EpiCARE Research Council

Supporting research on rare and complex epilepsies in one of EpiCARE’s priorities.

To that effect, the Research Council is sharing some open funding calls opportunities on this webpage.

Do not hesitate to have a look at the calls, and contact Sébile Tchaicha, Research project manager, if you have any question !

Calls for collaborative genetic research

 The Genetic Research workgroup is sharing opportunities of collaborative calls for European series of patients carrying variants in already known genes, to facilitate this type of studies by connecting several centers across Europe involved in the study of genetic epilepsies.

Have a look at the calls for collaborative genetic research here, and contact Sébile Tchaicha, Research project manager, if you have any question !

15th congress of the European Paediatric Neurology Society

Plans are now full steam ahead for the next EPNS Congress which will be taking place on 20-24 June 2023 in Prague, Czech Republic.
 
The programme is out! The main theme of the congress is “From genome and connectome to cureTake a look

9th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology

For the 9th annual congress of the European Academy of Neurology we will be travelling to the grand and beautiful city of Budapest on 1-4 July, 2023.
 
As always, the EAN Congress will provide an unrivalled chance for our community to share a rewarding clinical and scientific experience.  See you in Budapest in July 2023!
 

EpiCARE: a European Reference Network
for rare and complex epilepsies

The European Reference Networks (ERNs) were launched in 2017. They involve more than 900 highly specialised health care teams, located in more than 300 hospitals in 26 European countries. The main mission of the ERNs is to help patients with rare or low-prevalence complex diseases.

A disease is defined as rare when it affects fewer than one in 2 000 people, is serious, chronic and often life-threatening. Between 5 000 and 8 000 of rare diseases affect daily life of around 30 million people in the EU.

The ERN EpiCARE brings together highly specialized health centres (38 full members and 12 affiliated partners) in 26 European countries with expertise in rare and complex epilepsies.

If you are a healthcare professional and would like to refer a patient to us, or if you are a patient yourself, or a family member of a patient, please get in touch via our contact page.

The objectives of the EpiCARE network

Universal

Accessibility

To improve accessibility of detailed diagnostics to individuals of all ages with rare and complex epilepsies across Europe, including clinical evaluation and investigation.

Heartbeat

Developing treatment

To develop treatment protocols and monitor standardised outcomes of rare and complex epilepsies.

Shapes

Awareness

To improve awareness and accessibility to protocols for physicians and individuals with rare and complex epilepsies across Europe for treatment.

Book

Education

To enhance educational activities and training opportunities across Europe by interchange across the network.

Rocket

Collaborative research

To enhance opportunities for registries, and collaborative research for the benefit of individuals with rare and complex epilepsies across Europe.

Agenda

Jun
20
Tue
EPNS Pre-congress symposium
Jun 20 all-day
EPNS Pre-congress symposium @ Prague | Prague | Czechia

“Drug-resistant epilepsy in the 21st century: From molecular mechanisms to precision therapies”  will take place on Tuesday, 20 June 2023 in Prague, Czech Republic.

This exciting and unique one-day meeting will introduce and discuss in detail all the major developments including current clinical indications for Drug-resistant epilepsy in the 21st century. A broad faculty of international experts will bring you up-to-date with the history, practice and future developments in the rapidly developing field of drug-resistant epilepsy.

The concept of drug-resistant epilepsy is in motion. What started as a simple definition of medically intractable seizure disorder has morphed into a mosaic of conditions with various ages at onset, clinical presentations, genetic etiologies and increasingly of therapeutic options.

Drug-resistant epilepsy is no more a single disorder but a multitude thereof. The originally clear-cut boundaries between “genetic” and “structural” epilepsy dissolve and re-organize themselves around specific genes and genetic variants that participate in the formation of structural and functional abnormalities of brain cortex.

The symposium preceding EPNS Congress 2023 in Prague will guide you through the complex phenotypes and clinical presentations of patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. You will see how patient-derived genomic and phenotypic data contribute to the formation of relevant pre-clinical models that enable us to analyze the pathophysiological mechanisms of drug-resistant epilepsy. Through the improved understanding of epilepsy pathogenesis we will introduce novel approaches to the individualized targeted therapy of drug-resistant epilepsy and the new vistas for patient care and management.

This symposium is suitable for neurologists, paediatric neurologists, epileptologists, neuophysiologists, neuroscientists, radiologists, neurosurgeons, allied health professionals, medical and allied health students.

