Epilepsy research labs

AUSTRALIA

Epilepsy Research Centre (ERC)

The ERC is an important Australia-wide research centre, with strong international collaborations. Their clinical and genetic work is integrated with leading neuroimaging and basic science teams. They have identified several epilepsy syndromes and discovered many epilepsy genes, including the first gene in 1995. These discoveries continue to reveal new pathways for epileptogenesis meaning that translational treatments back to the patient can and are becoming a reality.

They are integrated with the University of Melbourne, Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Austin Health, and the Florey Institute. In addition to genetics of epilepsy, they conduct research into new-onset epilepsy, surgical treatment of epilepsy, neuroimaging in epilepsy (with the Florey), outcomes of epilepsy, sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, surgical treatment of epilepsy, autism, and non-epileptic paroxysmal disorders.

Website:  epilepsyresearch.org.au/erc-research

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Translational Neurogenetics Laboratory

Led by Assistant Professor Michael Hildebrand, the focus of the Translational Neurogenetics Laboratory is to understand the basic neurobiology of human epilepsy, speech disorders, and deafness, and translate this knowledge into the improved treatment of patients. This group is part of the Epilepsy Research Centre at the Austin Hospital academic node.

Website:  translational-neurogenetics-laboratory

Location: Melbourne, Australia

DENMARK

Danish Epilepsy Centre, Filadelfia

The Danish Epilepsy Centre, Filadelfia hosts two research groups working closely together. Their team of researchers are headed by Professor Professor Sándor Beniczky and Professor Rikke Steensbjerre Møller.

Neurophysiology: Professor Sándor Beniczky and Associate Professor Elena Gardella

Their overall aim is the improvement of the diagnostic methods.

• Automated seizure detection using wearables

• EEG source imaging

• Standardization and quality assurance in clinical neurophysiology

• Using algorithms and eHealth

• Deep phenotyping

Twitter: SBeniczky

Filadelfia Genetics: Professor Rikke Steensbjerre Møller and Professor Guido Rubboli

The overall aim of their research is to unravel the underlying mechanisms of genetic epilepsies, to understand correlations with clinical symptoms, and to find new treatment options.

Their main research areas of interest are:

• Gene discovery in neurodevelopmental disorders and epilepsy;

• Electro-clinical characterisation of genetic epilepsies;

• Functional characterisation of genetic variants to understand their pathomechanisms;

• To explore genotype-phenotype-pharmacoresponse correlations;

• To improve existing or develop new personalised therapies for individuals with genetic epilepsies

Twitter: FiladelfiaGene1

Website:  forskningsprojekter

Location: Dianalund, Denmark

ISRAEL

Rubinstein Lab

The Rubinstein Lab headed by Dr. Moran Rubinstein, studies animal models of developmental epilepsies. They are currently working on mouse models of Dravet syndrome, GRIN2D-related developmental epilepsy, and CHD2-related developmental delay.

They use a combination of electrophysiological recording in-vivo and in brain slices, as well as behavioral paradigms, aiming to expose the associated neuronal changes and develop novel treatment options for these devastating disorders.  

Website:  rubinsteinlab
Twitter:  LabRubinstein

Location: Tel Aviv, Israel

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

Reschke Chrono Epilepsy Lab

The Reschke Chrono Epilepsy Lab headed by Dr. Cristina Reschke conducts translational epilepsy research investigating the link between disrupted circadian rhythms and various neurological conditions; including acquired epilepsy.

Twitter:  chrono_lab
Website:   Coming soon!

Location: Dublin, ROI

UNITED KINGDOM

Cousin Lab

The Cousin Lab headed by Professor Mike Cousin is working to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the fusion, retrieval and trafficking of synaptic vesicles within the central nervous system.

Website:  ed.ac.uk/discovery-brain-sciences/our-staff/research-groups/mike-cousins
Twitter:  theCousinLab

Location: Edinburgh University, UK

Human Brain Tissue Lab

The Human Brain Tissue Lab, led by Professor Gavin Woodhall and in collaboration with the Birmingham Children’s Hospital, this lab provides the pivotal link between a persons’ pre-surgical evaluation and their post-surgical outcome.

