Professor Donnan, who is based at the University of Melbourne and is Director of Australia's National Stroke Research Institute, will lead an international team of editors from the USA, Argentina, the UK and Hong Kong.
"We are delighted that Professor Donnan has agreed to lead such a prestigious team of editors" says René Olivieri, CEO of Blackwell Publishing.
"As well as being a widely published author and editor, Professor Donnan is Past President of two of Australia's most prestigious societies – the Stroke Society of Australia and the Australian Association of Neurologists."
The editors of the quarterly journal, who were announced at the 18th World Congress of Neurology in Sydney this week, are:
"It's great to be working with such a high profile and experienced team of editors" adds Professor Donnan. "Our combined knowledge and contacts will provide a very strong foundation for this new and exciting journal. We are also delighted to have attracted such a strong, and international, editorial board."
International Journal of Stroke will concentrate mainly on the clinical aspects of stroke and will be relevant to all those professionals working towards reducing the burden of stroke worldwide.
It will provide regional news, world press reports on new stroke developments, editorials from leading stroke professionals and topical reviews.
Areas covered by the first issue of the new journal will include therapies for intracerebral haemorrhage, angioplasty and stenting, the genetics of stroke and ultrasound and thrombolysis.
"Blackwell Publishing feels that International Journal of Stroke will make a very important contribution to research and debate in this vital area of medicine" adds Dr Andrew Robinson, Director of Medical Publishing at Blackwell.
"We are particularly pleased to be working with the International Stroke Society, which now comprises more than 1,300 members from 71 countries."
The International Stroke Society is just the latest in a number of high profile professional organisations to work in partnership with Blackwell Publishing.
Internationally recognised as a leading authority on stroke issues worldwide, it is co-hosting a series of lectures at the World Congress with the World Health Organisation to coincide with the launch of the new journal.
These include a presentation on the recently published WHO report Preventing chronic disease: a vital investment, which states that global action to prevent chronic disease could save the lives of nearly six million stroke victims between now and 2015.
International Journal of Stroke