Investigator for the CREST-2 Longitudinal Observational Extension (C2LOE). He leads the Recruitment and Retention Core for the DISCOVERY study on post-stroke cognitive impairment and recently chaired an American Heart Association Scientific Statement on the evaluation and management of CADASIL and related inherited cerebral small vessel diseases. Dr. Meschia has authored or co-authored over 400 peer-reviewed publications, reflecting his dedication to research, education, and patient care.