A public seminar which will explore cutting-edge epilepsy research entitled ‘Epilepsy Research Explained: Recent Discoveries and Future Directions’ will take place in RCSI this evening.

The event, which is jointly hosted by Epilepsy Ireland and RCSI is aimed at a public audience and will highlight recent discoveries in epilepsy and what the future of epilepsy treatment might hold. Due to unprecedented demand, the event is fully booked.

A host of Irish epilepsy experts and researchers, including a number of RCSI researchers, who are actively engaged in national and international research efforts to uncover the mysteries of epilepsy, will speak at the event . These are Professor Norman Delanty, Consultant Neurologist and Director of the Epilepsy Programme at Beaumont Hospital and Honorary Clinical Associate Professor, RCSI; Professor David Henshall, Director of the Experimental Epilepsy Research group at RCSI; Dr Gianpiero Cavalleri, Senior Lecturer in Human Genetics, Department of Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, RCSI; and Professor Mary King, Consultant Paediatric Neurologist, Professor Mary King.

Boosted by a growing interest in and funding for brain research in recent years, epilepsy researchers, are increasingly collaborating on large scale international projects. RCSI's Professor David Henshall co-ordinates the EU-funded EpimiRNA Consortium, which involves 16 partners from 10 countries investigating molecular mechanisms in epilepsy, while the EPIPGX consortium, which includes Dr Gianpiero Cavalleri is working internationally to identify genetic biomarkers that influence people's individual response to treatments. Both will discuss their work at tonight's event.

Dr Sinead Heavin, an Epilepsy Ireland/Irish Research Council funded post-doctoral researcher, Department of Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, RCSI, acted as the RCSI co-ordinator for the event.

Dr Gianpiero Cavalleri commented: "RCSI is contributing globally to epilepsy research, with a number of large scale international projects being led by the College. Tonight's event provides an important opportunity to share these research findings with members of the public and individuals with epilepsy and their families and to communicate how RCSI's research is making strides in improving treatments for the condition."

According to Epilepsy Ireland, there are 37,000 people with epilepsy in Ireland, including an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 who are having regular seizures - sudden surges of electrical activity in the brain. The condition can be the cause of significant disability, reduced quality of life and stigma. There are an estimated 130 epilepsy-related deaths each year in Ireland.