Keywords: preclinical research, experimental validity, preclinical meta-research, focal cerebral ischaemia I am a neuroscientist specialised in the validity of preclinical studies. We use meta-research techniques to increase the understanding of critical facets of translational medicine, to drive improvements in the validity, transparency and reproducibility of primary research and to develop new hypotheses to test. Our research has informed laboratory practice guidelines, editorial policy and clinical trial protocol design. --- Stroke Association Kirby Laing Foundation Senior Non-Clinical Lecturer, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom. PhD (2010) Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Edinburgh, with one-year exchange at the Department of Medicine (Austin Health), University of Melbourne, Australia.