Awards

Christina Roseti – The Morris-Coole Epilepsia Prize

The Morris-Coole Epilepsia Prize is an annual ILAE award given in recognition of an outstanding research paper published in Epilepsia the previous year on any field of epilepsy research, either clinical or basic. Established through the generosity of Christopher and Sandra Morris-Coole, the prize is now supported by the ILAE, with the intention of stimulating excellence in epilepsy research as well as rewarding young researchers for outstanding contributions to the field. Recipients receive $5,000 and an insignia pin and present the Morris-Coole Epilepsia lecture at the Awards Symposium during the International Epilepsy Congress. The winner of the 2012 Morris-Coole Epilepsia Prize is Cristina Roseti for her article, "Fractalkine/CX3CL1 modulates GABAA currents in human temporal lobe epilepsy" (Cristina Roseti, Sergio Fucile, Clotilde Lauro, Katiuscia Martinello, Cristina Bertollini, Vincenzo Esposito, Addolorata Mascia, Myriam Catalano, Eleonora Aronica, Cristina Limatola, Eleonora Palma. Epilepsia 54(10):1834-1844, 2013. Article first published online 13 September 2013; DOI: 10.1111/epi.12354). Read more…

Samuel F Berkovic – Companion of the Order of Australia

Samuel F Berkovic was one of seven Australians recognized as a Companion of the Order of Australia by Queen Elizabeth on this year's Australia Day Honours List (26 January 2014). It is one of the highest national awards in the country and is reserved for "eminent achievement and merit of the highest degree in service to Australia or to humanity at large."

Sam received the honor "for eminent service to biomedical research in the field of epilepsy genetics as a leading academic and clinician, to the study of neurology on a national and international level, and as an ambassador for Australian medical science education." Sam and his colleagues have been leaders for many years in making major contributions to our understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying some forms of epilepsy.

Sam is a very active contributor to ILAE activities, being currently a member and past chair of the Commission on Genetics. More about Australia Day awards…

H Steven White – Lifetime Accelerator Award

Steven White, PhD, professor of pharmacology and toxicology and principal investigator of the National Institutes of Health-sponsored Anticonvulsant Drug Development (ADD) Program at the University of Utah College of Pharmacy, has been named the 2014 recipient of the Epilepsy Foundation's Lifetime Accelerator Award, in recognition of his commitment and pioneering contributions to the field of epilepsy and seizures. Dr. White was honored at the 4th Biennial Epilepsy Pipeline Conference 2014, held 5 to 7 June 2014, at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco.

The Lifetime Accelerator Award was established in 2012 to honor physicians, scientists, industry leaders, and other individuals who have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to bringing new therapies to people living with epilepsy. Recipients are chosen by an independent committee of global thought leaders and clinical investigators in epilepsy and seizure therapy discovery and development. More…

Ingrid Scheffer – Officer of the Order of Australia

Ingrid Scheffer, Past Chair of the Classification and Terminology Commission of the ILAE, was appointed an Officer (AO) of the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for distinguished service to medicine as a clinician, academic and mentor, and for research into identifying epilepsy syndromes and genes.

Prof Scheffer puts her success down to collaborating with a fantastic team, including Professor Sam Berkovic. Their work and research helped to uncover the first gene for epilepsy and to identify many of the known epilepsy genes from the human body's 25,000 genes.

"It means that patients all over the world can be diagnosed and their doctors can go looking for mutations of the genes," she said. "Our work helps to figure out the best treatment and also can provide accurate genetic reproductive counselling." Read more…

Devender Bhalla's AAN Award

Devender Bhalla, MD, PhD, is working full-time as a researcher with the University of Limoges and Institut d'Epidemiologie et de Neurologie Tropicales and INSERM U1094 Tropical Neuroepidemiology. He is a member and the Treasurer of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) Task Force of Seizures and Epilepsy in the Tropics. Dr. Bhalla has published several articles and book chapters and has presented at various international congresses and conferences. He re-launched and strengthened the Cambodian Society of Neurology (CSN), which has conducted a number of independent activities in neurology and epilepsy and is a chapter candidate of the ILAE. Dr Bhalla received the Bruce S Schoenberg award in Neuroepidemiology in 2014.