SUMMARY
William D. Freeman, M.D., is a physician-scientist whose research focuses on stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage and brain-injury mechanisms. Dr. Freeman is internationally recognized for his expertise in managing neurological disorders in the intensive care unit and hospital settings. His translational work integrates artificial intelligence (AI), precision medicine, and neuroimaging analytics to improve diagnosis and outcomes in acute neurological diseases.
At Mayo Clinic, Dr. Freeman directs a research team focused on simulation, telemedicine, robotics and experimental education, and a second group that uses AI to study subarachnoid hemorrhage. His team advances automated volumetric computation, explainable AI frameworks, and multimodal data integration to support clinical decision-making and neurosurgical planning.
Dr. Freeman bridges bedside care and computational science through collaborations across Mayo Clinic's AI Factory and international partners. He has written more than 270 peer-reviewed publications and four textbooks in neurocritical care and neurohospitalist medicine, including a Mayo Clinic resident handbook used in training programs worldwide.
Focus areas
- Precision medicine and pharmacogenomics in stroke and cerebrovascular disease.
- Value-based healthcare delivery and system innovation.
- Intracranial pressure physiology and neurocritical care systems design.
- Hypothermia and neuroresuscitation.
Significance to patient care
Dr. Freeman uses AI tools to track and find bleeding on noncontrast CT scans. This helps medical teams make faster and better decisions to find out a patient's risk and diagnose bleeding. These tools help improve stroke care and brain surgery at Mayo Clinic and partner sites.
Dr. Freeman and his team use mock exercises, robotics, and remote connections to improve training and patient safety. Their work connects new ideas to real-world practice. Their goal is to improve brain and nerve care with more information and smart computer tools that support better outcomes for patients with serious brain injuries.
Professional highlights
- Mayo Clinic:
- Louis V. Gerstner Artificial Intelligence Award, 2025.
- Richard M. Schulze Innovation Award in artificial intelligence, 2025.
- Member, Steering Committee, National Institutes of Health-funded CLEAR III trial on intraventricular hemorrhage clearance, 2012-2017.
- Robert H. and Clarice Smith and M.L. Simpson Foundation Trust Research Fellowship, 2007-2008.
- Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Scholar, American Academy of Neurology, 2005.