Lifetime Achievement Award 2025
Giuliano Avanzini
Born in Milano, Giuliano Avanzini graduated as MD at the University of Milano in 1961. In the following ten years he completed his training as a neurologist and neurophysiologist at the University of Parma, getting his professorship in neurology in 1971. In 1972 he has beeen appointed as director of the Department of Neurophysiology and Epileptology National Neurological Institute C. Besta of Milano where he spent the rest of his life except for periods spent as Fogarty fellow at Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York), visiting scientist at UCLA (Los Angeles) and invited professor in several universities.
His main research interest was on basic and clinical epileptology. He has been awarded with the Annual Epilepsy Award of the American Epilepsy Society in 2000 and with the European Epilepsy Award in 2006. He served as ILAE president (2001-2005). Since 2002 he is president of the International School of Neurological Sciences of San Servolo (Venice). In 1971 he married Clara Milanese, a neurologist, who gave him two children, Federico, scientist and Francesca, writer. Clara sadly passed away in October 2024; to her he dedicates the Lifetime Scientific Award.
Lifetime Achievement Award 2025
Simon Shorvon
Simon Shorvon qualified in medicine from Cambridge University in 1973. He specialised in neurology and epilepsy in Oxford, Manchester and London, and in a stint in Virginia USA. His current affiliation is as Honorary Consultant Neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and Emeritus Professor of Clinical Neurology at UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology in London.
He has served inter alia as Chair of the UCL University Department of Clinical Neurology, Medical Director at the Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, President of ILAE British Branch, Vice-President of ILAE and co-Editor-in-Chief of Epilepsia. He has devoted his career to a large epilepsy clinical practice, teaching and an extensive research portfolio into the epidemiology, causes, investigation, treatment and history of epilepsy.
His latest book, The Idea of Epilepsy: a medical and social history of epilepsy in the modern era (1860-2020), was published by Cambridge University Press in 2023.
Previous recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award
2023 Solomon L. Moshé, USA
2023 Peter Wolf, Denmark
2021 Shichuo Li, China
2019 W. Allen Hauser, USA
2017 Charlotte Dravet, France
2015 Dr Frederick (Fred) Andermann, Canada
2013 Prof Juhn Wada, Canada
2011 Prof Jerome Engel, Jr., USA
2009 Ms. Hanneke De Boer, the Netherlands
2009 Prof. Jean Aicardi, France
2001 Prof H. Meinardi, the Netherlands
2001 Dr K.S. Mani, India
1999 Mrs E. Grass, U.S.A.
1999 Prof D. Janz, Germany
1997 Mr G. Burden, England
1995 Mr J.N. Loeber, the Netherlands
