Epilepsy Research @UVA
Workshop #1
Leveraging Models to Understand Human Epilepsy
This workshop provides a strong neuroanatomical foundation to understand the structural underpinnings of seizure initiation and propagation. Students will also learn how mouse and human brains differ, thereby providing trainees with an understanding of how rodent models inform (or don’t) the human condition.
Workshop #2
Essential Tools for Measuring In Vitro Excitability
This workshop provides hands-on experience in: (1) Recording from individual neurons in acute brain slices and measuring neuronal excitability; (2) Recording and analyzing evoked, spontaneous, and miniature synaptic currents; and (3) Recording voltage-gated and ligand-gated ion channels, and analyzing their biophysical parameters.
Workshop #3
Essential Tools for In Vivo Circuit Analysis
This workshop shows standard approaches for measuring the electrical activity produced by the brain using electroencephalography (EEG), the standard approach to measure seizures. Trainees learn how to design and manufacture recording headsets and cables for the detection of EEG signals. Trainees are instructed how to analyze EEG recordings using LabChart software for the detection of seizures.
Workshop #4
Quantitative and Computational Tools
This workshop introduces modern programming languages used to analyze complex datasets. The goal of this workshop is to provide students with a broad understanding of the modern approaches to handle and analyze large, complex datasets, including complex time-series data (e.g., Matlab & Python) and genomic and single cell data.
Workshop #5
Human Seizures
This workshop focuses on clinical presentations of common and rare epilepsies and the tools used to diagnose and manage epilepsies.
Workshop #6
Bench to Patient: How Epilepsy Drugs Make It to the Clinic
The goal of this workshop is to learn how seizures are treated in the modern era, and how scientists are developing novel approaches to treat epilepsy in the future. The workshop covers current pharmacological approaches to treat epilepsy, as well as how deep brain stimulation can be used to suppress seizures. The workshop also highlights the development of gene therapy-based strategies to treat epilepsy.
Workshop #7
Professional Skills Development
This workshop is provided every year and is designed to foster professional skills within our trainees, including effective grant writing & formal/informal presentations.
Workshops
Our core training program includes seven formal workshops that address topics ranging from Leveraging Models to Understand Human Epilepsy to Bench to Patient: How Epilepsy Drugs Make it to the Clinic. Each specialized workshop addresses a specific topic relevant for epilepsy research and will last five consecutive days (2 hours/day).
Each year, three biyearly workshops are provided, and alternate with the three biyearly workshops provided in the previous year. By contrast, our annual Professional Skills Development workshop is provided every year.
Got questions? Ask Manoj Patel