His research interest is clinical stroke management and was co-founder of the Australian Stroke Trials Network.Professor Donnan has a major research interest in ischaemic stroke, both clinical and experimental aspects. He showed that brain tissue could have prolonged survival after stroke and, when salvaged, improved clinical outcomes. This provided the rationale for acute stroke therapies. He conducted the first clinical trials of clot dissolving agents (thrombolysis) in Australia and has been a leader in these trials worldwide, leading to the introduction of thrombolysis as the first and most effective form of therapy for acute stroke. Professor Donnan has been involved in a number of international initiatives, including the establishment of the World Neurology Foundation and the World Stroke Foundation (Secretary). He has chaired the scientific/executive committees of a number of international meetings including the 6th International Symposium on Thrombolysis and Acute Stroke (2000), World Stroke Congress (2000) and World Congress of Neurology (2005) and was co-chair of the Education Committee for the World Stroke Congress, Vienna (2008). He has received a number of prestigious international awards including the William Feinberg Award (2007), World Stroke Organization Leadership Award (2012), Karolinska Institute Award (Sweden, 2012) and European Stroke Congress Wepfer Award (2014).