Research Portfolio

Grant winner 2016: “Forward thinking strategies for the most difficult to treat types of epilepsy are desperately needed. I will test whether controlling the activity of entire seizure generating networks, as opposed to just the seizure foci, can be a more effective treatment to block seizures. To do so, I will use the technology of optogenetics, which has the potential to be translated to the clinic in the coming years, but can also “shine a light” on novel cellular targets to efficiently block seizures for other forms of clinical interventions” Alfredo Gonzalez-Sulser

Grant winner 2016: “This is an exciting project that will give significant insights into the feasibility of cell transplantation for treating seizures and cognitive problems in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.” Professor Liam Gray

Grant winner 2016: We are really grateful to Epilepsy Research UK for offering us the possibility of exploring this exciting approach. If the new PET-MRI scanner methods help us find where these patients’ seizures come from, many more patients will be able to undergo surgery in the future.” Professor Alexander Hammers

Grant winner 2016: "Our data will indicate whether offering a standard sleep assessment using sleep diaries or actigraphy for newly diagnosed infants would be a low-cost and effective way to avoid cascading consequences of early sleep problems on subsequent socio-cognitive development. Since sleep is a modifiable risk factor, sleep problems could be addressed if picked up early, which could reduce seizure incidence, lead to an increased quality of life of families, and save costs. We also aim to communicate the results of our study to caregivers and clinicians as quickly as possible in order to draw their attention onto the importance of sleep in early onset epilepsy." Dr Manuela Pisch

2015 grant: "This research will investigate the mechanisms by which seizures spread across the brain. If we can understand how the seizures spread we will be in a far better position to develop novel treatments to reduce, or even prevent, the spread of seizure activity." Dr Jason Berwick, University of Sheffield

2015 grant: "This study will give us a much better understanding of the risk factors for epilepsy-related death. We also hope that it will highlight changes in epilepsy care that might help to avoid some of these deaths." Dr Susan Duncan, Western General Hospital Edinburgh & Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre

2015 grant: "Drug-resistant focal epilepsies are notoriously difficult to manage, and they impact enormously on the lives of those of affected. Hopefully this technique will provide a new treatment option that will help to improve people's quality of life and reduce epilepsy-related injuries." Dr Gonzalo Alarcon, King's College London

2015 grant: "We want to understand why someone might develop epilepsy after suffering a head injury, such as stroke, infection or head trauma. These are major causes of epilepsy and, currently, we just don't know why or how this happens (and so we have no way of preventing it). This project will provide crucial insights into how epilepsy can develop, and we hope that ultimately it will lead to good prophylactic treatments." Dr Andrew Trevelyan, Newcastle University

2015 grant: "The misdiagnosis of epilepsy remains a significant clinical problem, which can lead to delayed or unnecessary treatment. Our computer-based tool offers real potential to bring personalised medicine into epilepsy, which will ensure that people presenting at clinic receive an effective diagnosis and rapid access to the most appropriate treatment." Professor John Terry, University of Exeter

2015 grant: "This research will not only increase our understanding of epilepsy, but synaptic vesicles could prove a much-needed target for the development of new epilepsy drugs." Dr Vincenzo Marra, University of Leicester

2015 grant: "Predicting which children are at greater risk for memory deficits after epilepsy surgery is still a significant clinical challenge. Our study will address this problem by designing and validating a developmentally appropriate brain imaging test." Professor Stefano Seri, Aston University

2015 grant: "This pilot study will help facilitate larger studies into the mechanisms of depression in epilepsy, which could ultimately contribute to the development of further treatment strategies." Dr Jacqueline Foong, University College London