Andria  L. Ford, MD, MSCI

Andria L. Ford, MD, MSCI

Professor of Neurology, Radiology
Section Head, Cerebrovascular Disease Section
Director, ED Acute Stroke Service
Director, Stroke Patient Access Core
Co-Director, Stroke & Cerebrovascular Center
Co-Director, BJC Stroke Clinical Program
Barnes-Jewish Hospital-Washington University School of Medicine

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Andria Ford is a Professor of Neurology and Radiology and Section Head for the Stroke Center.  She received her undergraduate degree from Duke University in Biomedical Engineering and her medical degree from the University of Oklahoma. After medical school, she completed a Neurology residency and Vascular Neurology Fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis. She then completed a research fellowship in stroke followed by a Masters of Science in Clinical Investigation.  She specializes in acute stroke management, stroke in young adults, aging-related and inherited forms of cerebral small vessel disease and neurological impairment in sickle cell disease.  She directs the Stroke Patient Access Core (SPAC) which oversees participant enrollment into numerous stroke clinical trials conducted at BJH-Washington University School of Medicine.  She is a principal investigator in NIH-funded clinical and translational research studies to help understand, treat and prevent stroke.

  1. Dhar R, Yuan K, Chen Y, An H, Kulik T, Heitsch L, Ford AL, Lee JM. CSF Volumetric Analysis for Quantification of Cerebral Edema after Hemispheric Infarction. J Neurocritical Care. 2016 Jan;47(1):99-105.
  2. An H#, Ford AL#, Eldeniz C, Chen Y, Vo KD, Powers WJ, Lin W, Lee JM. Reperfusion beyond six hours reduces infarct probability in moderately ischemic brain tissue. Stroke. 2016 Jan;47(1):99-105.
  3. Amin-Hanjani S, Pandey DK, Rose-Finnell L, et al. for the Vertebrobasilar Flow Evaluation and Risk of Transient Ischemic Attack and Stroke (VERiTAS) Study Group. Effect of Hemodynamics on Stroke Risk in Symptomatic Atherosclerotic Vertebrobasilar Occlusive Disease.   JAMA Neurology. 2016 Feb;73(2):178-85.
  4. Goyal M, Hoff B, Williams JA, Khoury N, Wiesehan R, Heitsch L, Panagos P, Vo KD, Benzinger T, Derdeyn C, Lee JM, Ford AL *. A streamlined hyperacute MRI protocol identifies tPA-eligible stroke patients when clinical impression is stroke mimic. Stroke. 2016 Apr;47(4):1012-7
  5. Chen Y, Dhar R, Heitsch L, Ford A, Fernandez-Cadenas I, Carrera C, Montaner J, Lin W, Shen D, An H, Lee JM. Automated quantification of cerebral edema following hemispheric infarction: Application of a machine-learning algorithm to evaluate CSF shifts on serial head CTs. Neuroimage Clin. 2016 Sep 26;12:673-680.
  6. Guilliams K, Fields M, Ragan D, Chen Y, Eldeniz C, Hulbert M, Rhodes T, Shimony J, McKinstry R, Vo KD, An H, Lee JM, Ford AL*. Large vessel vasculopathy in children with sickle cell disease: an MRI study of infarct topography and focal atrophy. Pediatric Neurology. 2017 Apr;69:49-57.
  7. Saver JL, Carroll JD, Thaler DE, Smalling RW, MacDonald LA, Marks DS, Tirschwell DL; RESPECT Investigators. Long-Term Outcomes of Patent Foramen Ovale Closure or Medical Therapy after Stroke. N Engl J Med. 2017 Sep 14;377(11):1022-1032. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1610057. PMID:28902590
  8. Guilliams KP#, Fields ME#, Ragan DK, Eldeniz C, Binkley M, Chen Y, Comiskey LS, Doctor A Hulbert ML, Shimony JS, Vo KD, McKinstry RC, An A, Lee JM, Ford AL*. Red cell exchange transfusions lower cerebral blood flow and oxygen extraction fraction in pediatric sickle cell anemia. 2018 Mar 1;131(9):1012-1021. PMID: 29255068.
  9. Kansagra AP, Wallace AN, Curfman DR, McEachern JD, Moran CJ, Cross DT 3rd, Lee JM, Ford AL, Manu SG, Panagos PD, Derdeyn CP. Streamlined triage and transfer protocols improve door-to-puncture time for endovascular thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke.  Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2018 Jan 30;166:71-75. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29408777
  10. Fields ME#, Guilliams KP#, Ragan DK, Binkley M, Eldeniz C, Chen Y, Hulbert ML, McKinstry RC, Shimony JS, Vo KD, An A, Ford AL*, Lee JM. Elevation in MR Measurements of Whole Brain and Regional Cerebral Blood Flow and Oxygen Regional Oxygen Extraction Predicts Border Zone Vulnerability to Stroke in Sickle Cell Disease. Neurology. 2018 Mar 27;90(13):e1134-e1142.
