The Epilepsy Research Institute recently announced the appointment of new theme leads to drive the Institute's research strategy. The new themes Enabling Technologies and Reproduction & Hormones complement the Institute's key research and cross-cutting themes.

Professor Mark Richardson, Head of School of Neuroscience and Paul Getty III Professor at King's College London, has been named Clinical Co-Lead of the Enabling Technologies theme. He will be collaborating with Professor John Terry (Data Co-Lead, University of Birmingham) and Dr Richard Rosch (Early Career Co-Lead, King's).

The theme Enabling Technologies will investigate how tools, devices and biological markers can be used to accurately predict and prevent seizures and the onset of epilepsy. This theme aims to improve the quality of life for people with epilepsy as well as their families and carers.

Professor Richardson has been involved in epilepsy research for more than 25 years and is currently leading a data-driven research collaboration as part of the Epilepsy Research Institute and Angelini Pharma strategic alliance. The project is developing artificial intelligence (AI) tools to analyse and annotate large-scale NHS clinical data records. The technology will be used to understand and predict refractory epilepsy which could lead to novel treatments and prevention in the future.

These new themes are complementary to the Epilepsy Research Institute's themes of Neurodevelopment, Disease Modification & Therapeutics, Mortality, Morbidity & Risk, and Capacity Building. The creation of the themes was informed by the Top Ten priorities of the UK Epilepsy Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) and further scoped and developed by the #Every1EndingEpilepsy research strategy collaborative.

The Epilepsy Research Institute was launched at 10 Downing Street in November 2023.