Introduction: Ischemic stroke accounts for ~87% of all stroke cases (Virani et al., 2020). It is a leading cause of death and long-term disability worldwide, and constitutes a major burden for families and healthcare systems alike. Although medical treatment can help prevent stroke, post-stroke treatment is limited to either pharmacologic (e.g., tissue plasminogen activator - tPA) or mechanical (e.g., thrombectomy) reperfusion.