The scope and expertise of the Stroke Centre of Excellence at the Perron Institute continues to expand with the appointment of Professorial Fellow Erin Godecke as a Professor of Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation.
In her new role, Professor Godecke aims to develop the Centre, led by Chair and long-term collaborator Professor Graeme Hankey, to be a national leader in collaborative and co-designed research and translating evidence-based research into clinical practice.
The vision and goals of the Stroke Centre of Excellence align with the WA Health and Medical Research Strategy 2023–2033 to establish WA as a national leader.
As a speech pathologist and clinical researcher, Professor Godecke is a recognised national expert in speech pathology, with a strong commitment to patient-led outcomes.
Her recent roles include the Vice Chancellor’s Professorial Fellow at Edith Cowan University (ECU) and Director of Allied Health Research at Sir Charles Gairdner Osborne Park Health Care Group, and she will continue to maintain these affiliations.
Over the last 15 years, she has worked with and led interdisciplinary research teams to advance research and clinical trials. This work led to national policy changes in health care, leading to better recovery recommendations and ways to include people with aphasia (language difficulty after stroke) in stroke clinical trials.
International leadership roles include Executive Committee member of the Collaboration of Aphasia Trialists (since 2020) and the International Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery Alliance.
At a national level, Professor Godecke has significantly contributed to stroke rehabilitation and care. She served as the Stroke Foundation’s Chair of Living Guidelines Speech Pathology working group (2015-2020) and Clinical Council member (2017-2022), and is a Chief Investigator in the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Aphasia Rehabilitation after stroke (2019-2024).
Locally, she is the President of Aphasia WA and teaches postgraduate implementation science to clinicians across Australia to improve evidence-based practice.
In 2023, she received the North Metropolitan Health Service Researcher of the Year, ECU’s Outstanding Research Mentor award in 2022, and the Stroke Foundation/Stroke Society of Australasia National Stroke Care Champion award for her commitment to stroke in 2017.
“This is a significant and exciting appointment for the Institute,” Perron Institute
CEO Steve Arnott said. “The Stroke Centre of Excellence was established in recognition of an unmet need in Western Australia. We aim to coordinate all aspects of the causes and treatments of stroke.
“With her expertise and international reputation, Professor Godecke is set to increase the capacity and scope of the Centre and elevate stroke treatment and care locally and globally.
“The Perron Institute gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the Minderoo Foundation in making this pivotal appointment possible and driving excellence in homegrown innovation.”
Professor Godecke said: “My aim is to bring together world-class researchers to challenge the boundaries of stroke recovery and rehabilitation, from discovery science to living in the community, as well as delivering the next generation of best-practice stroke care.”
Professor Godecke is scheduled to commence her appointment near the end of September.