Joanna Wardlaw, CBE, MD, FRCP, FRSE, FMedSci, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK, shares her thoughts on key research areas in the stroke field in years to come. Prof. Wardlaw highlights post-stroke cognitive impairment as an area of importance that has come into focus in recent years. Cognitive issues are a major concern for many patients with stroke and high-risk individuals. Work is ongoing to understand more about the prevalence of this issue, as well as how to predict who is at risk and how recovery could be personalized based on individual risk. Prof. Wardlaw also highlights neurostimulation as an exciting area in rapid development. Implantable and non-invasive devices are being investigated to aid recovery after stroke, and the field is likely to grow as these technologies advance. This interview took place at the European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC), 2021.