Brain tissue extracted at surgery, often for treatment of epilepsy, can be studied under the microscope and tested with drugs, not otherwise possible in humans, and frequently tested on animals as an alternative.

The lab provides both a vital testing ground for novel drug development and testing as well as a vital insight into links between invasive and non-invasive brain function testing.

Website:  research.aston.ac.uk/en/persons/gavin-l-woodhall
Twitter:  aston_brain

Location: Aston University, UK

Keller Neuroimaging Lab

The Liverpool BRAIN (Brain Research Advanced Imaging Network) headed by Professor Simon Keller is a clinically-oriented neuroimaging research group specialising in the application of advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to understand brain impairment in neurological disorders.

Website:  liverpool.ac.uk/translational-medicine/research/brain-imaging-network
Twitter:  BrainImagingUoL

Location: Liverpool University, UK

Lignani Lab

The Lignani Lab headed by Dr Gabriele Lignani focuses on finding novel gene therapy approaches for intractable and often devastating neurological diseases.

They use cutting-edge technologies such as CRISPR and synthetic promoters to develop new approaches for curing currently untreatable genetic diseases such as Dravet Syndrome and Episodic Ataxia-1, and acquired pharmaco-resistant temporal lobe epilepsies.

Their techniques range from molecular biology to in vitro and in vivo electrophysiology, in both animal models and iPSC-derived neurons and organoids from patients.

Website:  lignanilab.com
Twitter:  LignaniLab_UCL

Location: University College London (UCL), UK

- Read written Q&A by Dr. Lignani here!
- Hear the podcast interview with Dr. Lignani (coming up soon) - subscribe here!
- See video interview with Dr. Lignani (coming up soon) here!

McTague Lab

The McTague Lab is one managed by clinical consultant Dr. Amy McTague, focussing on early onset genetic epilepsies, with a long-term vision of identifying novel disease-modifying therapies.

Website:   Coming soon!
Twitter: a_mctague

Location: Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK

Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre

The Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre is a virtual centre with experienced principal investigators researching different aspects of epilepsy, but principally childhood-onset epilepsies - spread across the University of Edinburgh. The Centre is headed by Professor Richard Chin (Clinical) and Professor Mike Cousin (Preclinical).

Website:   muirmaxwellcentre.com
Twitter: MMECEdinburgh

Location: Edinburgh University, UK

Newcastle Uni Lab

Newcastle University hosts four Epilepsy groups working collaboratively. Their team of doctors and interdisciplinary researchers are headed by Professor Andrew Trevelyan and use Computational Biology approaches. 

Models of seizure onset: Prof. Andrew Trevelyan;
Clinical epilepsy and genetics: Dr. Rhys Thomas;
Mathematical modelling and prediction:
Dr. Peter Taylor and Dr. Yujiang Wang;
Mitochondrial epilepsy:
Dr. Grainne Gorman, Prof. Bobby McFarland, Dr. Rhys Thomas

Website:   ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/people/profile/andrewtrevelyan
Twitter: NeurosciNCLUni

Location: Newcastle University, UK

Oxford Epilepsy Research Group

The Oxford Epilepsy Research Group, headed by Professor Arjune Sen is a forward-looking dynamic group interested in all aspects of clinical and experimental epileptology with an emphasis on clinically relevant research. The Group draws together all relevant disciplines across Oxford University Hospitals and the University of Oxford.

They are developing research and clinical pathways to address co-morbidities associated with epilepsy, as well as aiming to improve their understanding of why seizures occur. Their role is to always try and enable people with epilepsy to achieve their full potential. By increasing their understanding of the processes that underlie a patient’s symptoms they will be able to better deliver on that ambition.

