Participants

• José Biller MD
  Indiana University School of Medicine
• Jorge Asconapé MD
  Indiana University School of Medicine
• William J. Filstead Ph.D
  Susan Eik Filstead Stroke and Epilepsy Foundation, Inc.

Conference Conveners:

• Susan Eik Filstead
  Susan Eik Filstead Stroke and Epilepsy Foundation, Inc.
• Susan Klingenstein
  Susan Klingenstein Fund

Participants & Bio's

• Nihal C. deLanerolle, D.Phil, D.Sc

  Affiliation (Institution/Department):	Yale University School of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery
  Address:	333 Cedar Street PO Box 208082 New Haven, CT 06520-8082
  Phone:	203.785.2805
  Email Address:	Nihal.delanerolle@yale.edu
  Education:	D. Phil., University of Sussex, England 1972 D.Sc., University of Sussex, England 1995
  Summary of Research/Focus
  My principal area of research is the study of the molecular neuroanatomical organization of human seizure foci removed in surgery for the control of temporal lobe epilepsy. These studies are focused on neurotransmitter specific circuits, the pathophysiology of glia and metabolic changes in seizure foci.

• James O. MacNamara, MD

  Affiliation (Institution/Department):	Duke University School of Medicine Department of Medicine Division of Neuroscience
  Address:	401 Bryan Research Building Durham, NC 27710
  Phone:	919.684.4241
  Email Address:	jmc@neuro.duke.edu
  Education:	MD, University of Michigan - 1968
  Summary of Research/Focus
  Our research is centered on mechanisms of epileptogensis. One line of investigation seeks to understand the molecular mechanisms by which pathologic activity leads to abnormal synapses in the mature mammalian nervous system. A second line of investigation centers on the role of humoral autoimmune responses to glutamate receptors in the pathogensis of a human epilepsy, Rasmussen's epilepsy.

• Marc Dichter, MD, Ph.D

  Affiliation (Institution/Department):	University of Pennsylvania Medical School Director, Institute of Neurological Sciences
  Address:	467 Stemmler Hall/6077 Philadelphia, PA 19104
  Phone:	215.349.5166 (office) 215.898.3130 (lab)
  Email Address:	dichtner@mail.med.upenn.edu
  Education:	MD, Ph.D
  Summary of Research/Focus
  Dr. Dichter's research focuses on the basic mechanisms of epilepsy, the physiology and pharmacology of synaptic transmission between hippocampal neurons, and the developmental cell biology of cortical and hippocampal neurons maintained in cell culture.

• David McKinnon, Ph.D

  Affiliation (Institution/Department):	SUNY Stony Brook/Department of Neurobiology
  Address:	Room 124, Level 6 Basic Science Tower State University of New York Stony Brook, NY 11794-5230
  Phone:	631.444.7334
  Email Address:	dmckinnon@notes.cc.sunsb.edu
  Education:	Ph.D, Australian National University - 1987
  Summary of Research/Focus
  Our laboratory has two main lines of research. One area of research involves the study of the genes that encode the M-channel, a slowly activating sub-threshold potassium channel. This channel is critical in controlling neuronal excitability and channel dysfunction is important in the genesis of some forms of epilepsy. The laboratory also studies ion channels in heart and identified the genes encoding the transient outward current, which is an important determinant of cardiac action potential repolarization.

• Raymond Dingledine, Ph.D

  Affiliation (Institution/Department):	Emory University, Dept. of Pharmacology
  Address:	Rollins Research Center 1510 Clifton Rd Atlanta, GA 30322-3090
  Phone:	404.727.5982
  Email Address:	rdingledine@pharm.emory.edu
  Education:	Ph.D, Stanford University - 1975
  Summary of Research/Focus
  Early events in epileptogenesis and Modulation of glutamate receptor function in synaptic transmission

• Istvan Mody, Ph.D

  Affiliation (Institution/Department):	UCLA School of Medicine Department of Neurology
  Address:	710 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles, CA 90095-1769
  Phone:	310.206.4481
  Email Address:	mody@loni.ucla.edu
  Education:	Ph.D, University of British Columbia - 1985
  Summary of Research/Focus
  The focus of our lab is to gain insight into the causes of specific neurological disorders by studying the physiology/pharmacology of health and diseased synaptic transmission and the regulation of intracellular calcium homestasis.

• Jerome Engel Jr., MD, Ph.D

  Affiliation (Institution/Department):	David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Neurology
  Address:	Reed Neurological Research Center 710 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles, CA 90095-1769
  Phone:	310.825.5745
  Email Address:	engel@ucla.edu
  Education:	BA Cornell University 1960 MD Stanford University 1965, Ph.D Stanford University - 1966
  Summary of Research/Focus
  Basic research has focused on fundamental mechanisms of human and experimental epilepsy and its consequences, while clinical research is concerned with improving diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy, particularly with regard to surgical therapy.

• Louis J. Ptácek, MD

  Affiliation (Institution/Department):	University of Utah School of Medicine Professor of Neurology and Human Genetics
  Address:	15 North 2030 East Room 4420 Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-5331
  Phone:	801.694.4102
  Email Address:	ptacek@genetics.utah.edu
  Education:	MD, University of Wisconsin - 1986
  Summary of Research/Focus
  My colleagues and I conduct studies of the genetic disorders of the nervous system. We are interested in identifying genes that cause human disease and in studying mutant and normal products of these genes to understand the role of these proteins in health and disease. Through such studies our goal is to understand the molecular basis of disorders of the nervous system, as well as to use such information in devising new therapies for patients.