European Paediatric Neurology Society congress
Jun 20 – Jun 24 all-day
European Paediatric Neurology Society congress @ Prague | Prague | Czechia

SAVE THE DATE/Abstracts welcome: EPNS Congress 20-24 June 2023> Congress Center Prague

Welcome to the 15th Congress of the European Paediatric Neurology Society (EPNS) with the main highlight “From genome and connectome to cure”. We invite you to see how the latest trends in understanding pathophysiology of neurological diseases are being implemented in clinical practice. Our field has traditionally focused on precise diagnostics; however, curative treatments were unavailable for a long time. Today, this trend is changing rapidly and novel therapeutic options in our field have brought hope to many families of children even with the most severe neurological conditions.

Learn more and SUBMIT your ABSTRACT (closes 31 December 2022): https://epns-congress.com/

Watch the video, less than 2 minutes: https://youtu.be/tEn8bSepHMI

Any questions, we would be happy to hear from you: info@epns.info

Jul
13
Thu
Monthly EpiCARE post-surgical case discussion
Jul 13 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Organized by Prof. Ingmar Blümcke from the University Hospital of Erlangen, Germany, the monthly EpiCARE post-surgical case discussion is still going!

The ZOOM link is always the same for all meetings and attached below for your information. Please feel free to share and invite your colleagues !

 

Aug
10
Thu
Monthly EpiCARE post-surgical case discussion
Aug 10 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Organized by Prof. Ingmar Blümcke from the University Hospital of Erlangen, Germany, the monthly EpiCARE post-surgical case discussion is still going!

The ZOOM link is always the same for all meetings and attached below for your information. Please feel free to share and invite your colleagues !

 

Aug
24
Thu
13th ILAE School for Neuropathology and Epilepsy Surgery @ Medical University Vienna
Aug 24 – Aug 26 all-day
13th ILAE School for Neuropathology and Epilepsy Surgery @ Medical University Vienna | Wien | Wien | Austria

Surgical management of drug-resistant focal epilepsy represents a successful treatment option in carefully selected patients. It is thus of utmost importance to identify patients amenable to epilepsy surgery early enough during the disease course and submit to a pre-surgical evaluation. The 13th ILAE School for Neuropathology and Epilepsy Surgery (the 1st meeting in Vienna) is designed to enable participants to better recognize and classify various lesional substrates of drug-resistant epilepsy. Advanced hands-on surgical training will be offered in small groups led by distinguished tutors who will give hands-on demonstrations on macro- and microscopical brain specimen. Participants will also have the opportunity to perform surgical approaches on cadavers and diagnose histopathological cases under the microscope.

Course Directors: Ingmar Blümcke, Karl Rössler and Christian Dorfer

Target Audience: Neurosurgeons, neuro-/pathologists, epileptologists, neurologists, neuroimagers, and basic researchers

Application & Registration

Applications should include a brief description of your current clinical practice and experience in the field of neuropathology and epilepsy surgery and a short CV. Please indicate your level of experience in neurosurgery: A – experienced, B – beginner, C – non-experienced.

Email your application to karl.roessler@meduniwien.ac.at by 1 May 2023.

Space is limited to 24 participants, and on-site registration is not available. Selected participants will be informed no later than 40 workings days from the application deadline and will receive all further instructions regarding payment and full registration.

Registration fee*: €400

*This fee covers lunch and beverages during the 3-day course, a welcome reception and social dinner. Registration fees exclude accommodation, airfare and other travel to Vienna.

Preliminary programme

Sep
14
Thu
Monthly EpiCARE post-surgical case discussion
Sep 14 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Organized by Prof. Ingmar Blümcke from the University Hospital of Erlangen, Germany, the monthly EpiCARE post-surgical case discussion is still going!

The ZOOM link is always the same for all meetings and attached below for your information. Please feel free to share and invite your colleagues !

 

Sep
17
Sun
8th Global Symposium on Ketogenic Therapies
Sep 17 – Sep 21 all-day
Oct
12
Thu
Monthly EpiCARE post-surgical case discussion
Oct 12 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Organized by Prof. Ingmar Blümcke from the University Hospital of Erlangen, Germany, the monthly EpiCARE post-surgical case discussion is still going!

The ZOOM link is always the same for all meetings and attached below for your information. Please feel free to share and invite your colleagues !

 

Nov
9
Thu
Monthly EpiCARE post-surgical case discussion
Nov 9 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Organized by Prof. Ingmar Blümcke from the University Hospital of Erlangen, Germany, the monthly EpiCARE post-surgical case discussion is still going!

The ZOOM link is always the same for all meetings and attached below for your information. Please feel free to share and invite your colleagues !

 

Dec
14
Thu
Monthly EpiCARE post-surgical case discussion
Dec 14 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Organized by Prof. Ingmar Blümcke from the University Hospital of Erlangen, Germany, the monthly EpiCARE post-surgical case discussion is still going!

The ZOOM link is always the same for all meetings and attached below for your information. Please feel free to share and invite your colleagues !