The program focuses on the vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly.The Epilepsy Research and Education Program emphasizes research on antiepileptic drug clinical pharmacology, epidemiology and economics, practice models and outcomes including epilepsy surgery.
Clinical Pharmacology
Drug therapy is the mainstay of treating epilepsy. A large number of new drugs have either recently been approved or are under development. Our goal is to optimize therapy through better drug selection, individualized dosage regimens, prediction and management of drug interactions, enhanced understanding of drug toxicity, development and evaluation of new formulations and dosage forms and mechanisms of toxicity. Research interests include:
- AED metabolism
- Basic and clinical aspects of AED drug interactions
- Efficacy and safety studies
- Evaluation of formulations and bioavailability
- AED pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
Epilepsy Care
Our goal is to develop and evaluate new approaches to epilepsy care. We will emphasize a systematic, multidisciplinary, team approach and assess outcomes of various diagnostic and treatment approaches including new methods of mapping epileptic lesions and long-term outcomes of epilepsy surgery. Research interests include:
- Models of practice
- Quality of life
- Management of patients with epilepsy
- Outcomes of epilepsy surgery
Epidemiology and Economics
Our goal is to better understand the factors associated with the onset and course of epilepsy in the elderly, the type of medications used in this group, the effectiveness and safety of antiepileptic drugs and the effect of medication costs on treatment and outcome. We are particularly interested in the occurrence of sudden, unexpected death in patients with epilepsy, a phenomenon which has recently attracted national attention. Research interests include:
- Sudden unexplained death
- Epidemiology of epilepsy
- AED pharmacoepidemiology
- AED pharmacoeconomics
Education and Outreach
Faculty within the Epilepsy Research and Education Program use a multidisciplinary approach to educate health professionals and others about epilepsy. The group offers a variety of programs ranging from single lectures to multi-day traineeships which combine classroom presentations with clinical experience. The group plans to develop and evaluate new teaching methods including distance learning to provide health professionals and students with state-of-the-art knowledge about epilepsy.