• Gregory Holmes, MD

  Affiliation (Institution/Department):	Dartmouth Medical School Department of Neurology
  Address:	Hanover, New Hampshire 03755-1404
  Phone:	603.650.7916
  Email Address:	gregory.holmes@dartmouth.edu
  Education:	MD

• Michael A. Rogawski, MD, Ph.D

  Affiliation (Institution/Department):	NINDS
  Address:	49 Convent Drive Rm 5A-75 MSC 4457 Bethesda, Maryland 20892-4457
  Phone:	301.496.8013
  Email Address:	michael.rogawski@nih.gov
  Education:	MD, Ph.D

• Leon D. Iasemidis, Ph.D

  Affiliation (Institution/Department):	Arizona State University
  Address:	The Harrington Department of Bioengineering PO Box 879709 Tempe, AZ 85287-9709
  Phone:	408.965.9134
  Email Address:	leon.iasemidis@asu.edu
  Education:	Ph.D
  Summary of Research/Focus
  Computational neurobiology, learning and memory, thermodynamics and information processing.

• Paula Schauwecker, Ph.D

  Affiliation (Institution/Department):	University of Southern California/ Cell & Neurobiology
  Address:	Keck School of Medicine 1333 San Pablo Street, BMT 401 Los Angeles, CA 90089-9112
  Phone:	323.442.2116 (office) 323.442.1226 (lab)
  Email Address:	schauwec@hsc.usc.edu
  Education:	Ph.D, University of Southern California 1994 Post-Doctoral Fellowship, University of Virginia 1994-1997
  Summary of Research/Focus
  The work of my laboratory is directed towards elucidating the cellular and molecular genetic mechanisms underlying CNS injury, in particular, those leading to selective vulnerability to cell death and/or neuronal protection. We focus on “excitotoxic” neuronal injury, produced by excess exposure to glutamate, which has been shown to contribute to the neuronal injury observed in epilepsy, stroke, head trauma, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Prior work from the lab found that certain strains of mice are resistant to excitotoxic cell death, while other strains show vulnerability similar to what has been observed in other species. Resistant mouse strains show nearly complete protection against excitotoxin-induced degeneration and cell loss, and we now know that protection in conferred by a single, dominant gene present within these strains. Since the mechanism by which cells are susceptible to excitotoxic cell death is not known, our current research efforts use these genetically unique mice as a model system to (1) detect and map the gene(s) that provides protection using large-scale genetic mapping and the creation of congenic strains; and (2) assess the cellular and molecular mechanisms that may contribute to neuronal protection against cell death by examining alterations in glutamate receptor expression and regulation, calcium binding proteins and calcium signaling, and regulation of energy impairment/mitochondrial function. These latter studies are assessed using both in vitro (slice culture) and in vivo approaches.

• Anne Williamson, Ph.D

  Affiliation (Institution/Department):	Yale University School of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery
  Address:	333 Cedar Street PO Box 208082 New Haven, CT 06520-8082
  Phone:	203.785.5327
  Email Address:	anne.williamson@yale.edu
  Education:	Ph.D., University of Maryland School of Medicine - 1988
  Summary of Research/Focus
  My research focuses on neuromodulation in the epileptic hippocampus using tissue from both patients and in animal models of human temporal lobe epilepsy. We have examined changes in GABA transport in both types of tissue and are currently trying to assess the functional consequences of changes in transport efficacy. In addition, we are examining possible consequences of the hypometabolism that appears to be a consistent feature of epileptic tissue including alterations in potassium clearance and in glutamate uptake. In line with this, we are examining the ability of other metabolites to support synaptic transmission under various conditions to examine the links between glial and neuronal metabolism as it relates to epilepsy. Finally, we are studying the properties of neurons within the subcortical white matter of epileptic patients; these cells are enriched in the white matter of patients with medial temporal lobe epilepsy relative to other seizure types. Our primary goal is to determine if and how these cells participate in cortical circuitry.

• Jorge Asconapé, MD

  Affiliation (Institution/Department):	Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Neurology
  Address:	550 University Blvd. University Hospital, Room 171 Indianapolis, IN 46202
  Phone:	317.274.0180
  Email Address:	jasconap@cord.iupui.edu
  Education:	MD, University of Buenos Aires Medical School - 1976
  Summary of Research/Focus
  Clinical research focuses on the diagnosis, assessment, management, and treatment of epilepsy; intractable epilepsy.

• Susan Axelrod

  Affiliation (Institution/Department):	CURE
  Address:	8110 Woodside Lane Burr Ridge, IL 60525
  Phone:
  Email Address:
  Education:

• José Biller , MD

  Affiliation (Institution/Department):	Indiana University School of Medicine Professor and Chairman
  Address:	Emerson Hall, Room 125545 Barnhill Drive Indianapolis, IN 46202
  Phone:	317.274.4455
  Email Address:	jbiller@iupui.edu
  Education:	MD, University of Republic, Montevideo - 1974
  Summary of Research/Focus
  Clinical research focuses on the diagnosis, assessment, management, and treatment of stroke and TIA.

• William J. Filstead, Ph.D

  Affiliation (Institution/Department):	SEFSEF, Inc.
  Address:	126 E. Wing Street Suite 290 Arlington Heights, IL 60005
  Phone:	847.632.1926
  Email Address:	wjf@sefsef.org
  Education:	Ph.D Northwestern University - 1973
  Summary of Research/Focus
  Health policy research especially quality of life/outcome studies.

A cure is at the of our mission.