  11. Haroutounian S, Ford AL, Frey K, Nikolajsen L, Finnerup NB, Neiner A, Kharasch ED, Karlsson P, Bottros MM. How central is central poststroke pain? The role of afferent input in poststroke neuropathic pain: a prospective, open-label pilot study. Pain. 2018 Mar 23.
  12. Schwamm LH, Wu O, Song SS, Latour LL, Ford AL, Hsia AW, Muzikansky A, Betensky RA, Yoo AJ, Lev MH, Boulouis G, Lauer A, Cougo P, Copen WA, Harris GJ, Warach S; MR WITNESS Investigators. Intravenous Thrombolysis in Unwitnessed Stroke Onset: MR WITNESS Trial Results. Ann Neurol. 2018 May;83(5):980-993.
  13. Johnston SC, Easton JD, Farrant M, Barsan W, Conwit RA, Elm JJ, Kim AS, Lindblad AS, Palesch YY; Clinical Research Collaboration, Neurological Emergencies Treatment Trials Network, and the POINT Investigators. Clopidogrel and Aspirin in Acute Ischemic Stroke and High-Risk TIA. N Engl J Med. 2018 Jul 19;379(3):215-225.
  14. Ford AL*, Ragan DK, Fellah S, Binkley MM, Fields ME, Guilliams KP, An H, Jordan LC, McKinstry RC, Lee JM, DeBaun MR. Silent infarcts in sickle cell anemia occur in the borderzone region and are associated with low cerebral blood flow. 2018 Oct 18;132(16)1714-23. Study figure featured as the issue’s cover Image.
  15. Fields ME#, Guilliams KP#, Ragan D, Binkley MM, Mirro A, Fellah S, Hulbert ML, Blinder M, Eldeniz C, Vo DK, Shimony JS, Chen Y, McKinstry RC, An H, Lee JM, Ford AL *. Hydroxyurea Reduces Cerebral Metabolic Stress in Patients with Sickle Cell Anemia. Blood. 2019. 133(22):2436-2444. PMID 30858231.
  16. Hood AM, King AA, Fields ME, Ford AL, Guilliams KP, Hulbert ML, Lee JM, White DA. Higher executive abilities following a blood transfusion in children and young adults with sickle cell disease. Ped Blood Cancer. 2019. Oct;66(1):e27899. PMID 31267645.
  17. Bailey RR, Phad A, McGrath R, Ford AL, Tabak R, Haire-Joshu D. Lifestyle Risk Behaviors Among Stroke Survivors with and without Diabetes. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2019. Sep:98(9):794-799.  PMID 31415289.
  18. Lyden P, Pryor K, Coffey CS, et al; Final Results of the RHAPSODY Trial: A Multi-Center, Phase 2 Trial Using a Continual Reassessment Method to Determine the Safety and Tolerability of 3K3A-APC, A Recombinant Variant of Human Activated Protein C, in Combination with Tissue Plasminogen Activator, Mechanical Thrombectomy or both in Moderate to Severe Acute Ischemic Stroke. Ann Neurol. 2019 Jan;85(1):125-136.
  19. Ibanez L, Heitsch L, Carrera C, Farias FHG, Dhar R, Budde J, Bergmann K, Bradley J, Harari O, Phuah CL, Lemmens R, Oliveira Souza AAV, Moniche F, Cabezas-Juan A, Arenillas JF, Krupinksi J, Cullell N, Torres-Aguila N, Muiño E, Cárcel-Márquez J, Marti-Fabregas J, Delgado-Mederos R, Marin-Bueno R, Hornick A, Vives-Bauza C, Navarro RD, Tur S, Jimenez C, Obach V, Segura T, Serrano-Heras G, Chung JW, Roquer J, Soriano-Tarraga C, Giralt-Steinhauer E, Mola-Caminal M, Pera J, Lapicka-Bodzioch K, Derbisz J, Davalos A, Lopez-Cancio E, Muñoz L, Tatlisumak T, Molina C, Ribo M, Bustamante A, Sobrino T, Castillo-Sanchez J, Campos F, Rodriguez-Castro E, Arias-Rivas S, Rodríguez-Yáñez M, Herbosa C, Ford AL, Arauz A, Lopes-Cendes I, Lowenkopf T, Barboza MA, Amini H, Stamova B, Ander BP, Sharp FR, Kim GM, Bang OY, Jimenez-Conde J, Slowik A, Stribian D, Tsai EA, Burkly LC, Montaner J, Fernandez-Cadenas I, Lee JM, Cruchaga C.
