The purpose of this Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research is to allow the candidate to: 1, Further advance his current research program by carrying out a clinical project designed to determine the potential benefit of pharmacotherapy combined with physical therapy in enhancing motor recovery in patients as long as six months after hemispheric ischemic stroke; 2, Further develop the Duke Cerebrovascular Disease Fellowship Training Program providing him the time required to act as the mentor for beginning clinical investigators now being enrolled in the program; and 3, Further develop his knowledge by auditing courses given as part of the Masters in Clinical Research Program at Duke University. This program is proposed at both an optimal and critical time for the candidate and his academic program. The Research Plan includes a new project, """"""""Stroke Recovery: Delayed Treatment with Amphetamine and Physical Therapy"""""""" which represents a natural progression of his long-standing research interests and complements other ongoing and proposed clinical investigations. It coincides with his establishment of a post-residency training program in clinical cerebrovascular disease research at Duke and will allow him to devote sufficient time to assure the program's success. Finally, it will permit him to attend selected classes to augment his knowledge of clinical trial design, conduct, and data analysis which will not only improve his acumen as a clinical investigator, but allow him to further refine his ability to mentor trainees.
