ProfessorTissa Wijeratne

Professor Tissa Wijeratne’s research focuses on clinical and translational neurology, with particular emphasis on brain health across the lifespan, stroke, migraine and headache disorders, neuroinflammation, neuromodulation, and systems-based approaches to preventive neurology. His work integrates clinical neuroscience, public health, education, and policy to deliver real-world impact at scale.

Despite maintaining a full daily clinical workload, Professor Wijeratne is recognised as a field leader in Neurology in Australia, acknowledged nationally in 2025 and 2026 for research leadership and impact. He has an outstanding publication record, with over 167,000 citations and an h-index of 92, reflecting sustained, high-quality contributions to global neurology and brain-health scholarship.

Professor Wijeratne has extensive experience in academic leadership and mentorship. As Academic Medicine Head, Department of Medicine at Western Health (2015–2020), he led a large, multidisciplinary academic program in partnership with multiple Australian and international universities. During this period and beyond, he has mentored and supervised more than 52 PhD candidates to successful completion, in addition to supporting numerous post-doctoral fellows, advanced trainees, and early-career clinician-scientists.

A distinctive feature of Professor Wijeratne’s work has been his role as a catalyst for integrating optometry into clinical neurology, strengthening cross-disciplinary collaboration to improve diagnostic accuracy, early disease detection, and continuity of care. As a recognised change agent, he promotes quality neurology and best-practice brain health through high-quality, meaningful translational research that deliberately challenges conventional boundaries. By thinking outside traditional silos, his work has improved access to neurological care and brain-health services for both metropolitan populations and patients in rural and remote settings, ensuring that advances in neuroscience translate into equitable, real-world outcomes.

Professor Wijeratne is also deeply committed to community advocacy and public engagement, particularly through his leadership of World Brain Day and World Migraine Day, translating neuroscience into accessible, culturally sensitive brain-health messaging at scale. Working closely with Sarah McPartland, he has co-created Binhi the Brain, an innovative, child-centred initiative that is reshaping how brain health and mental health are promoted together across the lifespan. This world-first integrated brain–mind health education model has achieved substantial global impact despite minimal resources, demonstrating how evidence-based brain-health promotion can be delivered effectively beyond traditional clinical and academic settings. These advocacy and education efforts are closely aligned with Professor Wijeratne’s scholarly work, including recent and forthcoming books with Springer Nature addressing brain health, migraine, neuroinflammation, and systems-based neuroscience approaches, with a dedicated Brain Health volume currently in preparation. Further information on these initiatives and associated community programs is available at www.migrainefoundation.org.au.