Led by the Prince of Wales’s Chair of Childhood Epilepsy, and Young Epilepsy Trustee, Professor Helen Cross OBE, our research partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital and the University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, works to 3 key Workstreams:
Workstream 1: Understanding Childhood Epilepsies
Too many children with epilepsy never learn why they have it. This lack of clarity is difficult for families and limits how clinicians can help. We’re working to uncover the causes and understand how they affect each child, so care can be more targeted and empowering.
Workstream 2: Outstanding Treatment
Epilepsy treatment is often a slow process of trial and error. We want to change that. By investing in cutting-edge technologies and therapies—from surgery and diet to genetics and personalised medicine—we aim to speed up the journey to effective treatment and, ultimately, a cure.
Workstream 3: Outstanding Support
Medical knowledge alone isn’t enough. Children need strong support systems to thrive. This workstream is about ensuring that schools, families, and services are equipped to act on medical insights and provide the practical help children need every day.
Key Achievements
- Secured over £510,000 in new research funding.
- Published 44 peer-reviewed articles and 10 expert reviews.
- Hosted the 2nd Annual Epilepsy Research Retreat, bringing together 70 researchers from the UK and USA.
- Welcomed new team members including Dr Manju Kurian, advancing genetic research in early-onset epileptic encephalopathies.
Research Highlights
- Ketogenic Diet Studies: Investigating genetic and biochemical mechanisms behind treatment response.
- EEG-fMRI in Surgery: Evaluating advanced imaging for presurgical planning in drug-resistant epilepsy.
- Sleep and Memory: Exploring how sleep affects learning in children with focal epilepsy.
- Epilepsy Genomics: Identifying genetic predispositions in childhood epilepsy.
- Educational Challenges: Assessing learning and behavioural difficulties in school-aged children.
- Sibling Impact Study: Understanding how epilepsy affects siblings’ quality of life.
- Status Epilepticus Outcomes: Studying long-term effects and predictors of epilepsy after severe seizures.
- Rasmussen Encephalitis: Mapping prevalence and outcomes across the UK.
Strategic Goals
Our research is guided by a commitment to:
- Reduce the burden of epilepsy.
- Improve diagnosis and treatment.
- Understand cognitive and behavioural impacts.
- Develop effective educational interventions.
- Build a multidisciplinary research network.
