Innovations in research from Epilepsy Research UK
Innovations in research from Epilepsy Research UK
Theme: Other neurological disorders
Tuesday 25th April, 09:30 – 11:10
Session convened by Epilepsy Research UK.
Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent, serious neurological conditions, with around 1 in every 100 people living with the condition – that’s 600,000 in the UK and 65 million people worldwide. Despite the number of people living with the condition, research into epilepsy receives only 7% of neurological research funding – just 0.3% of the total £4.8 billion of government funding spent on health-related research. But we are at a tipping point.
Epilepsy Research UK is the only UK charity exclusively dedicated to driving and enabling life changing life saving research into epilepsy. Our first speaker for this partner symposium is Epilepsy Research UK’s Research & Involvement Officer, Anna Norton, who will speak about the results of the UK Epilepsy Priority Setting Partnership (PSP). Following rigorous James Lind Alliance methodology, this once in a generation national consensus has collated the research priorities of the epilepsy community to shape research into epilepsy for the next generation.
We are incredibly proud to feature three of our funded early career researchers from across the UK:
- Dr Marie Pronot (University of Edinburgh) is investigating a potential new therapeutic target for drug resistant DNM1 epileptic encephalopathy, for which new therapies are urgently needed.
- Emerging Leader Fellow Dr Faye McLeod (Newcastle University) is working to understand how mutations, such as STXBP1, cause early onset epilepsy using developing human brain tissue.
- Dr Gareth Morris (University College London) is an Emerging Leader Fellow and presents a novel method of precision gene therapy involving microRNAs, which could represent a ‘one-off’ treatment for people with refractory epilepsy and may mean that people with epilepsy no longer require life-long medications to control their seizures.
- Gareth Morris, University College London, UK: MicroRNA-based therapies for epilepsy (co-chair)
- Faye McLeod, Newcastle University, UK: Modelling monogenic epilepsy in human brain slice cultures (co-chair)
- Marie Pronot, University of Edinburgh, UK: Pathophysiological consequences of middle domain DNM1 mutations
- Anna Norton, Epilepsy Research UK: The Top 10 Epilepsy Research Priorities: A UK Priority Setting Partnership