Commission on Neurobiology

Chair & Contact Information:
Dr. Esper Cavalheiro
Rua Botucatu, 862
04023 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Phone: +55 1 15 49 20 64
Fax: +55 1 15 73 93 04
E-mail: ibe.nexp@epm.br

Goals: Encourage research in basic mechanisms of the epilepsies, through educational programs, workshops, and support of research training; help to integrate basic and clinical research themes so as to draw together clinicians and basic scientists

List of Sub-Committees

• Organize basic science symposium at European Congress of Epileptology
• Organize basic science symposium at Latin American Epilepsy Congress
• Organize basic science symposium at Congress of the Asian and Oceanian Epilepsy Organization
• Organize the Fifth Workshop on the Neurobiology of Epilepsy (WONOEP V) and edit publication
• Organize the Sixth Workshop on the Neurobiology of Epilepsy (WONOEP VI)
• Develop and review new ILAE fellowship program for research training

Meetings held by the Commission:
Informal meeting during the Prague Congress
Formal meeting during the 1999 American Epilepsy Society meeting (Orlando, December, 1999)

Contacts and interactions with other commissions:
Collaboration with the Commission on the Search for Epilepsy Genes to sponsor a symposium at the Prague Congress
Contacts with Commission chairs for Europe, Latin America, and Asia/Oceania in efforts to develop basic science symposia for regional congresses

Summary of activities in the past year:
Organized and sponsored, in collaboration with the Commission on the Search for Epilepsy Genes, the following symposium presented at the International Epilepsy Congress in Prague (September, 1999): "Inherited disorders of ion channels and epilepsy" Chair: Jeffery Noebels (USA)
Speakers: Ortrud Steinlein (Germany), Bruce Tempel (USA), David Ragsdale (Canada), Samuel Berkovic (Australia), Dan Burgess (USA), Edward Perez-Reyes (USA)

Organized and sponsored 5th Workshop on the Neurobiology of Epilepsy (satellite to the Prague International Epilepsy Congress) at Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic (September 7-9, 1999)
Scientific organization: Solomon L. Moshe (USA), chair
Local organizer: Hana Kubova (Czech Republic)
Arranging special supplement of Epilepsia, based on proceedings of WONEOP V
Editor: Solomon L. Moshe (USA)

Initiated organization of 6th Workshop on the Neurobiology of Epilepsy (satellite to the Buenos Aires International Congress)
Scientific organization: Esper Cavalheiro (Brazil) and Claude Wasterlain (USA)
Local organizer: Esper Cavalheiro (Brazil)

Developed basic science symposia to be incorporated into:
Latin American Epilepsy Congress (Santiago, September, 2000)
"Molecular aspects of epileptogenesis in experimental models"
Organizer: Luisa Rocha (Mexico)
European Congress of Epileptology (Florence, October, 2000)
"Glia and epileptogenesis"
Organizer: Roberto Spreafico (Italy)
Congress of the Asian and Oceanian Epilepsy Organization (New Delhi, November, 2000)
"Abnormal plasticity in epileptogenesis"
Organizer: Jiro Suzuki (Japan)
Developed program/guidelines for new ILAE fellowship program - designed to help provide research training for young investigators from economically "threshold" countries (i.e., where financial resources limit training opportunities, but where a well-trained investigator would have the opportunity to develop a significant research program). Announcement and guidelines to be distributed through ILAE Executive Office; program to be publicized through announcements in EPIGRAPH and EPILEPSIA.

Plans for the coming year:

• Publish WONOEP V special Epilepsia supplement
• Present ILAE Commission on Neurobiology symposia at Latin American, European, and Asia/Oceania regional congresses
• Fund initial set of research training fellowships
• Organize WONOEP VI (local organization; fund-raising; call for abstracts; selection of participants and development of program; present workshop)
• Work with organizers of Buenos Aires International Epilepsy Congress to organize basic science symposia in Congress program
• Pursue possibilities of organizing a traveling course on "Basic Mechanisms of the Epilepsies" in conjunction with the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO)
• Begin work on a Neurobiology section of the ILAE web-site

Budget request:
Commission allocations for July 1, 1998 - June 30, 1999
Basic Commission annual allowance $ 4,000
Support for WONOEP V $15,000

Commission requests/funding for July 1, 1999 - June 30, 2000
Basic Commission annual allowance $ 4,000
Appropriation to support joint symposium (with Commission on Search for Epilepsy Genes) at Prague International Epilepsy Congress $ 4,000
Fellowship funding (to start Jan. 1, 2001) $40,000
Support for symposium at Florence European
Congress of Epileptology
Speakers $10,000
Scholarships for young investigators $ 6,000

Commission request for July 1, 2000 - June 30, 2001
Basic Commission annual allowance $ 4,000
WONOEP VI $15,000
WONOEP is an official ILAE satellite. The Executive Committee agreed two years ago that such a satellite should receive significant support from ILAE. We again request support for our meeting, associated with the next International Congress in Buenos Aires.

Support for symposium at Santiago Latin American Epilepsy Congress
Speakers $ 6,000
Scholarships for young investigators $ 6,000
Last year, the Executive Committee appropriated funds to support an ILAE-sponsored symposium at the European Congress of Epileptology. We now request similar support for an ILAE-sponsored symposium at the Latin American Epilepsy Congress.

Support for symposium at New Delhi Congress of the Asian and Oceanian Epilepsy Organization
Speakers $ 6,000
Scholarships for young investigators $ 6,000

Last year, the Executive Committee appropriated funds to support an ILAE-sponsored symposium at the European Congress of Epileptology. We now request similar support for an ILAE-sponsored symposium at the Congress of the Asian and Oceanian Epilepsy Organization.

Support for symposium at Buenos Aires International Epilepsy Congress
Speakers $10,000
As we did for the Prague Congress, we propose to organize a basic science symposium at the Buenos Aires Congress. We will work with the organizers of the International Epilepsy Congress to design a symposium that will be of interest to both basic scientists and clinicians.

TOTAL REQUEST FOR NEXT BUDGET YEAR $53,000

Please note: Because of the delay in initiating the fellowship program, there is no additional request in this 2000/2001 budget for funds for this program. However, in the next budget request (for July 1, 2001 - June 30, 2002), we will ask for continued funding ($40,000) for the fellowship program.

Philip A. Schwartzkroin, Ph.D.
Chair

Workshop on Neurobiology of Epilepsy

Report of the Neurobiology Commission