Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Both clinical and preclinical studies suggest the importance of inflammation in acute and long-term neuronal tissue damage following ischemic stroke. In spite of mounting information delineating the role of the immune system in stroke, the mechanisms of how inflammatory cells are involved in neuroinflammation are still not fully understood. This work will fill a significant gap in the field of acute neuroinflammation in stroke and lead to novel adjunct therapy for stroke. The four-year R01 grant, titled the Role of T cells in ischemic brain damage, is funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.