Rate My Professor Michael Nilsson

Professor Michael Nilsson, MD, PhD, is Emeritus Professor in the College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing at the University of Newcastle, Australia, appointed from July 2024. He is Director of the Centre for Rehab Innovations (CRI) since August 2018 and served as Global Innovation Chair of Rehabilitation Medicine from August 2018 to April 2024. Previously, he was Executive Director of the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) and Burges Professor of Medical Science at the University of Newcastle from 2012 to 2018. In Sweden, he held positions as Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Gothenburg from 2006, Director of Rehabilitation Medicine and the Neuro Division at Sahlgrenska University Hospital from 2000 to 2012, and other senior roles in research and development. He earned his Doctor of Medicine and PhD from the University of Gothenburg. Professor Nilsson is a Fellow of the Australasian Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and holds specialist registration in Rehabilitation Medicine in Australia.

An internationally recognized researcher and leader in rehabilitation medicine, Professor Nilsson's academic interests center on translational neuroscience, brain repair, neuroplasticity, stroke recovery, secondary neurodegeneration, and precision rehabilitation. His laboratory investigates cellular mechanisms of resilience, plasticity, degeneration, and neural repair, influenced by psychological stress, enriched environments, and multimodal stimulation. He explores correlations between physical activity, cardiovascular fitness, cognition, mood, dementia, stroke, and epilepsy using large cohorts like Swedish military conscripts. Professor Nilsson has secured over $36 million in research funding from Australian, Swedish, European, and American sources, including the NHMRC. He co-directs the NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Stroke Rehabilitation and Brain Recovery and has developed innovative models of care for stroke, traumatic brain injury, and Parkinson's disease patients. Key publications include chapters 'Neural Plasticity as a Foundation for Stroke Rehabilitation' (2012), 'Music and the Brain across the Lifespan' (2021), and numerous papers on stroke rehabilitation and neurodegeneration. He serves on the NHMRC Health Translation Advisory Committee and RACP Australasian Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine Research Working Committee, holds visiting professorships at Nanyang Technological University, La Trobe University, University of Gothenburg, and the Florey Institute, and is a frequent invited speaker at international conferences.