    Multi-ancestry genetic study in 5,876 patients identifies an association between excitotoxic genes and early outcomes after acute ischemic stroke.  2020 Nov 3:2020.10.29.20222257. 
  20. Ford AL*, Chin VW, Fellah S, Binkley MM, Bodin AM, Balasetti V, Taiwo Y, Kang P, Lin D, Jen JC, Grand G, Bogacki M, Liszewski MK, Hourcade D, Chen Y, Hassenstab J, Lee JM, An H, Miner JJ, Atkinson JP. Lesion evolution and neurodegeneration in RVCL-S, a monogenic microvasculopathy. Neurology. 2020. Oct 6;95(14):e1918-e1931.
  21. See AP, Pandey DK, Du X, Rose-Finnell L, Charbel FT, Derdeyn CP, Amin-Hanjani S; VERiTAS Study Group. Optimized Hemodynamic Assessment to Predict Stroke Risk in Vertebrobasilar Disease: Analysis From the VERiTAS Study.  J Am Heart Assoc 2020 Jun 16;9(12):e016406. PMID: 32500810.
  22. Fields ME, Mirro A, Guilliams K, Binkley M, Gil Diaz L, Tan J, Fellah S, Eldeniz C, Chen Y, Ford AL, Shimony J, King A, An H, Smyser C, Lee JM. Functional Connectivity Decreases with Metabolic Stress in Sickle Cell Disease.  Ann Neurol. Nov;88(5):995-1008. PMID: 
  23. Thomalla G, Boutitie F, Ma H, Koga M, Ringleb P, Schwamm LH, Wu O, Bendszus M, Bladin CF, Campbell BCV, Cheng B, Churilov L, Ebinger M, Endres M, Fiebach JB, Fukuda-Doi M, Inoue M, Kleinig TJ, Latour LL, Lemmens R, Levi CR, Leys D, Miwa K, Molina CA, Muir KW, Nighoghossian N, Parsons MW, Pedraza S, Schellinger PD, Schwab S, Simonsen CZ, Song SS, Thijs V, Toni D, Hsu CY, Wahlgren N, Yamamoto H, Yassi N, Yoshimura S, Warach S, Hacke W, Toyoda K, Donnan GA, Davis SM, Gerloff C; Evaluation of unknown Onset Stroke thrombolysis trials (EOS) investigators. Intravenous alteplase for stroke with unknown time of onset guided by advanced imaging: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data.  Lancet 2020 Nov 14;396(10262):1574-84.
  24. Heitsch L, Ibanez L, Carrera C, Binkley MM, Strbian D, Tatlisumak T, Bustamante A, Ribó M, Molina C, Dávalos A, López-Cancio E, Muñoz-Narbona L, Soriano-Tárraga C, Giralt-Steinhauer E, Obach V, Slowik A, Pera J, Lapicka-Bodzioch K, Derbisz J, Sobrino T, Castillo J, Campos F, Rodríguez-Castro E, Arias-Rivas S, Segura T, Serrano-Heras G, Vives-Bauza C, Díaz-Navarro R, Tur S, Jimenez C, Martí-Fàbregas J, Delgado-Mederos R, Arenillas J, Krupinski J, Cullell N, Torres-Aguila NP, Muiño E, Cárcel-Márquez J, Moniche F, Cabezas JA, Ford AL, Dhar R, Roquer J, Khatri P, Jiménez-Conde J, Fernandez-Cadenas I, Montaner J, Rosand J, Cruchaga C, Lee JM; International Stroke Genetics Consortium. Early Neurological Change After Ischemic Stroke is Associated with 90-Day Outcome. Stroke 2021 Jan:52(1):132-141. PMID: 
  25. Sparks MA, South AM, Badley AD, Baker-Smith CM, Batlle D, Bozkurt B, Cattaneo R, Crowley SD, Dell’Italia LJ, Ford AL, Griendling K, Gurley SB, Kasner SE, Murray JA, Nath KA, Pfeffer MA, Rangaswami J, Taylor WR, Garovic VD. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, COVID-19, and the Renin-Angiotensin System: Pressing Needs and Best Research Practices.  2020 Nov;76(5):1350-1367.  PMID: 32981369.
  26. Eldeniz C, Binkley MM, Fields ME, Guilliams KP, Ragan D, Chen Y, Lee JM, Ford AL, An H. Bulk volume susceptibility difference in between deoxyhemoglobin and oxyghemoglobin for HbA and HbS: a comparative study. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. 2021; 85(6):3383-3393.
  27. Holder D, Leeseburg K, Giles JA, Lee JM, Namazie-Kummer S, and Ford AL*. Central triage of acute stroke patients across a distributive stroke network is safe and reduces transfer denials. In press