Nils Petersen, MD/PhD, MSc
Cards
About
Titles
Associate Professor Term
Staff Neurointensivist, Neuroscience Intensive Care UnitBiography
Nils Petersen obtained his medical degree and a doctorate in neuroscience from Christian-Albrechts University in Kiel, Germany. He completed his residency in Neurology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, NY, where he also served as chief resident in his final year. He then pursued fellowship training in Vascular Neurology at Columbia University and simultaneously completed a Master's degree in Patient-Oriented Research at the Mailman School of Public Health. He next completed a fellowship in Neurocritical Care at Massachusetts General Hospital and also obtained certification in Neurovascular Ultrasound from the American Society of Neuroimaging.
He is the director of the Yale Cerebral Blood Flow Laboratory, which provides the infrastructure for advanced monitoring of brain physiology. His clinical and research interests are in using ultrasound and novel neuromonitoring modalities to better understand brain blood flow regulation. His ongoing clinical care of patients in the Neurologic Intensive Care Unit and Stroke Service continues to inspire his research pursuits, with the goal of improving patient outcomes and preventing neurologic worsening after acute ischemic stroke.
Appointments
Neurology
Associate Professor on TermPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Center for Neuroepidemiology and Clinical Neurological Research
- Janeway Society
- Neuro Intensive Care & Neurological Emergencies
- Neurology
- Petersen Lab
- Stroke
- Stroke Center
- Stroke Telemedicine Program
- Yale Medicine
Education & Training
- Fellowship
- Massachusetts General Hospital/Brigham and Women's Hospital (2014)
- MSc
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University (2013)
- Fellowship
- Columbia University/New York Presbyterian (2012)
- Residency
- Mount Sinai Medical Center (2010)
- Residency
- University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (2006)
- MD/PhD
- Christian-Albrechts-University (2004)
Research
Overview
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Clinical Care
Overview
Nils Petersen, MD, PhD, is a neurointensivist in the neuroscience intensive care unit (NICU) of Yale New Haven Hospital. He treats life-threatening diseases that involve the brain, spinal cord and nerves, from stroke to central nervous system infections, neuromuscular diseases and neurosurgical post-operative care. “To be a skilled neurologist requires not only knowledge of how the brain works and the latest treatments,” he says, “but also the clinical acumen to pick up subtle exam findings, interpret complicated histories and apply critical thinking skills to compose the best treatment plan for each patient.”
He was recruited by Yale in 2014 to design and implement a state-of-the-art neurovascular ultrasound lab. “Hospitalization after stroke or in the NICU represents an important and vulnerable time for both patients and families, a time during which physicians have the most impact,” he says. “I feel privileged to be a part of this journey for my patients and their families, a journey that continues to inspire me both personally and scientifically on a regular basis.”
An assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Petersen hopes his research on brain blood flow and how it is affected by neurologic injury, particularly stroke, will help doctors improve functional outcomes after stroke.
Clinical Specialties
Fact Sheets
Ischemic Stroke
Learn More on Yale MedicineHemorrhagic Stroke
Learn More on Yale MedicineStroke
Learn More on Yale MedicineSudden Cardiac Arrest
Learn More on Yale Medicine
Board Certifications
Neurocritical Care
- Certification Organization
- United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties
- Original Certification Date
- 2015
Yale Medicine News
Links & Media
News
- January 31, 2023
Yale Study Links Genetics and Blood Pressure Control in Stroke Survivors
- October 20, 2020Source: Futurity
Quicker Treatment Could Save Older Stroke Patients
- October 07, 2020
Improvements in Stroke Treatment Could Save More Lives
- October 01, 2020
NINDS Grant Awarded to Nils Petersen