For Eseosa Ighodaro, MD, PhD, research is about solving problems that affect patients and families every day. As a stroke neurologist and researcher, Dr. Ighodaro works to improve care for people living with stroke and related neurological conditions. Her research focuses on designing, implementing, and testing new clinical models for optimizing clinical and community support for patients transitioning from hospital to home.
"What motivates my work is making sure all stroke patients have the best access to care possible by addressing their social needs," Dr. Ighodaro said. That commitment has shaped a clinical research program grounded in scientific rigor, clinical expertise, community partnership and the experiences of patients and caregivers.
Moving Research Beyond the Clinic
Stroke recovery does not end at discharge. Stroke survivors and caregivers may face transportation barriers, gaps in follow-up care, caregiving demands and other challenges that shape stroke recovery. Dr. Ighodaro's research examines what patients and caregivers need during this transition along with how health systems can respond in collaboration with community partners. One current project combines quantitative and qualitative data to capture their experiences and improve stroke recovery programs and services.
"We're just getting started in year two, and we're excited to learn more directly from patients and caregivers about their experiences and what they need," she said. The goal is clear: address social needs, reduce barriers, improve access to care and help stroke survivors achieve better outcomes.
How CTSI Helped Accelerate the Work
Dr. Ighodaro credits CTSI resources with helping her move the work forward faster and more effectively. Community-engaged research resources, grant support, networking, consultations and research infrastructure helped turn ideas into actionable grant funded projects.
"By being here at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and working with CTSI, I've been able to accelerate reaching that goal because of all the different resources I have access to," she said. Funding opportunities, institutional support and research personnel also helped her build early momentum and establish a research program centered on patient needs. "I've been able to leverage different grant funding, support from my department, and support from the institution both financially and from a personnel standpoint," she said. "It's been truly phenomenal."
Community Partnerships Driving Better Outcomes
Patients and community members are central to Dr. Ighodaro's work. By working directly with patients, caregivers and community partners, her team can focus on real challenges rather than assumptions. That input helps make interventions practical, relevant and sustainable. The result is research designed not only to advance knowledge, but also to improve daily life for stroke survivors and their families.
That community-centered approach was recently recognized through the 2026–2027 Community Partnered Research Award, presented to Dr. Ighodaro and Eboni Lewis, community partner at the Piedmont Triad Regional Council Area Agency on Aging. Together, the partners will identify the most pressing needs of stroke survivors and caregivers and develop practical, easy-to-use resource guides to help families connect with transportation, food, housing and other community supports during recovery.
Building a Research Program with Purpose
One of Dr. Ighodaro's proudest accomplishments is building a research program early in her career that remains closely tied to why she entered medicine and research.
"I think being able to create a research program so quickly, so early on, that's getting at the reasons why I'm in medicine and research," she said. For Dr. Ighodaro, success is not measured only by grants or publications. It is measured by better care and progress on the social factors that shape health outcomes.
Dr. Ighodaro remains focused on improving care for stroke survivors, supporting caregivers and expanding equitable access to resources after discharge. She hopes continued collaboration among researchers, health care providers, community organizations and CTSI will turn these lessons into lasting improvements in patient care.
Planning a community-engaged study? CTSI can help you build partnerships, strengthen grant applications and connect with research services and expertise. Explore CTSI services and resources.