$25-million Grant to Fund Five-Year Study to Uncover Epilepsy Genes

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), along with several collaborating institutions, will decode the DNA of more than 4,000 people suffering from various forms of epilepsy over the next five years in a study to uncover the genetic secrets of one of the most common neurological diseases. The project will be funded by a $25-million grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

“This is the largest, most sophisticated project that has ever been attempted for identifying the genetic causes of epilepsy, and it has come about as the result of a great spirit of collaboration among scientists, clinicians, patients and their family members from throughout the world,” said Daniel Lowenstein, MD, vice chair of the Department of Neurology and director of the UCSF Epilepsy Center. For more information, click here to read the full release.