On this month’s episode of Seizing Life, Kelly speakswith neurologist, neuroscientist, and former Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Dr. Walter Koroshetz about the state of epilepsy research, the critical role of federal funding, especiallyfor early-career scientists, and the advances bringing new hope to people and families impacted by epilepsy.
Dr. Koroshetz shares insights from his decades-long careerin neurology and neuroscience, including his leadership at NINDS. He explains how epilepsy research has improved our understanding of seizures and led to the identification of hundreds of genetic causes of epilepsy, opening the door tomore precise and potentially curative therapies. The conversation explores the promise of genomic therapies, gene editing, closed-loop brain stimulation, andtechnologies emerging from the BRAIN Initiative, a partnership between federal and non-federal partners with a common goal of accelerating the development of innovative neurotechnologies.
The second half of the episode focuses on the currentresearch landscape with an eye towards the potential future impacts on epilepsy research. Dr. Koroshetz outlines the research roles of government, institutions, industry, and nonprofit organizations, and explains how they do and don’t collaborate with one another. He shares his view of the currentfederal funding situation, explains the history and effects of flat budgets in government funding, and reveals what he sees as the biggest threat to the scientific workforce and our country’s role as a leader in research. Finally, Dr. Koroshetz offers his advice for young scientists and what he sees as themost promising areas of epilepsy research that will improve the lives of patients and families living with epilepsy in the coming years.
ABOUT CURE EPILEPSY
CURE Epilepsy is the leading, non-governmentalfunder of epilepsy research. Since its inception in 1998, CURE Epilepsy has raised more than $100 million to fund epilepsy research and other initiatives that will lead the way to cures for the epilepsies. CURE Epilepsy funds grants for young and established investigators and to–date has awarded more than 300 cutting-edge projects in 18 countries around the world. Our mission is to fund breakthrough research that will transform the lives of people living with epilepsy as we lead the search for a cure.
LEARN MORE ABOUT EPILEPSY
Visit the “Understanding Epilepsy” section ofCURE Epilepsy’s website:
https://www.cureepilepsy.org/for-patients/understanding/
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