EPICURE: an EU-funded FP6 project looking at Functional Genomics and Neurobiology of Epilepsy

3rd Annual Meeting, Berlin
6 – 8 February 2009

A main effort of EPICURE is devoted to investigating developmental aspects of epileptogenesis that account for the high frequency of epilepsies in children and for their often severe prognosis. Strictly related to the above research lines are the pharmacological approaches by which EPICURE aims at:

• Developing more effective antiepileptic strategies;
• Understanding the biological bases of pharmacoresistance;
• Evaluating the potential of innovative therapeutic;
• Approaches based on synaptic modulation by neurotrophic factors and cell cycle kinase inhibitors.

Over 100 participants attended the 3rd Annual Meeting of the EPICURE project, at the Charite Universitaetsmedizin, Berlin, Germany, from 6 – 8 February 2009.

The meeting was coordinated by Prof Heinemann and Prof Giuliano Avanzini, Coordinator EPICURE. Janet Mifsud from the Dissemination Board, described how this year’s EPICURE participants have already produced several scientific publications and presented EPICURE results at several conferences, and how a Google search for EPICURE has increased to over 10,000 hits. During the sessions, young investigators and PIs presented some of the data from the numerous scientific publications that have emerged from the project over the last year. The research is still ongoing and many results are still preliminary, however data from the EPICURE Brain Databank was presented that showed the importance of having a European critical mass in the collection of such samples and in undertaking such research.

The official meeting then continued with the organization of a week-long hands-on training session in the Institute of Neurophysiology at the Charite, which was attended by over 50 participants including young researchers, tutors and lecturers.

Funded by the European Union Sixth Framework Programme
Project LSH 037315