Website:  ndcn.ox.ac.uk/research/oxford-epilepsy-research-group
Twitter:  OxEpilepsy

Location: Oxford University, UK

Pal Lab

The Pal Lab headed by Professor Deb Pal is a clinical and laboratory research group dedicated to understanding the nature and cause of childhood epilepsies in order to develop new interventions that reduce the impact of the condition. Their research explores the genetics of childhood epilepsy in order to improve the outlook for both diagnosis and treatment.

Website:  childhoodepilepsy.org
Twitter:  palneurolab

Location: Kings College London, UK

Richards Lab

The Richards Lab headed by Dr Caroline Richards focuses on clinical outcomes in children within ‘at risk’ populations, with a particular emphasis on sleep and behaviour. These populations include: rare genetic syndrome groups, Intellectual Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) populations, epilepsy cohorts and children born preterm/premature.

Their current research utilises direct measures of sleep (e.g. actigraphy) and behaviour (e.g. eye-tracking), informant-report measures, behavioural observations and developmental/cognitive assessments.

Website:  carolinerichards.net
Twitter:  RichardsLabUoB

Location: Birmingham University, UK

Richardson Lab

The Richardson Lab headed by Professor Mark Richardson comprises a team of researchers from several different disciplines, including neurology, psychology, engineering, and physics. They study the brain as an entire functioning system, rather than studying small components. Most of their work involves the direct study of people with epilepsy, their relatives, and people unaffected by epilepsy. Current work aims to understand the brain networks underlying epilepsy, how these network abnormalities affect cognition, and whether interventions targeting specific components of the network can improve epilepsy.

Website:  epilepsy-london.org

Location: Kings College London, UK

The Multimodal Integration Group

The Multimodal Integration Group (MIG) led by Dr. Andrew Bagshaw, develops and applies methods from combined data techniques to investigate how the brain is impacted by epilepsy and sleep.

They believe that a more nuanced and fundamental understanding of the human brain can be achieved by combining the data from multiple techniques, using their strengths to investigate how brain networks interact in time and space. Their primary tools are electroencephalography (EEG) and structural and functional MRI (fMRI), which they use separately and in combination

Website:  research.birmingham.ac.uk/andrew-bagshaw
Twitter:  AndrewBagshaw4

Location: Birmingham University, UK

See video interview with Dr. Bagshaw here!

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Aaron Boes Lab

The Aaron Boes Lab, headed by PI Asst. Prof. Aaron Boes, is one based at the Iowa Neuroimaging and Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Laboratory, US.

A recent focus of the lab has been to pursue a novel approach developed by Dr. Boes to investigate the network effects of focal brain lesions. This approach, termed lesion network mapping, combines the traditional approach of localizing a lesion syndrome to an anatomical location but explores not only the lesion location but also the networks associated with that lesion site by using normative functional connectivity data from the human connectome project.

The ultimate aim of the research program is to better understand how dysfunctional networks contribute to neurological and psychiatric symptoms and use this information to design novel therapies using noninvasive brain stimulation to target these dysfunctional networks.

Website:  boes.lab.uiowa.edu
Twitter:  boeslab

Location: Iowa Neuroimaging and Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Laboratory, US

Baraban Lab

The Baraban Lab headed by Professor Scott C. Baraban is an Epilepsy Research Laboratory in the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

The focus of the laboratory research is largely translational with an emphasis on genetic forms of epilepsy seen in children, high-throughput drug discovery and interneuron-based cell transplantation strategies.

Key discoveries emerging from the Baraban Lab in recent years include demonstrations that seizures are suppressed by transplantation of GABAergic progenitor cells and discovery of re-purposed drugs for the treatment of Dravet Syndrome.

Website:  barabanlab.ucsf.edu
Twitter:  BarabanLab

Location: University of California San Francisco (UCSF), USA

Scharfman Lab

The Scharfman Lab headed by Professor Helen Scharfman studies neuronal excitability and its role in disorders of the nervous system including epilepsy and psychiatric illnesses.

Website:  scharfmanlab.com
Twitter:  scharfmanlab

Location: NY, USA