Bradford C. Berk, MD, PhD, is a Distinguished University Professor and the founding Director of the University of Rochester Neurorestoration Institute (URNI). Recruited to the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) in 1998 as Chief of the Cardiology Division after faculty appointments at Harvard, Emory, and the University of Washington, he later served as Chairman of Medicine (2001–2006) and was named CEO of URMC in 2006. In May 2009, Dr. Berk sustained a severe spinal cord injury in a bicycle accident. Returning to his executive duties in 2010, the experience fundamentally shifted his perspective, inspiring him to champion a sweeping cultural transformation across URMC that prioritized patient-family centered care and healthcare reform.

Stepping down as CEO in 2015, Dr. Berk channeled his personal insight and clinical expertise into launching the URNI to restore function in individuals with traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and stroke. Under his leadership, the institute utilizes neuroplasticity strategies, advanced robotics, and exoskeletons, while his statewide clinical trials network, NeuroCuresNY, earned him a spot on City & State New York’s Life Sciences Power 50 in 2021. He also serves as URMC's Vice Chair of Research for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. As a dedicated advocate, he published the highly acclaimed book, Getting Your Brain and Body Back: Everything You Need to Know after Spinal Cord Injury, Stroke, or Traumatic Brain Injury, in 2021 to guide patients through the medical and emotional hurdles of neuro-rehabilitation.

Throughout his career, Dr. Berk has maintained a highly cited, prolific research portfolio, publishing more than 300 peer-reviewed articles, chapters, and books exploring vascular biology, macrophage behaviors, and the inflammatory pathways driving cardiovascular and neuro-injuries. A respected voice in global medicine, he frequently presents at international forums and has served on the advisory boards of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the American Heart Association (AHA), and numerous biotech companies.