University of Liverpool research was showcased at the UK International League Against Epilepsy conference held earlier this week.
The International League Against Epilepsy is the premier professional association of doctors, other health professionals and researchers who are working in the field of epilepsy. Held at Liverpool’s Titanic Hotel, the three-day UK ILAE conference featured several speakers from the University of Liverpool.
Professor Tony Marson, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics opened the conference and provided the keynote lecture, entitled ‘Epilepsy, trials, networks and translation: the UK has so much to contribute’. In his role as Programme Director of the Epilepsy Research Institute (ERI), Professor Marson delivered an update alongside Rosemarie Pardington, ERI CEO, which highlighted the progress to date and forward plans for the ERI.
Professor Simon Keller, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, presented research into the effect of chronic epilepsy on cortical grey matter and deep nuclei, and on white matter. He also chaired a session on prediction modelling in epilepsy. The session also featured Dr Laura Bonnett, Department of Health Data Science, who discussed clinical prediction models and Professor Benedict Michael, Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, on the topic of seizures and encephalitis.
Also representing the University of Liverpool were Mr Jonathan Ellenbogen, School of Medicine, who discussed controversies in paediatric epilepsy surgery, as well as Dr Gashirai Mbizvo, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Dr Mbizvo delivered two presentations – ‘Predicting death and adverse outcomes’ and ‘Morbidity and mortality risks associated with valproate withdrawal in young men and women with epilepsy’, which won the prize for best clinical presentation.
Professor Tony Marson commented: "It was a real pleasure to host the UK ILAE meeting in Liverpool and to showcase some of the impactful work that that has been led from Liverpool and across the UK. Epilepsy affects one in a hundred people in the UK and has significant impact in individuals, families, health services and wider society, but investment in research is insufficient. I was delighted to provide an update on the progress being made at the Epilepsy Research Institute, which brings together the UK’s critical mass of researchers and aims to substantially increase funding to advance epilepsy research in the UK."