Richard F. Macko, MD

Departments of Neurology and Medicine, Geriatrics
School of Medicine
University of Maryland
Baltimore, MD

Dr. Macko is Professor of Neurology, Medicine, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where he leads exercise research to improve health and function for persons disabled by stroke and other mobility disability conditions associated with advancing age. He has performed 16 years of service within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). He served as Research Director for the Geriatrics Research, Educational, and Clinical Center within the VA Maryland Health Care System, developing personalized exercise programs for persons with chronic disability conditions; founded the VA Maryland Exercise and Robotics Center of Excellence in 2005; and received a Magnuson Award in 2010, the highest VA Rehabilitation Research Award for developing task-oriented exercise for Veterans with chronic disability from stroke. Dr. Macko’s exercise research is culturally enriched by global collaborations, including current endeavors in Jamaica to better understand the science and practice of managing stroke disability in Caribbean countries and African Diaspora minorities that have elevated stroke rates. Dr. Macko has extensive service on consensus and review committees including for NIH, VA, Canadian National Centers, American Stroke Association, and American College of Sports Medicine recommendations for exercise after stroke. He contributed to the 2008 National Academies of Science report, Adequacy of Evidence for Physical Activity Guidelines.