Dr. Sandra A Billinger, PhD, PT, FAH

Dr. Sandra Billinger, PT, PhD, is Professor, Vice Chair, Stroke Translational Research; Assistant Director, Neuroimaging Core, KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center; and co-PI and co-Director of an NIH-funded T32 Brain Health Training Program at the University of Kansas (KU) Medical Center.

Her laboratory is the Research in Exercise and Cardiovascular Health Laboratory research and has focused on exercise interventions (R01HD093694, R01AG053952, R01AR071263, R01AG049749) to optimize vascular health and brain aging in older adults and people post-stroke. Additional projects have been funded through R21, K01, R01s, American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Physical Therapy Association’s Academy of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy. Dr. Billinger is an internationally renowned speaker on exercise testing and interventions in people living with stroke. Dr. Billinger has over 100 publications in peer-reviewed journals. She served as Chair, Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery Committee for the AHA Stroke Council and was the lead author for the AHA Scientific Statement, Physical Activity and Exercise Recommendations for Stroke Survivors in 2014.

Dr. Billinger has served as a member of the AHA/ASA Oversight Committee for the Bugher Foundation Centers of Excellence in Stroke Collaborative Research for Regeneration, Resilience, and Secondary Prevention (2015-2019) and now serves as an Oversight Committee member for the Centers of Excellence in Hemorrhagic Stroke (2020-current). Dr. Billinger was awarded the AHA Stroke Council Lecture Award in 2016 and Excellence in Neurologic Research from the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy, American Physical Therapy Association (2021) and the Kansas City Central Exchange STEMMy Educator Award in 2021. She was recognized by the World Stroke Organization Board of Directors in 2022 as one of the outstanding women who have made important and significant contributions to the field of stroke and brain health around the world. In 2023, Dr. Billinger received the distinguished KU Scholarly Research Achievement Award and from her alma mater, Fort Hays State University, the Alumni Achievement Award.

Dr. Billinger has mentored numerous graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty at the local, national and international level. Dr. Billinger received the Stata Norton Teaching Award and the KU Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 2016 and the KU Scholarly Achievement Award (2023). Dr. Billinger served as president of KU Medical Center’s Women in Medicine and Science group (2013-2017). Dr. Billinger enjoys outdoor activities such as biking, running, gardening and hiking and doing activities with her family.