Dravet syndrome is one of the most severe epilepsies we encounter in children, and for too long our tools for tracking its impact on brain development have limited our ability to identify and evaluate the best treatments. Computational modelling of EEG lets us extract signals from brain activity that standard clinical assessments simply can't provide - and this grant allows us to bring that AI-enabled analysis to the urgent real-world challenge of identifying which patients are most likely to benefit from new and improved treatments
Dr Richard Rosch, Clinical Lecturer in Neuroscience at the IoPPN
22 May 2026
New funding to improve insights into Dravet Syndrome
Researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) are part of a project awarded a three-year Endeavour Project Grant of £147,000 from the Epilepsy Research Institute to lead crucial studies into Dravet Syndrome, a hard-to-treat form of epilepsy which begins in infancy.
Dr Charlotte Tye, Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Dr Richard Rosch, Clinical Lecturer in Neuroscience are leading on EEG biomarker discovery and computational modelling in a new study to predict developmental outcomes in children with Dravet syndrome, one of the most severe forms of childhood epilepsy. They will apply cutting-edge computational modelling to brain activity data to identify and help monitor progression of cognitive symptoms to understand developmental trajectories and establish biomarkers for future trials.
The project will be led by Professor Andreas Brunklaus, University of Glasgow, in collaboration with Kings College London, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London and Dravet Syndrome UK.
Dravet syndrome is a devastating genetic condition which causes frequent, hard-to-control seizures and long-term neurodevelopmental impairment. The condition also causes feeding difficulties, movement problems and has a high risk of premature death. Current treatments fail to control seizures in most patients and there are no approved medicines that address the condition’s devastating cognitive and behavioural impacts.
As new gene-targeted treatments for this condition emerge, the researchers hope to create a robust framework for clinicians to help them predict progress and measure benefit, creating a toolkit for NHS care which will measure neurodevelopmental outcomes and disease severity for patients with Dravet Syndrome.
Currently, doctors may still rely on ‘trial and error’ treatments, so it’s hoped the research – which will use a combination of computational modelling, samples and at-home research– will allow for greater insight into Dravet Syndrome, and the work will speed up clinical trials and support treatment decisions.
Children with Dravet syndrome can show very different developmental trajectories, but we currently have limited ways of identifying early markers of who may have the highest likelihood of later difficulties. This project combines developmentally sensitive EEG and behavioural measures with computational modelling approaches to better understand how brain development unfolds in Dravet syndrome. By adapting family-friendly, home-based protocols we have developed in other rare neurogenetic conditions and early-onset epilepsies, we hope to identify objective markers that support earlier identification and intervention, and improve readiness for future clinical trials of emerging therapies
Dr Charlotte Tye, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, at the IoPPN
We are delighted to receive this grant, which will go some way to hopefully improving the treatment potential for children with Dravet Syndrome. By delivering well‑tested, family‑friendly measures and exploring a potential blood marker, this study aims to improve trial readiness, guide treatment decisions, and give families clearer evidence to seek appropriate support.
Professor Andreas Brunklaus, Consultant Paediatric Neurologist at the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow and Honorary Professor at the School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences
In this story
Senior Lecturer in Psychology
Clinical Lecturer