Ale Algra trained in physics at Utrecht University and obtained a BSc in 1975. He continued training at the Medical School of the Erasmus University Rotterdam (MD 1981). In the meantime he worked at the Thoraxcenter on the computer analysis of 24-hour ECGs; originally on technical aspects of ECG-analysis. Later he studied predictors for sudden death from 24-hour ECG, resulting in his doctorate thesis in 1990. In 1984-85 he trained at Harvard School of Public Health (MSc Epidemiology). From 1990 on he works at University Medical Center Utrecht, half-time in the department of Neurology, and half-time in the Julius Center. In 1999-2000 he spent a sabbatical as Visiting Professor at the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, with the research group of Barnett and Hachinski. As of 2005 he works one day per week as professor of clinical epidemiology in the department of Clinical Epidemiology of the Leiden University Medical Center. October 1st, 2015 he was appointed professor of Clinical Epidemiology of Cerebrovascular Diseases at University Utrecht.

Interests and Focus

My main field of research is cerebrovascular disease. I have been involved as principal (co-)investigator in several multicenter secondary prevention trials with antithrombotic treatments, both in patients with cerebral ischaemia and patients after infrainguinal bypass surgery. Within the Julius Center I am one of the principal investigators of the ongoing SMART (Second Manifestations in ARTerial Disease) study, in which currently over 10,000 patients with vascular disease are enrolled. One of my current interests is the difference in coagulation propensity between young patients with ischaemic stroke and myocardial infarction.

Research line and group

Stroke

Most recent key publications

1: Vlak MHM, Algra A, Brandenburg R, Rinkel GJE. Prevalence of unruptured intracranial aneurysms, with emphasis on sex, age, comorbidity, country, and time period: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Neurol 2011;10:626-36.
2: van Beijnum J, van der Worp HB, Buis DR, Al-Shahi Salman R, Kappelle LJ, Rinkel GJE, Berkelbach van der Sprenkel JW, Vandertop WP, Algra A, Klijn CJM. Treatment of brain arteriovenous malformations. A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA 2011;306:2011-9.
3: Greving JP, Schonewille WJ, Wijman CAC, Michel P, Kappelle LJ, Algra A, on behalf of the BASICS Study Group. Predicting outcome after acute basilar artery occlusion based on admission characteristics. Neurology 2012;78:1058-63.
4: Dorhout Mees SM, Algra A, Vandertop WP, van Kooten F, Kuijsten HAJM, Boiten J, van Oostenbrugge RJ, Al-Shahi Salman R, Lavados P, Rinkel GJE, van den Bergh WM, on behalf of the MASH-2 Study Group. Magnesium for aneurysmal aubarachnoid haemorrhage (MASH-2): a randomised placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2012;379:44-9
5: Stenting versus medical treatment in patients with symptomatic vertebral artery stenosis: a randomised open-label phase 2 trial Compter A, van der Worp HB, Schonewille WJ, Vos JA, Boiten J, Nederkoorn PJ, Uyttenboogaart M, Lo RT, Algra A, Kappelle LJ, for the VAST InvestigatorsLancet Neurol, 2015;14:606-14

http://portal.juliuscentrum.nl/People/tabid/92/ctl/PeopleDetail/mid/412/StaffId/351/UserId/188/language/en-US/Default.aspx

https://nl.linkedin.com/in/ale-algra-1a35a444

1: Netherlands Heart Foundation: educational grant MSc HSPH

Member Scientific Advisory Committee of the ESO Conference.
Member Data Monitoring Committee TO-ACT trial (J. Stam, principal investigator).
Member editorial board Stroke.
Independent chairman Carotid Stenting Trialists’ Collaboration: pooled analysis of individual patient data from RCTs on stenting versus endarterectomy for symptomatic carotid stenosis.
Member Scientific Advisory Board Center for Stroke Research, Charité, Berlin, Germany.
Editor Cochrane Stroke Group (P. Sandercock, editor-in-chief).