Lifetime Achievement Award

The American Spinal Injury Association is excited to announce Dr. Andrei Krassioukov as the recipient of the 2025 ASIA Lifetime Achievement Award. The Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor bestowed by ASIA to an individual recognized for significant contributions to the world of spinal cord injury care.

Andrei Krassioukov is a Professor and Endowed Chair at the Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Medicine, and associate director and a scientist at the International Collaboration on Repair Discovery (ICORD) at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. He is also a staff physician at the spinal cord injury program at the GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre in Vancouver. Prof. Krassioukov is the first Canadian physician elected President (2018-2022) of the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA).  Prof. Krassioukov (also is affectionately known by thousands of patients, students and colleagues as Dr. K) is internationally known for his pioneering and seminal work investigating the impact of spinal cord injury on autonomic nervous system. His research has resulted in a paradigm shift in the care of individuals with spinal cord injury around the world and improving education of medical professionals.

He obtained his M.D. from the Volgograd State Medical School, Russia, and his Ph.D. from Ivan Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Science, St. Petersburg, Russia. As a leader in a distinct and specialized field, he has published over 350 manuscripts and built up an H-index of 76 with over 23,401 citations (source Google Scholar) and ranked as a number 2 researcher during the last five years in the world in the field of spinal cord injury (source ScholarGPS).  Prof. Krassioukov also led numerous international initiatives resulting in development of crucial clinical practice guidelines including International Standards to document Autonomic Function following SCI (ISAFSCI; ASIA/ISCOS), Autonomic Dysreflexia and Other Autonomic Dysfunctions: Preventing the Highs and Lows. Management of Blood Pressure, Sweating, and Temperature Dysfunction (PVA) and recently Motherhood after Spinal Cord Injury: Breastfeeding, Autonomic Dysreflexia, and Psychosocial Health: Clinical Practice Guidelines (ASIA/ISCOS).

He established strong collaborations with International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and for twenty years conducted research during numerous Paralympic events (Paralympic Games 2010 Vancouver, 2012 London, 2014 Sochi, and 2015 Toronto Pan American Games) in area of autonomic disfunctions among Paralympians. In 2020 IPC named him as “a Pioneer of Autonomic Paralympic Research”.

Prof. Krassioukov has served as a board member of numerous International Medical Associations, including Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) and is currently the past-President of the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA).  In 2010 he was elected a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Science in recognition of research excellence and leadership. His mentorship of graduate students, fellows and residents recognized by numerous awards including a Great Supervisor Award at University of British Columbia (2019) and Meredith Marks Award for Excellence in Education by Canadian Association of PM&R (2020).

He dedicates his work to supporting individuals with spinal cord injury in areas devastated by natural disasters or war, including working with World Health Organization (WHO): 2008 International Relief Project – support medical care for individuals with SCI following Earthquake, Sichuan, China and more recently as a WHO consultant to establish first National Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Center in Ukraine.

Established in 1987, the ASIA Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an individual who made a significant contribution to the world of spinal cord injury care. Criteria for the ASIA Lifetime Achievement award includes:

• Career Dedication
• Peer Recognition
• Professional Competence
• Recognized Achievement
• Service to ASIA

Dr. Krassioukov will be honored during the American Spinal Injury Association’s Annual Scientific Meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona, June 1-4, 2025.